2023 Honda Accord: The Best Gets Better

For nearly 50 years, the Honda Accord has been wowing American consumers with its expert blend of efficiency, reliability, safety, capaciousness, style, value and driving enjoyment. (I include myself in that category; since the late '80s, I've owned four Accords.)

Now in its eleventh generation, the all-new 2023 Accord — which I recently test drove through Southern California's mountain, valley and coastal roadways — maintains and improves upon that legacy.

Overview

The new Accord comes in a broad array of trim levels to fit a wide range of budgets, from the basic LX (base price $28,390) to the luxurious Touring Hybrid ($38,985).

The least expensive models, the LX and EX ($30,705), are competitively equipped with standard features like a 7" color infotainment screen, loads of advanced driver assistance safety systems, a rear seatbelt reminder for the kids (and you) and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, which mirrors your smart phone’s screen and capabilities when plugged into a USB cable.

These models feature a 192-hp 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder gasoline engine, mated to a continuously variable transmission, which returns decent fuel economy: 29 mpg city/37 mpg highway/32 mpg combined.

Engine, Transmission and Performance

But it's the 204-hp gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain on the four higher trim levels — Sport ($32,990), EX-L ($34,635), Sport-L ($34,970) and the aforementioned Touring — that is really impressive, particularly with its efficiency.

The most parsimonious of these, the EX-L, with its smaller wheels and lower rolling resistance tires, achieves 51 mpg city/44 mpg highway/48 mpg combined. The Sport-L and Touring models are rated at a not-slouchy 46/41/44.

Honda anticipates that at least 50% of Accord buyers will opt for the hybrid model, but after spending time in both models, I think the brand may be underestimating the popularity of the hybrid. Not only is it punchier, quieter and more fun to drive than the gasoline-only model, it's also available with a wider variety of trim options, from sporty to luxe. This allows customers to add niceties like ventilated leather front seats, heated rear seats, a larger 12.1" central touch screen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, a pair of rear seat USB-C charging ports and a booming 12-speaker Bose sound system with a subwoofer.

Safety

Fortunately, even the most inexpensive Accords come standard with the brand’s Honda Sensing suite, including safety features that note upcoming speed limit and stop signs, keep the car in its lane, brake automatically to prevent front or rear collisions and monitor the driver’s attentiveness. An abundance of newly upgraded airbags and crash protection and mitigation systems help the Accord exceed the latest National Highway Traffic Safety Administration standards, too.

The only thing missing for those of us who reside in regions with consistently foul weather, is the availability of all-wheel drive. Honda has never offered AWD on the Accord, as the brand feels that the front-wheel-drive offers more than sufficient traction, especially when combined with winter tires — but still, some customers may long for it.

Exterior

Every model also comes standard with the Accord’s sexy new body, with a design that accentuates the sedan’s long hood, short deck proportions and its wide, planted stance. I got Audi A7 vibes from the shape, and that's a high compliment for a car that costs less than half the price of that handsome German.

Interior and Comfort

The interior of the Accord — which features class-leading cargo space and rear legroom — is, simply put, a very pleasant place to be. The tilt and telescoping steering wheel, driver-angled transmission selector and new front seats updated to decrease fatigue make finding a comfortable seating position easy.

Visibility in all directions is superior and rear headroom, despite the sloping fastback shape, is more than ample. Ingress and egress is easy for all seating positions, and while the trunk opening is a little small, it makes up for it in width and low liftover height, especially compared to a higher-riding vehicle like an SUV.

Infotainment and Connectivity

The latticework metallic trim that runs the length of the dash and incorporates the HVAC vents looks premium and offers a bit of delight to the refined cabin. The controls, with hard knobs for features like infotainment volume and interior temperature adjustment, fall readily to hand, even while driving. If you prefer to use voice commands, the Accord is Alexa-enabled, and now offers access to a full suite of Google integration (Google Maps, Google Assistant, Google Play) on the uppermost trim levels. For those of you in the Google Universe, utilization is seamless once you log in.

The Bottom Line

The 2023 Accord is filled with thoughtful features that make it delightful, but it's the holistic combination of form, design and functionality that makes it stand out. Every detail feels carefully considered and assembled so that the car behaves not just telepathically, but almost empathically, like it's concerned for the well-being and happiness of its driver and occupants. Acceleration is capable but never jarring. Braking is confident but never grabby. Handling is refined and proficient, soaking up roadway imperfections and resulting in evenness.

Our overall takeaway: The Accord made me smile, and I felt like it was smiling back at me. I think it will do the same for you and your family.

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