The Honda Accord has been a staple in the automotive world since it first debuted in 1976, quickly earning its reputation for reliability and affordability. Fuel-efficient, roomy and stylish have been the Accord's best selling points for nearly 50 years, and Honda continues to sell nearly 200,000 units yearly. But times are changing: SUVs have been outselling cars and sedans for a decade now, and we wanted to see how this midsize sedan fares in its eleventh generation. The Honda Accord Sport Hybrid tested had an MSRP of $43,748, and the Honda Accord Touring Hybrid has an MSRP of $47,248. Both were built at the Marysville, OH plant.
The eleventh generation of the Japanese midsize sedan debuted last year, replacing the successful tenth generation. The previous Honda Accord had a striking and bold design, but it was starting to show its age, and the design team redesigned the vehicle. This current generation has a toned-down look thanks to its smaller, blacked-out front grille, sharper lighting housing and more prolonged profile. The car is slightly longer and larger to accommodate the larger battery pack, while the height and wheelbase are unchanged from the outgoing model. You will find a different tail light assembly, rear bumper, and a smaller Honda logo in the back. The minimalistic design looks more premium than the outgoing model, which has more chrome trims.
Inside, the Honda Accord features a minimalistic yet premium design. We drove both the Sport and Touring trims, and aside from the apparent seat differences (cloth vs. leather), the middle trim offers excellent value for its $3,500 lower price. All Accords come with a 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (wireless in hybrid versions), providing plenty of features from the factory. While the previous generation was well-equipped, the new eleventh generation has a sleeker interior, highlighted by a long metal mesh panel beneath the infotainment screen. Honda also focused on touchpoints, ensuring a premium feel wherever drivers and passengers interact with buttons and switches. As for specifics, the heated steering wheel feels great in your hands, and the gear shifter is back! It is slightly tilted towards the driver to drive home the sporty point, although it's strictly an impression, as we'll see in a bit. Finally, the 12.3-inch touchscreen is great, responsive, and displays much information. The standard sound system is also good, while the Bose premium sound system in the Touring trim is an improvement. Once again, the Sport trim will be plenty enough for most buyers.
In terms of interior space and cargo room, the new Honda Accord can still seat four adults comfortably, with the outer rear seats heated in the Touring trim. Taller adults might need to duck a bit, but the roofline isn't a problem once seated. The middle seat in the back remains a temporary seat due to the hump on the floor. The occupants will have two air vents and two USB-C charging ports on the back of the center console. The ISOFIX ports are indicated on the seats, and the Rear anchors are located on the top area close to the rear windshield. Another area where the Accord shines is the cargo capacity. The trunk is massive; at 473L, it has the largest cargo space in the category, and you can easily fold down the second row from the back in a 60/40 fashion. If you were hoping for a return of the Coupe version, which was available for many years, we are sorry to disappoint you. Overall, Honda has kept the success recipe alive all those years, offering tons of space for a reasonable price.
Under the hood, the Japanese automaker has simplified its powertrain offerings to reduce costs. The Honda Accord EX (renamed SE for the 2025 model year) is the only version featuring the 1.5L turbocharged, four-cylinder VTEC engine, which, coupled with the CVT, delivers 192 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque. The Accord Hybrid, equipped with an Atkinson-cycle, 2.0L four-cylinder engine coupled to an e-CVT and an electric motor, delivers 204 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque. With a 0-100 kph time in the low 7-second range, Sport may be too much to describe the performance of this family sedan, but the powertrain effortlessly brings the vehicle up to highway speeds. We regret the absence of all-wheel drive, as this vehicle is only available in a front-wheel drive setup, and most of its competitors offer it as an option or standard. Steering and handling are decent for the category, and it is easy to maneuver in a busy parking lot while providing some feedback on the back road. Body roll has been minimized thanks to its suspension and low center of gravity. Braking is quite good, too; the vehicle stops promptly and predictably while using regenerative braking to replenish the battery. It is the perfect segue to our last point: the battery and the hybrid powertrain bring a comfortable, quiet and fuel-efficient ride to this midsize sedan, thus proving that the Japanese automaker has mastered the technology. During our test, we averaged 5.4L/100 km (43.5 mpg) in our combined city/highway drive, even averaging under 5.0L/100km (47 mpg) in traffic.
To close out, Honda had one job with the Accord: modernize the car. Their execution was flawless. The midsize sedan displays a great blend of modern and premium looks with a well-thought-out interior. The fuel-sipping powertrain is perfectly adapted to the vehicle, although more power would've been even better. The new Honda Accord is an excellent choice and continues to be one of the best options in its category!
Honda has lent us this vehicle for one week as a press vehicle. We have no affiliation with Honda, Canada. The above reflects our personal opinion of the car referred to above.
