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The Honda Accord has been one of the more memorable Honda models since its birth in the 1970s. Alongside the Civic, it is the brand’s longest-running model and has always been important to its target market – particularly in the USA – for the sole purpose of providing safe, reliable transportation for enthusiasts.
The Accord has been threatened by the wave of SUVs from the last decade or so, but Honda clearly believes that the Accord is still relevant to buyers, and has been reborn as a whole new generation which goes on sale in 2023.
Thinking of buying one? We certainly don’t blame you for such a decision. However, here are ten things you need to know before buying the all-new 2023 Honda Accord.
10 New Styling
The Accord has received a complete refresh for 2023. A cleaner, more streamlined look takes place of the sedate-looking predecessor, but the designers haven’t taken any risks and incorporated design elements likely to be controversial.
Given it’s one of America’s best-selling cars for around five decades, the Accord has a strong and fairly loyal customer base, and Honda wouldn’t want to damage that if they wish for it to continue being a success. It has a similar front end to the new HR-V and the rear appears to have taken inspiration from European sedans such as the Peugeot 508 and VW Passat.
9 No Manual Gearbox Available – CVT Only
The Accord used to be available with a 6-speed manual alongside the clutch-less versions, but the 2023 Accord is dropping this trend. From now on, the Accord will be passing its power through a CVT transmission, and you won’t be able to buy it any other way.
This is potentially sad for the niche market who want a manual Accord, but the vast majority of customers are likely to embrace the change since that’s the direction of most other ‘normal’ non-enthusiast cars on the market.
In case you aren’t fully clued-up, here is how a CVT transmission works and how it compares to a conventional automatic.
8 5-Star NHTSA Safety Rating
Amazingly, the 2023 Accord has been gifted with a 5-star safety rating from the NHTSA and has been declared as one of the safest cars to buy in for the 2023 model year.
That’s an especially great reason to consider an Accord over other cars; the NHTSA approval ultimately gives the buyer ultimate confidence that if they get into an accident, themselves and their occupants have a good chance of being okay.
Honda scores highly on the safety front, which leaves a great deal of credibility to be deserved.
7 2.0 Liter Engines Now Hybridized
The 2023 Accord will be offered with two different engines: a 1.5 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder in the base LX and EX trims, and a 2.0 liter 4-cylinder engine with a hybrid system will be offered in the upper Sport and Touring Hybrid trims.
The 2.0 liter hybrid drivetrain is effectively carried over from the CR-V and produces 204hp, which isn’t a big increase over the 1.5 liter’s 192hp. The 2.0 liter turbocharged engine is no longer offered for this new generation, meaning the 2023 Accord takes a more sedate approach to moving down the road.
To get you up to speed with the Honda Accord, here is how each generation compares.
6 No AWD Option
Something to keep in mind when buying the 2023 Accord is that it won’t be offered in AWD. Other sedans and wagons do offer AWD such as the Subaru Legacy, Kia K5, and Nissan Altima. So, this could potentially turn off buyers who may be looking for as much all-weather capability as they can get.
The Accord is more than capable with its conventional FWD setup, but giving buyers appropriate levels of variety is always worth offering with a car designed for the mass market. Something that cannot be said for say, Subaru’s Wilderness package on the new Outback.
5 It’s More Expensive Than Rivals
With a starting price of just over $28,000, the 2023 Accord holds a slight premium over its competitors. The Toyota Camry starts from a hair over $27,000, and rivals from Kia, Hyundai, and Nissan all begin from the $26,000 mark.
This is all before options of course, but this is something to keep in mind when fitting the Accord up with options. It could mean spending a little extra over rivals which are available with AWD and more powerful engines.
4 Interior Hasn’t Changed Much
The interior of the 2023 Honda Accord really isn’t much of a step up from its predecessor in terms of design. There are subtle changes, but you would really struggle to believe it’s an all-new cabin for a new generation.
Perhaps Honda wanted to keep things purely functional for the new generation in order not to alienate the core customer base. At the end of the day, Honda means reliability to a great deal of people, and why try and fix something that isn’t broken? With that said, the Touring trim does offer Google built-in which includes Google Assistant, Maps, and Play which comes with a 3-year unlimited data plan – which is handy for those who like their tech.
The Subaru Legacy and Outback models followed a similar path, and yet people are still buying them with the brand knowing they’ll be kept for a long time. So, perhaps Honda thought along similar lines.
3 Lots Of Safety Assists As Standard
For 2023, the Honda Accord is littered with masses of safety equipment as standard. This is what made the car stand out for the NHTSA and ultimately led to its phenomenal safety rating. Safety gear itself has come a long way in recent years, so it’s reassuring to know the Accord is well-equipped with some of them.
As standard from 2023, the Accord gets automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and assist, and adaptive cruise control. The Accord therefore, is extremely well-equipped no matter what trim level you choose.
2 Warranty Packages Fall Short Of Korean Rivals
Buyers will be cautious of things that could potentially go wrong once age and miles come into play. To combat this, manufacturers have been offering competitive warranty packages to give buyers that extra slice of reassurance.
Kia for example, offer from five to ten years and 60,000-100,000 mile warranties for all of their vehicles. Hyundai offers the same or similar packages, whereas Toyota can offer up to 60,000 miles for components such as the engine and running gear.
Honda on the other hand, offers only similar deals to Toyota whereby the powertrain can be covered for 60,000 miles, but the general warranty package consists of just 36,000 miles or 3 years. This is not as attractive as the Korean manufacturers, and it’s definitely something to keep in mind when considering the 2023 Accord.
1 It Celebrates 40 Years Of Accord Production In The USA
Honda began production of the Accord in 1982 at its American factory in Marysville, Ohio. From the second generation onwards, the Accord was always found on that U.S. production line.
Upon launching the new Accord for the 2023 model year, Honda unveiled it as a celebration of this automotive milestone. Accord production remains on that Marysville line and probably will do with the next generation several years down the line.
Honda has had major success in the U.S. market, which includes some of these truly great models from the past.
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