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2021 Honda Accord – Test Drive, Review, Ratings, Spec

The Accord is Still a Worthy Buy

No matter how popular cross-overs are, there will still be a place for the good old family sedan. That’s because they sit lower to the ground, offering a much more refined and enthusiastic driving experience without too much sacrifice in practicality. Speaking of which, the 4-door sedan Honda Accord is exactly that and more, and much more.

Buyers can opt for either a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, or the more fuel efficient hybrid powertrain under test. Regardless of which; rest assured, the Accord offers smooth handling with a bit of peppy acceleration.

New for model year 2021 are minor cosmetic tweaks made to the front grille design. LED headlamps and aluminum alloy wheels are made optional with a new introduction of Sonic Gray Pearl color scheme to choose from. Other standard features also makes its way to 2021 model including an 8.0″ infotainment display. Throttle response has also been tuned to get better off-the-line performance. Other than that, everything else remains intact.

Powertrain

Base models receive a 192 horsepower turbocharged 1.5 liter four-cylinder engine. Upgrading to the Sport or Touring trims gets the more preferred 2.0 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that produces 252 horsepower and a 10-speed automatic gearbox. A hybrid powertrain is also available that runs on a four-cylinder engine and two electric AC induction motors, but gets a CVT transmission instead. All said, the Accord is unfortunately limited to a front-wheel drive configuration only, which falls behind in terms of powertrain tech in terms of traction and stability.

Interior and Tech Features

The Honda Accord’s interior offers a pleasing cabin space that strikes a good balance of comfort and luxury with neither over or underdone. The available perforated leather front seats are constructed of well-grade materials and the heated leather wrapped steering wheel adds a sense of a luxurious touch. Front seats are heated and ventilated while the rear seats can also be configured to be heated for added comfort. Alongside the list of comfort options is an available moonroof. Practicality is well suited for families with decent trunk capacity with the ability to fold down the rear 60/40 seats for increased space.

Plenty of tech features makes its way into the Honda Accord with blind spot and rear cross-traffic alert, rear view multi-camera adaptive cruise control, and a colored heads-up display depending on trim. A standard 8″ infotainment touchscreen display handles all multimedia and smartphone connectivity that’s compatible with Android Auto and Apple Carplay. Built-in Honda-Link voice-activated navigation is also available with the Touring trims that proved to be accurate and responsive under test. The instrument cluster is also 7″ all digital LCD display to create an overall clean and tidy interior.

Test Drive and Final Thoughts

Road test shows the Honda Accord to be smooth, quiet, nimble and precise whose performance even rivals some of the luxury 4-door sedan contenders on the market to date. Under test is the Honda Accord hybrid that offers a seamless driving experience. Steering is well damped with surprisingly nimble handling and the CVT transmission remained calm and predictable throughout the drive.

Other luxury features such as ventilated front seats, dual-zone climate controls and colored heads up display added to an overall positive driving experience. And if there was anything at all to complain about, would be the weaker 452 watt 10 speaker system that didn’t quite deliver the crisp audio quality we would have preferred. Despite the minor pet peeve, the Accord still remains one of our top picks this year.

Specifications

  • Vehicle : 2021 Honda Accord
  • Model : Accord Hybrid Touring
  • Vehicle Type : 4-door Compact Sedan
  • Seating Capacity : 2+3
  • Engine : Hybrid
  • Transmission :  CVT
  • Price as tested: $37,855

Pros

  • Luxury Styling and Interior Cabin Space
  • Excellent Build Quality
  • Smooth, light and nimble driving experience
  • Lots of included tech features that rivals some luxury contenders

Cons

  • All-Wheel Drive configuration is not available with the Honda Accord