I'm not going to dance around it the 10th generation Honda Accord is awesome
not perfect but awesome
that awesomeness begins outside in the pantheon of Honda Accords this might be
the coolest the fastback profile looks substantive and sporty while the front
has an imposing modern presence it also looks like it has a unibrow
but the Accords got the swagger to pull it off creep inside and the design is
less radical but still attractive in an unpretentious kind of way interior
appointments are soft in the right spots specifically where you'll be resting
your elbows and knees for a midsize sedan rear seat legroom is absurd I'm
not quite sure what to do with all of this and despite a sloping roofline
Headroom is good in all positions yes even the middle position I do have to
contend with a center tunnel right here but if I needed to yeah I can hang here
for a while the roofline does slightly hinder ingress and egress it might be
nice if the rear upper door materials matched the soft front doors and rear
passengers would appreciate some USB outlets but overall the back seats raise
few complaints there's not much to complain about up front here either the
layout is a monument of simplicity and functionality all the buttons and
controls are where you'd expect them to be they're clearly labeled you can see
them from the driver's seat and when you use them they feel nice listen to that
click yeah
I especially like how the HUD and trip buttons use a larger font since they're
further away ah sweet attention to detail for hauling gear the trunk
provides a healthy sixteen point seven cubic feet supported by a wide trunk
opening 60/40 split-folding seats and a good sized pass-through to the cabin
though the seats don't quite fold flat raising the Accords usability is a big
center console a deep USB adjacent storage area with optional wireless
phone charging and a driver's seat that offers a wide range of adjustability in
my case I can enjoy a commanding ninety three a relaxed eight and four with my
arms on the equal height armrests and unlike in many cars with the steering
wheel just at low like I like it there's no obstructions for the gauge cluster I
can see everything perfectly clearly regarding the gauge cluster its analog
on the right and digital on the left the digital portion looks sharp and is
effortlessly customizable to display the tech ometer audio and phone information
or supplemental navigation directions we'd be even more impressed if it also
showed apple carplay directions but were fans nonetheless
speaking of carplay it's available on all accords except the base trim
along with Android auto beyond smartphone integration Honda really has stepped up
its infotainment game a 7-inch unit is standard but most of course will come
with this vivid eight inch touchscreen I love the bright colourful clearly
distinguished icons how utterly intuitive it is to navigate and the fact
you can go to submenus with these physical buttons located around the
screen but mostly I love the fact that I'm not gonna have to complain about a
lack of knobs anymore
so my biggest concern the volume knob has finally been addressed but you might
be wondering how does the Honda Accord Drive
it drives really well the brake and throttle are both easy to modulate
interior noise is a distant Rumble visibility is good in all directions and
the rearview mirror is wide and matches the shape of the rear glass giving you
an excellent view rearward if you're being chased by the law for the record I
am NOT being chased by the law yet
when cruising the steering is as stable as a Clydesdale that rock-solid highway
demeanor is elevated by Lane keep assist which comes standard that makes it so
you almost don't have to steer all right the car is telling me apparently I do
have to steer for roads that curve the steering wheel lands in the Goldilocks
zone delivering the right amount of heft and direct predictable responses from
the chassis there are sporty-er sedans and there are
softer sedans but the Accord strikes a smart balance
between those conflicting demands elevating the latest Accords road
manners is a two mode adaptive damping system offered on the Touring trim able
to adjust its reactions 500 times per second the adaptive dampers deliver a
commendable ride that helps smooth undulating roadways at the same time the
Accord can be fitted with 19-inch wheels that look neat but degrade ride comfort
versus the standard 17 inchers as is now common Accord features a sport mode that
alter steering throttle and transmission behavior the sport mode also sharpens
the two mode damping system though in practice mid-corner bumps still caused
the Accord to wallow and bounce thankfully among sensible family cars
that qualifies this fun from the driver's seat a long hood and curved -
make it seem larger than it actually is but rest assured the Accord is perfectly
manageable dicing it up in parking lots would be even more manageable of Honda
offered a 360 degree camera system but as is the standard multi angle backup
camera and optional front and rear parking sensors do a good job informing
the driver of relevant hazards the Honda Accords turbocharged four-cylinder
engine lineup consists of a 1.5 liter that's powerful enough for most buyers
needs but there is also a 2 liter choosing the 2 liter brings enough lag
free instantaneous thrust that you probably want more in the demise of the
Accord v6 the 1.5 liter engine comes teamed with a continuously variable
transmission while the 2 liter is partnered with a 10 speed automatic that
aside from occasional light jerkiness in stop-and-go driving is transparent in
its operation amazingly either end can also be paired with a six-speed
manual transmission and Accord sport models yes
a manual you know that thing where you use your right arm and your left leg to
shift gears meet rounding out the powertrain line up is
the Accord Hybrid whose two motor hybrid powertrain and lithium-ion battery pack
deliver primo efficiency for a midsize sedan along with uncompromised trunk
accommodations a welcome break from previous Accord hybrids in competitively
priced base form the Accord LX includes dual zone automatic climate control LED
headlights eight airbags including front occupant knee airbags and Honda sensing
a suite of active safety aids including lane departure warning with active
steering pre-collision braking adaptive cruise control and even traffic sign
recognition one of the things that Honda sensing does really well is alert the
driver without scaring the driver in some systems all the sounds and lights
can be jarring but with Honda sensing you get a gentle yet assertive chime and
orange flashing to alert you that doom lies ahead but it's not going to
distract you from that doom
available on higher trims our heated front and rear seats leather a moonroof
and passive entry to accompany the standard push-button start but for
maximum indulgence choose the fancy Touring trim and includes goodies like a
helpful and easy to adjust head-up display ventilated front seats a 10
speaker premium audio system and he previously mentioned adaptive dampers
buying for your midsize sedan attention are the sporting and lovely to look at
Mazda 6 the easy driving and newly outrageous Toyota Camry and the stylish
value-packed Hyundai Sonata among a slew of others it's out of competition but
man the latest Accord sure is awesome
depending on your wants and needs there are plenty of good reasons to buy a
midsize sedan that is not the Honda Accord but if you AskMe which sedan is
best for the widest swath of the car buying public the tenth generation
Accord is an easy recommendation
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