If the 2018 Honda Accord tickles your fancy, you can head to your local Honda store and plunk down some cash on the hood (figuratively, of course – cash on the hood would just blow away in the wind).
We’ve driven the new Accord, which drops the V6 and coupe models, and we came away liking it but wishing for a little more sport.
Regardless, with the rival Camry also being all-new for 2018, Honda has made sure it has a fresh, new generation on hand to continue the rivalry. All this despite concerns about the mid-size sedan segment as a whole – concerns Honda has dismissed.
A quick specs refresh – Honda now offers two turbo four-cylinder engines with the Accord – one 1.5 liters and the other is a 2.0-liter mill. You can still get a six-speed manual transmission if you still choose. Otherwise, the smaller four pairs with a CVT and the larger one mates to a 10-speed automatic.
In addition to new duds, the car is longer and offers the Honda Sensing suite of safety tech as standard. A hybrid is forthcoming next year.
This is starting to read too much like a press release. Sorry about that. The point is that the if you’re a mid-size sedan buyer and are therefore not concerned by words like “death” and “watch” being placed together after “mid-size sedan”, well now is a good time for you.
As I mentioned, I drove the Accord and mostly liked it, but wished for more sportiness. I’ve also driven the new Camry (too briefly for a review) and found it to be appealing. With the two heavyweights in the class, a heavily refreshed Hyundai Sonata, and a new Altima coming soon, the roster of choices has been updated.
Or you can keep buying crossovers like everyone else. You do you, it’s your money, but if the Honda is your thing, it’s now on lots.
[Image: Honda]
I’m not a fan of that chrome monobrow
Same, but I feel like it’ll eventually disappear.
It’s not chrome piece that bothers me, it’s the total lack of protection for the air conditioning radiator.
One too close parking job against a concrete stop, and you are our MAJOR $$$$.
Easy to mistake as this is the first Turbo Accord (from the factory), but I’m pretty sure that’s the intercooler visible through the lower bumper cover opening. The condenser (A/C radiator) would be behind that, then the engine radiator behind that.
Still, to your point I would be more concerned with rock punctures and road debris clogs. There is normally some structural member just under it that protects it from curb impact. part of the sub frame or radiator bulkhead.
Story: My 30 minute daily commute involves 2 road construction/resurfacing zones. Loads of gravel get kicked up into my radiator. After replacing a punctured one, I also installed a protective screen that’s normally used on dirt track cars… which was the original purpose for the “grill” though I think now it’s mostly for show..
Yes, it’s the intercooler.
They black it out for the 2L turbo model.
For the Sport, yes.
And you can have the black bits installed as a dealer accessory if you wish.
I saw a blue Sport at the dealership next door earlier this week. I haven’t made my way over there yet to check it out.
What a fugly front.
Why did Toyota and Honda both mess up their front ends so badly? Is there some new, dumb government law they have to comply with?
My neighbor has a 2017 Accord, which last weekend I was telling him how good looking it is! Now with this 2018 Accord, it looks like it was exposed to a fire and melted into funny shapes. Yuck…
Perfectly stated! The front seems like it is drooping (melting) about 4 inches lower than it should be. Like it’s falling forward from the rest of the car. It just looks weird.
I just recalled when I first found TTAC: right around when the last Accord came out. So thank you all for five years of great articles (and commentary) that keep me coming back!
When are they going to remove all the ugly camouflage panels so we can see what it really looks like?
as an owner of 2017 Honda accord i can tell it is a really good car ,except one thing that i really dont like which is the car is under powered for the 2.4 – 4 cylinders engine models i think Honda should pump more power to that engine .
https://www.motor1.ae/
Yuck. The 17 Accord Sport was a really pretty car, especially in dark blue or black. This thing is awful-looking, a bloated version of the fugly little Civic. The looks of the Civic, and sitting-on-the-floor seating position turned me off enough that I leased a ’17 Jetta SE instead (and it was cheaper too).
We’ve been leasing Hondas for over a decade, 4 of them since 2013, but no more. They’ve turned ugly and the last 2 Hondas we leased were not well-liked within the family. Assuming I have a decent experience with this Jetta, we may very well start getting VW and/or Audi products going forward.
Reminds me when the Acura TL beak made it’s debut. What is it with Honda and ugly front ends?
Honda wants to take us back to the 50s. Chrome all tha thingz! I’m surprised the rear end doesn’t have fins.
Honda may bring back the Dagmars.
This is the best Crosstour yet! They finally got the proportions right except for that troglodytic forehead grille.
Total Butterfascia. Like, for sure.
That nose…
Chrome-magnon much?
The UNIBROW ACCORD.
Can’t make everyone happy. I remember when everyone complained about the sonata looking so “melted”. So the next time around they made it more conservative and everyone complained it was too bland. Same thing will happen here.
Except that I think the prior Accord was pretty universally acknowledged as reasonably handsome. I don’t think anyone said it was ugly, or even that bland.
Yeah, the last generation Accord looked decent to me. This one just looks bad.
While everyone is on the “that front end is fugly” bandwagon, I’m just going to go on the record with the honest statement that I like the look, even if it is a little busy. I like the new aggressiveness in the 2018 Camry, too. I am SO sick of boring, bland, invisible Camcords year in and year out. It’s about time that both manufacturers got their mojo back!
I wonder how well those slanty, squinty headlights work? The combo projector low beams and reflector high beams on the past Accord were the best headlights on any car I have owned. The new headlight geometry on the Accord would have required a completely new design. And that’s not always a good thing especially if it was done for pure stylistic reasons. Maybe I’ll test drive one in the dark when I get the time.
That chrome bar across the front…. eek! It reminds me of the full width front headlight that the Mercury Sable had.
I understand those who think the new Accord has styling that misses the mark. I have an issue with new car designs in general. I am in the market for a new car (considering the Accord or a CPO Acura) but I see few cars that excite me. And I do wonder if the days of glorious designed cars for the masses is gone. Is there just so much you can do with design in a FWD 3-box mid-size sedan?
Minor typographical error that my OCD won’t unsee…
“The point is that the if you’re a mid-size sedan buyer and are therefore not concerned by words like “death” and “watch” being placed together after “mid-size sedan”, well now is a good time for you.”
Yawn.
How much is the optional lower air inlet grille that they left off?