2016 Honda Accord Review

The Accord and the Camry have always been the forerunners in the midsize sedan wars. After reviewing the Camry ( check out the Camry review , and Accord VS Camry comparison ), the only natural next step was to put a Honda Accord through the same rigorous testing.

In fairness I do have a bias to the Accord…maybe a bit of a soft spot. My grandparents have had a total of 5 Accords since the mid 80’s. I loved their first one best, it was an ’86 or ’87. It was the only midsize family sedan in history to cash in on that 1980’s automotive craze, Hidden Headlamps! Man, I thought my grandparents were so cool!

Fast forward to 2017, and I still think the Accord is designed vastly superior to the Camry. Every new generation to come along looks like the last. Honda has managed to maintain the Accord’s shapes and proportions making it stay true to it’s lineage. (The same cannot be said for it’s younger sibling, the Civic.)

But the last time I actually drove one was almost 20 years ago. It was the one and only time my granddad let me behind the wheel. It was their second Accord, a ’93, and I drove one single lap around their Long Island block.

Setting my nostalgia aside, I gave this 2016 LX model a once around and a test drive. Here’s 2016 Honda Accord review:

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

A walk-around of the car shows it’s design to be solid. I stand by my original statement, the Accord still looks like the Accord. It may not be the most strikingly good looking car, and it’s still a cookie cutter sedan. But it sticks to it’s guns, stays true to what it is, and I respect that.

The trunk was spacious and larger than the Camry’s, but not as well laid out. It also revealed the Accord’s cheaper bits, as the trunk lining and spare tire lid on this 2016 model was already falling apart. The opening to the folding rear seats was a small oval. I couldn’t see much practicality in folding the seats down, so I didn’t even bother with it.

Points that were taken away in the trunk were made up in the back seat. Very roomy, not at all cramped and VERY comfortable cloth seats. I could tell the foam was a high quality material, and I could see myself riding in the back seat during a longer drive and not getting sore. I nearly fell asleep back there. Not so much in the way of extra features, such as rear climate control, but that back seat was a nice place to be.

The cock pit was also a nice place to be, with the same plush seating up front. The interior design and dash was interesting and engaging. I felt the Camry lacked any pizazz on the inside, but the accord had some style without trying too hard. Everything was easy to access, the gauges were nice and clear, and it’s LCD screen had amazing resolution. It was not a touch screen. Though I’m sure some prefer touch screens, I believe they lead to distracted driving. So I was happy to see the Accord’s sitting behind plastic. However, the dashboard did reveal some more cheaper elements, as the dash itself felt plastic, and shook around.

Driving the Accord was a surprising treat! Certainly not the fastest car, but really nice power at low speeds, and a strong acceleration. There was some weight to the gas pedal, which I believe gives you more control over the vehicle, making it not only more fun to drive, but safer to drive as well. Suspension and braking was pretty average, smooth and comfortable. This automatic transmission Accord didn’t offer any optional manual shift modes, however there is a “sport” mode. Shifting into sport mode shortened the gear ratios, making for an even quicker, tighter take-off. You won’t win any races in this car, but you won’t be holding up traffic either. If I could sum up my driving experience in the Accord with one word: Confident.

LASTING IMPRESSIONS

I didn’t let my bias completely control my impressions of the car. There are certainly things about this car that were rather disappointing. Altogether, it is a really decent sedan. Having one of the best reputations in the business, it’s safe, reliable, and incredibly valuable. With it’s handsome lines, and slightly sporty engine, I’d say the Accord LX is worthy of it’s title as the best selling midsize family sedan.

Me being me, I would still spend my money elsewhere. But if the Camry and the Accord were the last two cars in the world and I could only pick between the two, without hesitation, it would be the Accord.

Again this is my opinion.

HONDA ACCORD RATING

To sum up my impressions of the car, here’s how I feel it stacked up in a 1-10 rating system.

VALUE – 8
It’s everything you pay for, has great resale value and is incredibly well built, but I believe you can find a more dynamic driving experience for the same price range.

BUILD QUALITY – 6
Overall, incredibly well built. But skimping out on better materials in obvious places, such as the trunk and dashboard earns the Accord a lower rating.

DESIGN/STYLE – 6
Handsome, solid design. Respectable signature elements keeps it consistent to it’s heritage, and recognizable on the road. Still, it’s a box with wheels.

COMFORT – 9
Very comfortable car. Plush, high quality seats paired with smooth, (not soft) suspension makes this car an ease to drive or be driven. Spacious rear seat as well.

PERFORMANCE/HANDLING – 6
It was a pleasant surprise, felt nice to drive with a slight connection to the road. Acceleration was strong and confident. Sport mode was fun in a straight line. However, I wouldn’t whip it around any corners, or take it for a spirited weekend drive through the canyons.

VISIBILITY – 6
Sight lines out the front of the car were just fine. Disappointing rear view. After praising the design of this car, it’s one flaw is the swollen trunk lid, leaving less visibility out of the rear window. Also, thicker C pillars means bigger blind spots. It’s not really that bad, the low rating is more of a demerit. C’mon, Honda, you should know better!

CARGO – 6
Plenty of space, but nothing interesting. I was more impressed by the width and shape of the Camry’s trunk. Opening to the folding back seat was practically pointless.
COOLNESS FACTOR – 5
Well, it’s cooler than a Camry. But, like, by a hair.

OVERALL – 7.5 out of 10
The Accord stacked up fairly high and impressed me overall. But it’s downsides kept in from being a really stellar car. I enjoyed driving it, and I wouldn’t hate having to drive it again. But I won’t be dreaming about it.

THE SPECS (2016 Honda Accord LX)

-Engine – 2.4 liters, Inline 4 cylinder, DOHC with 16 valves.
-185 Horsepower
-MPG – 27 city, 36 highway, 30 combined
-Curb Weight – 3,200 lbs.
-Cargo capacity – 15.8 cu ft.
-Seats – 5

The 2016 model year had 6 trim levels available, also offering a variety of engines. The fully loaded EX-L model featured a 3.5 liter V6 Engine. Our LX, not so much. It was the second trim level above base.

Features you get on the LX:
-Eco Assist System
-Active noise cancellation, active sound control
-Hill holder
-Full safety features – brake assist, rear view camera, daytime running lights, road departure system (available as an option)
-Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane assist (available as an option)
-Dual zone climate control
-all the cup holders, sunglasses pockets, storage bins you could shake a stick at
-MP3/Aux input, WMA playback, 8 inch LCD screen (non-touch), Bluetooth, Pandora, XM/Sirius, 4 Speakers
-Text message function
What you’d get if you sprung for an EX-L:
-Remote and Pushbutton start
-Front shock tower bar
-Variable Cylinder management
-Honda’s lane watch system
-LED Fog lights
-Moonroof (not a sunroof?)
-Heated side mirrors
-Leather wrapped steering wheel
-Satellite Navigation
-Leather trimmed, heated, power seats

Looking at the “what you get” column vs. “what you don’t get” I’m having a hard time figuring out why I’d spring for the fully loaded Accord with all the trimmings. It’s still an Accord, where practicality reins supreme.

If after reading our review of the Accord, you want to check out what is available for sale, at Auto City we always have a Honda Accord for sale !