Overview
The Honda Accord has been a Car and Driver favorite for years, winning our 10Best and Editors’ Choice awards annually with its comfortable interior, great handling, and top-notch build quality. The all-new 2023 Accord features an elegant design that might be the best yet seen on Honda’s popular family sedan. For this new generation, the hybrid powertrain is now standard across all but the two entry-level trims.
The LX and EX come with the same 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gas engine that was in the outgoing model–and they can only be equipped with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The higher trims all have a new 204-hp, four cylinder hybrid system that’s borrowed from the CR-V.
The Accord’s designers made the cabin more stylish by borrowing design elements from the recently redesigned Civic, CR-V, and HR-V. This includes honeycomb-pattern dash trim that hides air vents and a freestanding rectangular infotainment display on top of the instrument panel.
If you’re looking for a car with updated tech, the 2023 Accord has plenty to offer. Standard features include a digital gauge display and an available 12.3-inch infotainment display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The 2023 Accord will continue to offer two different engine options. The LX and EX trims are powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 192 horsepower. The other option is a hybrid powertrain which takes a more prominent position in the lineup than it did previously. Like previous generations of the Accord, the 2023 does not offer all-wheel drive but instead comes standard with front-wheel drive only. Both engines come equipped with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).
This model of Accord features a 2.0-liter four-cylinder and two electric motors which work together to create 204 horsepower; this is the only powertrain offered on Sport, EX-L, Sport-L, and Touring models. It operates with a CVT; no manual transmission will be offered in this generation of Accord. In addition, Honda has improved the sedan’s ride quality and handling by making some adjustments to its suspension and steering. We’ll provide updates on these areas once we have had an opportunity to test drive a production car ourselves.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
We don’t have fuel economy numbers for the 2023 Accord from the EPA yet, but we’re expecting it to be very similar to the outgoing 2022 model. That year’s Accord was rated at up to 30 mpg city and 38 mpg highway with a turbo 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, and up to 48 mpg city and 47 mpg highway as a hybrid.
Honda has indicated that the hybrid’s EPA estimated mileage could go up by about one mile per gallon. When we get a chance, we’ll take the new Accord on our 75-mph highway fuel economy route and update this story with test results. For more information about the Accord’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
All Accords come standard with a suite of driver-assistance tech that Honda calls Honda Sensing. The bundle of features includes basics such as automated emergency braking and lane-departure warning, as well as convenience functions such as adaptive cruise control and traffic sign recognition. For more information about the Accord’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites.
Will the 2023 Honda Accord be different?
For the 2023 model year, the Accord gets new “body-stabilizing” front seat designs that Honda says will reduce fatigue on long trips. Get the Accord LX or EX and you can choose between Gray or Black cloth upholstery.
Will Accord be redesigned in 2023?
Redesigned with a clean new look, the 11th-generation Accord sedan offers a revised hybrid system but sadly loses the surprisingly quick 2.0-liter turbo-four. Honda has revealed the new 2023 Accord mid-size sedan. The big news is the clean new exterior look and a revised hybrid powertrain.
Is the 2022 Honda Accord worth it?
This all makes the Honda Accord the most expensive in this mainstream midsize sedan class, but there is a “pay for what you get” aspect going on here. It’s a top-quality car that retains its value extremely well. We call the Accord a best buy for these reasons.