Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this is the all-new 2018 Honda Accord. The popular midsize sedan has been thoroughly redesigned for a sportier appearance that mimics the approach taken by Toyota with the new Camry, plus new turbocharged engines and transmissions, a redeveloped powertrain for the Hybrid model and various technologies that make their debuts here.
As expected, the new model takes plenty of cues from the latest Civic, with a fastback design that gives the car a sleeker look than past Accords. At the front sit slim headlights joined together by a chrome wing, under which sits a large, upright grille that extends all the way down. Like its smaller sibling, the new Accord is available with full-LED headlights, along with LED fog lights.
Moving towards the side, there’s a strong arching character line that goes above the deeply-sculpted flanks, emphasising the car’s length. The glasshouse stretches further back which, together with the increased tumblehome, gives the Accord a more dynamic look. The roof and cant rails are joined using a new laser brazing process that negates the need for rubber strips along the rain channels.
Finishing off the look is an upswept rear deck, wraparound tail lights with LED light guides and integrated twin exhaust exits. Honda claims that the overall aerodynamic efficiency of the new Accord has been improved by around 3%, which it says makes it the most streamlined Accord yet.
Unlike the Civic, which has been considerably larger than its predecessor, the Accord’s exterior dimensions have stayed pretty much the way they were. Honda says that the new model is actually 10 mm shorter (at 4,880 mm) and 15 mm lower (1,450 mm) than the outgoing model, although it is 10 mm wider (1,860 mm). Larger gains can be found in the wheelbase, which is a whole 55 mm longer (2,830 mm).
The greater distance between the front and rear wheels has allowed the rear seats to be moved further back, adding more than 50 mm of rear legroom. The seats have also been positioned inboard to improve hip, shoulder and headroom, while the boot is now 28 litres larger at 473 litres.
This increase is room is paired to a more refined cabin that Honda says is higher-quality and provides a more premium feel. Outward visibility has been improved through a lower cowl and 20% thinner A-pillars that have been pushed further to the rear, and the arching design of the upper dashboard panels flowing into the door cards provides a sense of strength and continuity.
Elsewhere, there are larger arm rests with thicker padding, along with new seats featuring taller shoulder bolstering and new high-accuracy seat padding with variable firmness – the latter improves comfort and support. A 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat is available, as are heated and ventilated front seats and rear seats with heated squabs and backrests.
The driver sits in front of a new seven-inch instrument display, next to the eight-inch Display Audio touchscreen infotainment system – Honda has bowed to consumer criticism regarding the all-touch interface on previous systems, giving the Accord physical knobs for both volume and tuning. The new system is also more smartphone-like with customisable tiles and home screen shortcuts.
New technologies available onboard include wireless smartphone charging, Near Field Communication (NFC), 4G LTE in-car WiFi, over-the-air system updates, a six-inch head-up display and up to ten speakers with 450 watts. There’s also next-gen HondaLink telematics which incorporate emergency assistance, remote locking and engine start, stolen vehicle tracking, remote diagnostics, geofencing and speed tracking.
All models in the United States come as standard with Honda Sensing, which includes Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Lane Departure Warning, Road Departure Mitigation, Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow and the new Traffic Sign Recognition. There are also new driver and passenger knee airbags, as well as the optional Blind Spot Information, Cross Traffic Monitor and Driver Awareness Monitor.
Power comes from a pair of new turbocharged, direct-injected petrol engines. The 1.5 litre four-pot with dual Variable Timing Control (VTC) is the one you’ll be familiar with – it’s the one in the new CR-V, and it produces 192 hp at 5,500 rpm and 260 Nm of torque from 1,500 to 5,000 rpm. All that is sent to the front wheels via a CVT or an optional six-speed manual gearbox.
Sitting above it is the new 2.0 litre i-VTEC version that shares plenty with the mill in the new Civic Type R. This one makes 252 hp at 6,500 rpm and a stout 370 Nm between 1,500 and 4,000 rpm, and is mated to either the six-speed manual or a new 10-speed automatic transmission.
There will also be an Accord Hybrid that will utilise a new 2.0 litre Atkinson-cycle engine with a claimed maximum thermal efficiency of over 40% – on par with new Toyota Prius and Camry Hybrid, as well as the Hyundai Ioniq. Paired to it are twin electric motors, as well a more compact battery that slots under the rear floor instead of the boot, preserving luggage space and the 60:40 split-folding rear seats.
Under the skin, the Accord is stiffer than before to improve ride, handling and noise absorption, and incorporates a higher percentage (29%) of ultra-high-strenth steel to cut overall weight by between 50 and 80 kg. The centre of gravity is also 10 mm lower than before.
The chassis features MacPherson strut front and more compact multi-link rear suspension, mounted to an all-aluminium front and a more rigid floating rear subframe; a new dual-pinion variable-ratio electric power steering is also fitted. All Accords now come with Two-Mode Driving System with Normal and Sport settings, with adaptive damping available as an option.
Refinement has been improved with the use of full underbody covers, front and rear fender and engine compartment insulators, alloy wheels with resonator technology, sound-absorbing carpet, an acoustic windscreen, optional acoustic front side windows and a new, three-microphone Active Noise Control system.
So, what do you think of the 2018 Honda Accord, and what’s on your wish list for the Malaysian model? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
