2015 Honda Accord

2015 Honda Accord Touring Review

Still the King of Cars, after all these years.

By: David Merline

Web2Carz Contributing Writer

Published: November 14th, 2014



The Honda Accord has been among the top-selling full-size sedans since it was upsized from a compact car to a mid-size in 1989. It's been on the Car and Driver 10 Best list a total of 28 times.

It's a car that's been praised so loftily so many times that it almost makes you want to shout "Enough already!" and find reasons to hate it. But then you drive it again, and all its hidden brilliance comes out to play.

Everything about the Accord — at least those things that relate to driving it — is right. It's not that any one thing about Honda's flagship sedan stands out; in fact, the Accord's greatest trick may be the way it creates a mystery out of exactly what it is that makes it such a great car.


  • Exterior

    The Accord has never been a head-turner. That's never been its mission. The car's name is meant to imply Honda's "desire for accord and harmony between people, society and the automobile," according to a company press release. That pretty much tells you that this isn't a car that's looking to stand out from the crowd.


    Certain car types, like crossovers, minivans, and four-door sedans, are particularly difficult to endow with any sense of individuality. Their shapes are almost pre-determined by the various laws of aerodynamics, numerous federal safety regulations, and whatever is cheapest to produce.


    The Accord is certainly not unattractive, but its looks, like its name, are all about striking a compromise, not about striking looks.


    The 2015 Accord has no changes or updates from the previous model, which is just as well; it doesn't need all that much. Honda's current design style finally seems to be cohering, now that the Fit, the CR-V, and the Civic all share the same design language.


    Honda's new wing-like headlight/grille configuration looks best on the Accord, which best suits its scale and best integrates the wing motif throughout the vehicle. The Accord's demeanor is subtle, but there's a hint of elegance in there, and a dash of sportiness too, if you look closely enough.


  • Interior

    Like its exterior, the Accord's interior is pretty much all-business. Interior design may be the one area in which Honda is the most behind the times. Most likely, the extremely bare-bones, muted feel of the interior is meant to appeal to as broad a section of the populace as possible, which it why it feels like it has absolutely no style whatsoever.


    Not that it looks bad, of course. Like the exterior, everything is well designed, well placed, and easy to understand. It just isn't going to make anyone go "Wow!" But then, people who are looking for flash are going to buy an Acura.


    Ergonomically, Honda has always had the most sensible control arrays, and even in this uncomfortable era in which designers of car interiors struggle to integrate displays and/or touchscreens into car dashboards, Honda's two-screen solution is among the more intuitive, if not among the more attractive.


    In black, the Accord Touring's interior looks downright fancy, although in addition to upgrading their sound systems (especially with regard to speaker placement), Honda really needs to hop on the panoramic sunroof trend. Honda's old-style moon roof is quaint and all, but when it comes to greenhouse, bigger is definitely better.


  • On the Road

    Oh, but let's put aside our minor quibbles about what could be better. After all, what thing, person, or product in our life couldn't be better? "Could be better" is a complaint against excellence, dependability, and whatever mysterious voodoo Honda does to make their cars so much freaking fun to drive.


    Let's start with the steering wheel. So confidently balanced and responsive, yet light enough that anyone can feel confident manning it. On the V-6-equipped models, acceleration is on-demand, and the Accord handles like a car that costs three times as much.


    In Eco mode, the Accord sips fuel like a hybrid - thanks to its Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) technology, which allows the Accord to run on as few as two cylinders in stop-and-go traffic - getting an impressive combined rating of 26 mpg.


    It's the way in which the Accord's various systems all work together so seamlessly that's the really impressive thing about the Accord. After all, the V-6 Accord is no track day special (it takes a leisurely six seconds to go from zero to 60, and its top speed is only 130), but it performs so well within the limits of its design that it's every bit as fun as many much more souped-up (and more marked-up) sedans.


    The Accord behaves so predictably, so confidently, that its confidence rubs off on you. That's where the fun part comes in to play. Because when you know your car is going to do exactly what you want it to do, exactly when you want it to, and that it's going to use its lane-departure and forward-collision warning systems to keep you from getting carried away, suddenly all of the stress of driving goes away, and all that's left to take its place is pure driving pleasure.


  • Conclusion

    There's no reason to mince words. The Accord is the best car on the road. Full stop. It's the car you think of when someone says the word "car." It balances the ideals of utility, comfort, and fun with such ease that it tends to strike some people as boring. But I'm here to tell you, if you think the Accord is a boring car, you've either never driven one, or else you're the one who's boring.


  • Specs & Prices

    Engine: 3.5-liter V-6

    Transmission: 6-speed automatic

    Drivetrain Layout: Front engine, front-wheel drive.

    Power Output: 278 hp / 252 lb-ft

    Fuel Economy (mpg): 21 city / 34 highway

    Price (base): $33,630

    Price (as tested): $34,420 (includes $790 delivery fee)

    Available Features: Rearview camera, Bluetooth, USB audio, push-button start, LaneWatch, heated front seats, adaptive cruise control.

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