USA - 2015 Honda Accord delivers improvements enough to boost it to the top of the want list, again

USA - 2015 Honda Accord delivers improvements enough to boost it to the top of the want list, again.

2016 Accord Raises its Game with Dynamic Styling, Chassis and Body Upgrades, Available Honda Sensing™, plus Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™

• Sporty and sophisticated new styling with expanded use of LED lighting
• New 7-inch Display Audio offered with Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™
• First application of 19-inch wheels on Accord
• Newly available 60/40-split and folding rear seat, heated rear seats, rain-sensing wipers, and parking sensors
• New line-topping Touring trim for Accord Coupe

The always popular, benchmark-setting Honda Accord, retail car buyers' most popular choice in 2013 and again in 2014¹, receives a major mid-model cycle refresh for the 2016 model year. 

With dynamic new styling, a revised and upgraded body and chassis, and Honda's first-ever application of available Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™, the 2016 Accord Sedan went on sale on the 19th, with the Accord Coupe following on August 26.

The Accord also benefits from the addition of Honda Sensing™, among the most comprehensive suites of safety and driver-assistive technologies ever offered in the midsize car class, along with a host of available new features and technologies, including HD Radio, heated rear seats, front and rear parking sensors and more. 

For model year 2016 the Accord Coupe also gets a new top-of-the-line Touring trim, while the Sedan in Sport trim and Touring versions of the Sedan and Coupe get the first-ever application of 19-inch alloy wheels on Accord.

Representing a high value proposition, the 2016 Accord has a starting Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)² unchanged from the 2015 model for the Sedan LX and Coupe LX-S. 

The MSRP for the 2016 Accord Sedan LX with 6-speed manual transmission (6-MT) remains at $22,105 and $22,905 for the Sedan LX with continuously variable transmission (CVT). The Accord Coupe LX-S is also unchanged at $23,775 for the 6-MT and $24,625 for the CVT.

"The best is getting better with the launch of the redesigned 2016 Accord," said Jeff Conrad, Senior Vice President of the Honda Division. "With more customer-relevant technology, an even more refined and sporty ride and top-class fuel economy and safety ratings, the 2016 redesign keeps Accord at the top of its class."

Accord has been named 29 times to Car and Driver magazine's coveted "10Best" list, more than any other automobile, and Accord is the top selling car in America to under-35-year-old car buyers⁴. 

The 2016 Accord, with its next-generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure and available Honda Sensing™ technology, received the highest available crash safety ratings from the U.S. government – a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score from the NHTSA – and targets a similar top rating of TOP SAFETY PICK+ from the (IIHS (when equipped with available CMBS).

2016 Accord Sedan models equipped with a 4-cylinder i-VTEC engine and CVT get a 1-mpg bump in their highway EPA fuel economy ratings, to 37 mpg, due in part to the application of a lighter weight and re-sculpted all-aluminum hood, along with new aerodynamic elements and friction-reducing features.

2016 Accord Sedan and Accord Coupe Pricing and Fuel Economy Ratings

Accord Sedan Trim	Engine/ Transmission	MSRP2	EPA Ratings3(city/highway/combined)
Accord LX	4-cyl/6MT	$22,105	23/34/27
	4-cyl/CVT	$22,905	27/37/31
Accord LX with Honda Sensing	4-cyl/CVT	$23,905	27/37/31
Accord Sport	4-cyl/6MT	$24,165	23/34/27
	4-cyl/CVT	$24,965	26/35/30
Accord Sport with Honda Sensing	4-cyl/CVT	$25,965	26/35/30
Accord EX	4-cyl/6MT	$25,480	23/34/27
	4-cyl/CVT	$26,280	27/37/31
Accord EX with Honda Sensing	4-cyl/CVT	$27,280	27/37/31
Accord EX-L	4-cyl/CVT	$28,570	27/37/31
Accord EX-L Navi with Honda Sensing	4-cyl/CVT	$30,570	27/37/31
Accord EX-L	V-6/6AT	$30,645	21/34/26
Accord EX-L Navi with Honda Sensing	V-6/6AT	$32,645	21/34/26
Accord Touring	V-6/6AT	$34,580	21/34/26

Accord Coupe Trim	Engine/ Transmission	MSRP2	EPA Ratings3 (city/highway/combined)
Accord LX-S	4-cyl/6MT	$23,775	23/34/27
	4-cyl/CVT	$24,625	26/35/30
Accord LX-S with Honda Sensing	4-cyl/CVT	$25,625	26/35/30
Accord EX	4-cyl/6MT	$25,900	23/34/27
	4-cyl/CVT	$26,750	26/35/30
Accord EX with Honda Sensing	4-cyl/CVT	$27,750	26/35/30
Accord EX-L	4-cyl/CVT	$28,745	26/35/30
Accord EX-L Navi with Honda Sensing	4-cyl/CVT	$30,745	26/35/30
Accord EX-L	V-6/6MT	$30,925	18/28/22
	V-6/6AT	$30,925	21/32/25
Accord EX-L Navi with Honda Sensing	V-6/6AT	$32,925	21/32/25
Accord Touring	V-6/6AT	$34,125	21/32/25

Exterior and Interior Design

Both the 2016 Accord Sedan and Coupe get a major facelift with sportier, more sophisticated styling, front and back. In front is a more sharply creased and intricately structured bumper fascia with outside edges that tuck into large side intakes containing new LED fog lights. 

On the Accord Sedan, a new aluminum hood with sharper character lines meets up with a brighter, more expressive front grille. In the rear, the Accord Sedan gets restyled LED taillights and a similarly aggressive rear bumper fascia redesign.

All Accord models feature restyled alloy wheels, while Accord Sedans in Sport and above grades get upsized wheels and tires. The Touring sedan also gets a new side-sill garnish and rear deck spoiler.

Accord Coupe models also benefit from a more stylish and aggressive front and rear fascia and new grille design. The new styling is complemented by the expanded application of LED daytime running lights (Sport and above trims), LED taillights (all models) and LED fog lights (Sport and above).

The Accord also gets a revised exterior color palette, including a new Kona Coffee Metallic for the sedan (all trims) and Deep Blue Opal Metallic for the Coupe (all trims).

The 2016 Accord cabin also features new fabric and color schemes, depending on model and trim, including a new gloss black interior trim for the Accord Sedan LX and Sport and Coupe LX-S; new seat fabric and leather seat bolsters, and a carbon fiber-style instrumental panel garnish for the sedan in Sport trim; a new tri-coat seat fabric for the EX sedan; and new wood grain-style instrument panel garnish for the sedan in EX and above trims.

Body and Chassis Upgrades

The 2016 Accord's sportier design is matched by its improved dynamic performance. Accord body rigidity is increased through the application of multiple body stiffeners, a sturdier rear bulkhead and a thicker front shock tower bar and is complimented by the application of new high-performance shock absorbers for all models, as well as a retuned electric power steering system. The aforementioned, all-aluminum hood on Accord Sedan not only provides updated character, but also improves both efficiency and dynamic performance.

Within the sedan lineup, the popular Accord Sport trim receives upgraded performance credentials courtesy of larger front brakes, upsized 19-inch wheels and tires and retuned Active Sound Control; while the line-topping Accord Touring (sedan and coupe) also benefits from the same larger front brakes and 19-inch wheels and tires, and for the first time is fitted with Amplitude Reactive Dampers and hydraulic subframe bushings that provide for a more supple ride. The Accord Coupe EX and Coupe EX-L also get 18-inch (+1 inch) wheels. 

This combination of new body and chassis features and engineering changes is designed to give each Accord model a more clearly defined and distinctive dynamic feeling within the lineup.

The Accord also gets new Straight Driving Assist technology that utilizes the Motion Adaptive Steering system to help reduce the driver's workload when driving on a crowned or canted road surface by providing an automatic counter-steering force.

Honda Sensing

All 2016 Accords can also now be equipped with Honda Sensing™, among the most comprehensive suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies in the class. 

Honda Sensing™ includes Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS) with Forward Collision Warning, Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) with Lane Keeping Assist (LKAS) and Adaptive Cruise Control, and is available as a standalone option on all trims with the exception of Touring, where Honda Sensing™ is included as standard equipment.

Also, all 2016 Accords feature a standard Multi-Angle Rearview Camera and Expanded View Driver's Mirror and, for the first time on Touring trim models, new auto high-beam headlights that enhance nighttime visibility and driving convenience by defaulting to the high-beam setting and automatically switching to low beams when an oncoming vehicle is detected.

Display Audio with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

The Accord audio and digital experience is also significantly upgraded with the available application of a 7-inch Display Audio touchscreen interface featuring one of the first volume production applications of both Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™, plus available HondaLink Assist (e911) and HD Radio. 

The intuitive and easy-to-use capacitive touchscreen lets users swipe, tap and pinch – just like on a tablet or smartphone – to control the vehicle's audio system, display settings and other advanced features.

Accord Sedan and Coupe EX and above models incorporate Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™, offering a multitude of new functions and features, including smartphone-linked navigation, audio streaming, voice-controlled SMS text messaging and more. 

The new larger 7-inch touchscreen is paired with an upper 7.7-inch high-resolution Intelligent Multi-information Display (i-MID) screen with steering wheel-mounted controls. The i-MID can display audio settings, turn-by-turn directions, time and trip information, LaneWatch and Rearview Camera displays, incoming calls, SMS text messages, and parking sensor alerts.

Upgraded Features

The Accord value proposition is also bolstered by new standard and available features: Accord EX and above trims (Sedan and Coupe) with automatic transmission get remote engine start, 7-inch Display Audio touchscreen and HD radio. 

SiriusXM satellite radio and Homelink remote, previously on EX-L and Touring, are now standard on EX and above trims. Sport and above trims in the sedan lineup also get a new 60/40 split and folding rear seat, previously a one-piece folding design. 

The Accord Coupe EX adds a 10-way power driver's seat (previously 4-way with manual height adjustment), while the Coupe EX-L adds a two-position driver's seat memory function. The Accord Sedan in Touring trim gets heated rear seats, front and rear parking sensors and new rain-sensing windshield wipers.

Advanced Powertrains

The Accord Sedan and Coupe are offered with two advanced Honda engines: a direct-injected (DI) 2.4-liter inline i-VTEC™ 4-cylinder and a 3.5-liter VTEC™ V-6 that is the most powerful engine offered in a Honda sedan to date. 

Available transmissions include a sporty and fuel-efficient CVT for the 4-cylinder engines, unique 6-speed manuals for the 4-cylinder and V-6 engines, and a 6-speed automatic for V-6 models.