Pros and Cons: What Makes the Honda Accord Still Appealing?

The Honda Accord is a great vehicle. A full-sized sedan and a bigger sister to the Civic, the Accord combines class with function and reliability. Priced at Php 2.35 million, it is packed with tech and safety features like adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist system, road departure mitigation, lane departure warning, and collision mitigation braking system, among others. Inside the Accord is a luxurious and ergonomic cabin space that is equipped with features like a floating touchscreen infotainment system, cruise control, paddle shifters, and dual-zone automatic climate control.

Now, to sum up, its best features, as well as some points for improvement (in lieu of a nitpicking guide), here are its highlights.

Best Features

The Accord has all the tech and safety features you'd probably want to have. The cherry on top is of course the Honda Sensing suite of safety systems mentioned earlier. And they all work rather well with the Accord. It's somewhat expected in the price range since the junior Civics also have them at a significantly lesser price. Though of course, this is not the only thing that you're paying for in an Accord.

Luxury is also defined as spaciousness and a roomy cabin makes the Accord more preferable to the Civic or the City. Pair this with the supple ride quality that the Accord is known for and the top of the line tech and you've got a premium ride that is worth its price. Distinct features include Engine Start/Stop Button, Electric Folding Rear View Mirror, Automatic Headlamps, Steering Wheel Gearshift Paddle, Multi-function Steering Wheel, Foldable Rear Seat, Seat Lumbar Support, Keyless Entry, and Cruise Control that is accentuated by Honda Sensing.

Things that Leave Us Wanting

For others, the engine of the Accord may be a little underpowered for its size, but seriously, the power output is actually okay. It has an Earth Dreams Technology 1.5-liter 4-cylinder 16-valve DOHC VTEC TURBO gasoline engine which produces 190 ps and 260 Nm of torque. Paired with an Earth Dreams CVT, the drivetrain is configured for a front-wheel drive layout. The feeling for power really depends on personal preference. Perhaps the price tag influences one's expectations too as the Accord is currently pegged at PhP 2.35 million and it is easy to expect a higher displacement engine at that price point.

Another safety feature that it failed to include, which its competitors, and even cheaper vehicles from other brands and segments have despite their lower price tag, is a 360-degree camera. Navigating small streets and parking with a stock Accord should be a lot easier with a 360-degree camera if it had one. Just saying. Of course, perhaps there is an aftermarket add-on for this but again, with that price tag, you'd expect it to be included in the car already. At least it has LaneWatch cameras to assist in seeing other vehicles in the car's blind spots.

So, there you have it folks, a list of what we like about the Honda Accord and what improvements could be added to it. It's not a lot, but the list is worth mentioning especially as the Accord can be seen as an alternative to the likes of the Mazda 6 Sedan, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class Sedan, and the Toyota Camry.