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2020 Honda Accord
With a spacious, upscale interior and dynamic performance, the 2020 Honda Accord ranks near the top of the midsize car class.
Is the Honda Accord a Good Car?
The Honda Accord is an excellent midsize car, in fact, we named it a finalist for our 2020 Best Midsize Car for the Money award because of its combination of quality and value. The Accord was also a finalist for our 2020 Best Midsize Car for Families award because of its solid combination of cargo and passenger space, safety and reliability ratings, positive reviews from automotive journalists, and available family-friendly features.
Should I Buy the Honda Accord?
The Honda Accord is worth buying if you're interested in a midsize sedan that excels across the board. However, the same can be said for many of its competitors. For instance, the Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata, and Mazda6 are all worthy choices in a competitive class.
Should I Buy a New or Used Honda Accord?
The 2020 Accord belongs to a generation that began with a redesign for the 2018 model year. Honda has made only one notable change since then. For 2019, a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine became the only power plant available in the top Touring trim. Honda had offered a standard 1.5-liter turbo engine in all trims for 2018, while the 2.0-liter variant was optional. With that in mind, you should buy a 2020 model if you really want to buy new, but you could save money on a nearly identical 2018 or 2019 Accord.
You might be able to save even more money with a previous-generation Accord, but you'd miss out on the major updates from the redesign, including a larger trunk, more standard safety features, and improved fuel economy (30/38 mpg city/highway versus 27/36 mpg).
Be sure to read our 2017 Accord, 2018 Accord, and 2019 Accord reviews to help make your decision. Also, check out our Used Car Deals page to learn about savings and discounts on used vehicles.
We Did the Research for You: 28 Reviews Analyzed
To make our car rankings and reviews as consumer-oriented as possible, we do not rely on our personal opinions. Instead, we analyze hard data such as cargo space dimensions, horsepower specs, and predicted reliability, as well as the opinions of the automotive press.
This Honda Accord review draws on 28 reviews and incorporates applicable research for all models in this generation, which launched for 2018.
Why You Can Trust Us
U.S. News & World Report has been reviewing cars, trucks, and SUVs since 2007, and our Best Cars team has more than 75 years of combined automotive industry experience. We care about cars, but we care more about providing useful consumer advice. To ensure our impartiality, an independent party handles our advertising, and our editorial team doesn't accept expensive gifts from automakers.
How Much Does the Honda Accord Cost?
The base Accord LX has a starting MSRP of $24,270, which is in line with the retail prices of many midsize sedans. The top-of-the-line Touring trim starts at $36,400.
We review the Honda Accord Hybrid separately.
Check out our U.S. News Best Price Program for great savings at your local Honda dealer. You can also find excellent manufacturer incentives on our Honda deals page.
Honda Accord Versus the Competition
Which Is Better: Honda Accord or Toyota Camry?
The Toyota Camry and the Accord are both great midsize cars, and choosing one boils down to preference. The Camry rivals the Accord with its fuel economy, list of active safety features, and handsome interior. The Toyota has more standard tech features and an available V6 engine, but the Honda boasts two turbocharged four-cylinder options and a larger trunk. Both sedans have sporty yet comfortable rides. The Accord was a finalist for our 2020 Best Midsize Car for Families award, but the Camry took home the top honor.
Which Is Better: Honda Accord or Acura TLX?
In a side-by-side comparison with the Acura TLX, a luxury midsize car, the Accord is better in nearly every way. Though the Acura's starting MSRP is roughly $8,700 more than the Honda's, you may feel like you're getting less for your money. It has tighter rear seats, a smaller trunk, lower fuel economy estimates, and duller handling than the Honda, and it has some low-rent cabin materials. The TLX does have more standard features, but you can get many of them in upper Accord trims and still save money.
Accord Interior
How Many People Does the Accord Seat?
The Accord seats up to five people on cloth upholstery that comes standard. The seats are supportive, and legroom is generous in both rows, making it easier for passengers to remain comfortable on long drives. However, taller occupants may find that the sloping roofline makes second-row headroom a bit tight.
Available upgrades include leather-trimmed upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, power-adjustable front seats, heated rear outboard seats, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
Accord and Child Car Seats
The Accord has two complete sets of LATCH connectors for the rear outboard seats. The rear middle seat has a single tether anchor and can borrow a lower anchor from either side. This LATCH system earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's best rating of Good+ for its ease of use. The anchors are easy to find and can't be confused with other hardware.
Accord Interior Quality
This vehicle has a handsome cabin with high-quality materials and excellent fit and finish.
Accord Cargo Space
The Accord has a 16.7-cubic-foot trunk, which is above average for a midsize car. However, the narrow trunk opening can make it tricky to load cargo.
Accord Infotainment, Bluetooth, and Navigation
The standard infotainment system in the base Accord is one of the most user-friendly interfaces in the class. It features logically displayed menus and responds rapidly to inputs, and it has a wide array of physical controls. Moving up trim levels can get you many infotainment and tech upgrades that improve on an already easy-to-use system.
For more information, read What Is Apple CarPlay? and What Is Android Auto?
Accord Performance
Accord Engine: 2 Potent Choices
There are two engine choices in this Honda. Standard in all but the top Touring trim is a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 192 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque. It comes with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), though the Sport trim can swap that for a six-speed manual.
Standard in the Touring is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that puts out 252 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. It comes with a 10-speed automatic transmission. This engine is also available in the EX-L and Sport trims. Sport models can be had with the automatic or manual transmission.
The base engine feels capable and energetic, providing ample power for daily driving, and the CVT draws praise for its smoothness and responsiveness. For swifter acceleration and more power, look to models with the stronger turbo-four engine.
Honda Accord Powertrain/Performance Options:
Honda Accord Appearance Packages:
Accord Gas Mileage: Great All Around
The base Accord with the CVT gets an EPA-estimated 30 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway. Those are great figures for a midsize sedan. Fuel economy dips to as low as 22 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway for models with the stronger engine, whether it's coupled with the six-speed manual or the 10-speed automatic transmission.
Honda also offers the Accord Hybrid, which we review separately.
Accord Ride and Handling: Nimble and Fun
The Accord is one of the more athletic sedans in the midsize car class, offering responsive steering and minimal body lean around corners. It also maintains a gentle ride over most roads. Front-wheel drive is standard.
Does the Honda Accord Have All-Wheel Drive?
No, the Accord is not available with AWD, but that isn't uncommon for the class. That said, there are a handful of rivals like the Buick Regal, Nissan Altima, Ford Fusion, and Toyota Camry with available AWD. The Subaru Legacy is the only class competitor to feature standard AWD.
Accord Reliability
Is the Honda Accord Reliable?
The 2020 Accord has a below-average predicted reliability rating of 2.5 out of five from J.D. Power.
Honda Accord Warranty
Honda covers the 2020 Accord with a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a five-year/50,000-mile powertrain warranty.
How Much Does It Cost to Insure a Honda Accord?
The cost of insuring a Honda Accord will depend on a variety of factors, including your deductible, the level of coverage that you want, and the type of insurance that you choose. Your age, gender, location, credit score, and driving record can also have an impact on your insurance rates. Check out our car insurance guide to find the best policy for you.
Accord Safety
Accord Crash Test Results
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the 2020 Honda Accord an overall safety rating of five out of five stars, with the sedan earning five stars in all three crash tests.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the 2020 Accord a Top Safety Pick, giving it the highest rating of Good in all six crash tests and a top rating of Superior for front crash prevention. The Touring trim earned the second-lowest rating of Marginal for how well its headlights illuminate the road ahead. All other trims' headlights received the second-highest rating of Acceptable.
Accord Safety Features
Standard safety features in this Honda include a rearview camera and automatic high-beam headlights. Also standard is the Honda Sensing suite, which comes with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition, and a road departure mitigation system.
Blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert are available, as are front and rear parking sensors and a head-up display.
Accord Dimensions and Weight
The Accord is about 16 feet long. Its curb weight ranges from 3,131 to 3,428 pounds.
Where Is the 2020 Honda Accord Built?
Honda builds the 2020 Accord in Ohio.
Which Honda Accord Model Is Right for Me?
Honda offers the 2020 Accord in five trims: LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, and Touring. If budget allows, we recommend shoppers spend the extra $2,700 to jump up to the Sport trim because of its added tech and amenity features. These upgrades include Apple CarPlay, an eight-speaker stereo, an 8-inch touch screen, a power-adjustable driver's seat and more. It's also the first trim available with a stronger turbocharged engine. If you opt for that engine, you get heated front seats, blind spot monitoring, satellite radio, HD Radio, and a moonroof to boot.
With the first four trims, you can get a heated steering wheel for about $400, wireless device charging for $314, and front and rear parking sensors for $538. A pair of rear-seat charge-only USB ports are available throughout the lineup for about $130.
Honda also sells a hybrid version of the Accord, which we review separately.
The Accord LX has a starting MSRP of $24,270 and comes with a 192-horsepower 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). Standard features include a 7-inch display, a four-speaker stereo, a USB port, Bluetooth, cloth upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control, and alloy wheels.
The base LX is also loaded with safety features. The standard Honda Sensing suite includes a collision mitigation braking system, road departure mitigation, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and traffic sign recognition. Other standard safety features include a rearview camera and automatic high-beam headlights.
You can add optional features like larger alloy wheels ($2,899 to $3,150) as well as an auto-dimming rearview mirror ($437).
With a starting MSRP of $26,980, the Accord Sport adds Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, an 8-inch touch screen, an eight-speaker stereo, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a 12-way power-adjustable driver's seat, larger alloy wheels, and a rear spoiler.
The Sport trim comes standard with the 1.5-liter turbo engine and a six-speed manual transmission. You can add the CVT at no additional cost. The Sport trim is also the first to offer a larger 252-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo-four engine for $4,530. It comes with your choice of either the six-speed manual or a 10-speed automatic transmission.
The Accord EX retails for $28,070 and builds off the Sport trim with standard remote start, proximity keyless entry, satellite radio, HD Radio, a second USB port located in the center console, heated front seats, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross traffic alert. The EX trim offers the same options available in the Sport trim, but it comes with smaller alloy wheels. Depending on the type of alloy, you can upgrade to a larger set of wheels (starts at $2,899).
The EX trim comes standard with the 1.5-liter engine and the CVT. This trim does not offer the 2.0-liter engine.
The Accord EX-L has a starting MSRP of $30,570. It gains memory settings for its 12-way power-adjustable driver's seat, leather-trimmed seats, a four-way power-adjustable front passenger seat, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a universal garage door opener, and a premium 10-speaker stereo.
The EX-L comes standard with the CVT, but you can upgrade to the stronger turbocharged engine and get the 10-speed automatic transmission for $2,000.
With a starting MSRP of $36,400, the Accord Touring doesn't disappoint, as it's the best-equipped model in the lineup. The Touring trim features standard tech like a Wi-Fi hot spot, wireless device charging, navigation, voice recognition, ventilated front seats, heated rear outboard seats, front and rear parking sensors, rain-sensing windshield wipers, automatic LED headlights, and a head-up display.
This trim is only available with the 252-horsepower turbo-four engine and the 10-speed automatic transmission.
Check out our U.S. News Best Price Program for great savings at your local Honda dealer. You can also find excellent manufacturer incentives on our Honda deals page.
The Final Call
The 2020 Honda Accord is an excellent all-around vehicle. With upscale cabin materials, a good number of standard safety features, lively handling, energetic engines, and decent fuel economy, it stands out among midsize cars as a great family or commuter vehicle.
Don't just take our word for it. Check out comments from some of the reviews that drive our rankings and analysis.
Read the full 2020 Honda Accord review on U.S. News & World Report for more details, photos, specs and prices.