Used 2020 Honda Accord

#1 in Best Midsize Cars of 2020

How good is the 2020 Honda Accord sedan? If we could only recommend one car for most buyers, it would likely be one of the numerous Honda Accord models. As sedans go, the 2020 Honda Accord just gets everything right. It has a roomy cabin, excellent fuel economy plus an impeccable reputation for reliability and strong resale.

The Accord has won numerous awards from KBB over the years including a Best Buy award. From its standard Honda Sensing suite of driver assists to its potent turbocharged engines and available manual transmission, the Accord gives every competitor a run for its money. If only Honda offered the Accord with all-wheel drive like the Nissan Altima and Subaru Legacy. Ah well, maybe on Gen 11.

Want better fuel economy? Check out the 2020 Honda Accord Hybrid.

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Thanks to its various trim and powertrain choices, the 2020 Honda Accord sedan has no problems satisfying the demands of car buyers with differing criteria. The base model delivers quick acceleration with acceptable power for passing and merging, has a smooth ride and surprisingly adept handling. Thanks to an efficient and unobtrusive CVT automatic transmission, the Accord also delivers an impressive 33-mpg combined fuel-economy rating.

In the Sport trim, this engine can be paired with a 6-speed manual that increases both the performance and fun factor.

Lastly, there is the 2.0-liter turbo available in the EX-L, Sport and Touring trims. This engine ups horsepower to 252 and torque to 273 lb-ft. It also ditches the CVT in favor of a 10-speed automatic. Overall, we like the Accord’s new 10-speed transmission, but found it had a tendency to hesitate during some high-speed passing maneuvers. The 6-speed manual option is the most fun but not always the most practical choice. The Touring trim’s Adaptive Damper System definitely improves the Accord’s cornering abilities, but also allows more road imperfections to jostle the big sedan.

The 2020 Honda Accord’s 5-passenger interior is roomier than you might expect, especially in rear-seat legroom. Up front, the dash is anchored by a color display — a lower-res 7-inch screen in base models or a high-res 8-inch touch screen in the rest of the lineup. Those aggravated by some recent Hondas will be happy to know that the latest Accord has a volume knob, plus a separate one for tuning. Climate settings are also easy to see and change thanks to additional knobs below.

The Accord manages to feel at once futuristic yet familiar. About the only thing we still find aggravating at times is the push-button gear selector in the middle of the console. Instead of a traditional gear lever, there’s a row of buttons you press for Drive, Reverse, Neutral, etc.

Honda’s Accord is the latest sedan aspiring to look like a coupe, similar to its smaller Civic and Insight siblings. We think it’s a good look, and one the Accord pulls off well. It’s swoopy and sporty yet still retains the practicality and class-above interior volume for which the Accord is known. Accord Sport models amp things up slightly with chrome exhaust finishers and decklid spoiler, while certain trims with the 1.5-liter engine have active grille shutters to further improve aerodynamics. Wheel sizes are 17 or 19 inches depending on the model. The trunk is spacious at 16.7 cubic feet.

HONDA SENSING
Safety has always been a Honda priority, which is why every 2020 Accord sedan comes standard with Honda Sensing. This suite of driver assists includes forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist, road-departure mitigation and adaptive cruise control.

6-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION
While fewer and fewer new drivers even know what a manual transmission is, let alone how to operate one, for those select few who still enjoy the engagement of rowing their own gears, the 2020 Honda Accord Sport offers an excellent 6-speed manual transmission option on both the 1.5- and 2.0-liter engines.

The 2020 Accord comes in five main trims: LX, Sport, EX, EX-L and Touring. The most basic Accord LX features a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, a CVT, Honda Sensing (see Favorite Features), push-button start, dual-zone automatic climate control, multi-angle rearview camera and 7-inch LCD screen with Bluetooth and USB connectivity, and 4-speaker audio system.

If your budget allows just under $2,500 more, we recommend stepping up to at least an Accord Sport trim. It adds features you’ll appreciate like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone integration, 12-way-power driver’s seat, 8-inch touch-screen display, 8-speaker audio system, 60/40-split/folding rear seats, and 19-inch wheels.

In typical Honda fashion, most major options are gained by climbing trims. Moving up to the Honda Accord EX brings blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, power moonroof, remote start, heated front seats, rear-seat air vents and keyless entry with automatic locking function.

Accord EX-L models add leather seats, a 450-watt/10-speaker premium audio system, 4-way-power passenger seat, HomeLink universal garage remote, and auto-dimming rearview mirror.

At the top, the Accord Touring model feels like a premium sedan with its ventilated front seats and heated rear seats, navigation, a head-up display, adaptive damper suspension, rain-sensing windshield wipers, wireless phone charger and mobile hotspot.

Future 2020 Honda Accord owners have three engine options, starting with a very good turbocharged base engine displacing 1.5 liters and pumping out 192 horsepower. This engine is offered on all but the top-line Touring trim and includes a CVT automatic as standard, with a 6-speed manual offered on the Sport.

Optional on the Sport and EX-L and standard on the Touring is a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine producing a robust 252 horsepower. This engine is mated to a 10-speed automatic with the option of a 6-speed manual on the Sport trim.

1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 (LX, Sport, EX, EX-L)
192 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
192 lb-ft of torque @ 1,600-5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 30/38 mpg (CVT automatic), 29/35 mpg (Sport 1.5, CVT automatic), 26/35 mpg (Sport 1.5, manual)

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (EX-L, Sport, Touring)
252 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
273 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500-4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/32 mpg (Sport manual), 22/32 mpg (Sport and Touring, automatic), 22/34 mpg (EX-L, automatic)