Used 2021 Honda Accord

Winner: 2021 Best Buy Award
#1 in Best Midsize Cars for 2021

The Honda Accord hardly needs an introduction. It has thrived for decades and long been a benchmark for midsize sedans. The Honda Accord regularly battles the Toyota Camry for best-seller status, and is a frequent winner of top accolades like the Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Award.

The Honda Accord’s winning formula? It simply does everything right, and there are enough variants to satisfy a wide variety of buyers. The Honda Accord is easy yet engaging to drive, practical, efficient, handsome, and has an enviable history of reliability and high resale value.

The 2021 Honda Accord gets a freshening that addresses some of the few weak points among prior models, such as making Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard across the lineup.

Buyers can choose between two 4-cylinder engines or the Accord Hybrid (reviewed separately) that is rated up to 48 mpg. About the only missing traits in the Accord that might lead buyers to rivals are all-wheel drive (found in the Subaru Legacy and now Camry, Nissan Altima, and Kia K5), and a plug-in hybrid (though Honda offers that in the Clarity). Also now gone is the formerly available but rarely sought-after manual transmission.

With its various trims and powertrain choices, the Honda Accord sedan suits a range of buyers with different needs. Models with the standard 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine deliver snappy acceleration with acceptable power for passing and merging, a smooth ride, and surprisingly adept handling. Thanks to an efficient and unobtrusive CVT automatic transmission, the Accord also earns an impressive 33-mpg combined fuel-economy rating.

Lastly, there is the 2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder that is standard in the Accord Touring and optional in the Sport and EX-L trims. This engine increases 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 Touring trim’s Adaptive Damper System definitely improves the Accord’s cornering abilities, but also allows more road imperfections to jostle the big sedan.

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The 2021 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 high-res 8-inch touchscreen that is now standard. 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 some drivers may find frustrating is the push-button gear selector in the middle of the console. As with other automakers, the Accord has shifted from using a traditional gear lever to a row of buttons you press for Drive, Reverse, Neutral, etc.

Where other midsize sedans have become arguably over-styled, the Honda Accord maintains a more conservative yet handsome design. We like it, and we think it will age well. For 2021 the Accord gets a few exterior tweaks that include a slightly wider grille and front fascia.

Sport and above trims receive new LED high- and low-beam headlights for improved illumination, and the fog-light housings are smaller.

In back, the Accord retains its sloped rear roofline that gives it a sleek, fastback style. Wheels range in size from 17 to 19 inches. The Honda Accord’s trunk is spacious at 16.7 cubic feet.

HONDA SENSING
Safety has always been a Honda priority, which is why every 2021 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.

The 2021 Honda Accord comes in five trims: LX, Sport, the new Sport Special Edition (replacing the EX), EX-L, and Touring.

Base Accord LX models include dual-zone automatic climate control, 8-in touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, height-adjustable driver’s seat, cloth upholstery, 17-inch wheels, a full-width folding rear seatback, dual USB ports, and a 160-watt/4-speaker sound system. Also standard is the Honda Sensing suite of safety and driver-assist features (see Safety Features section).

While even a base Accord brings a good set of features, we recommend choosing a Sport or higher model. That trim adds 12-way power front seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, 60/40-split rear seats, 19-inch wheels, upgraded USB port, and 8-speaker/180-watt audio system, and LED fog lights and LED high- and low-beam headlights.

The new Sport Special Edition is a great value and adds leather upholstery, heated front seats, remote engine start, Smart Entry with Walk Away Auto Lock, heated mirrors, and a 4-way power-adjustable passenger seat.

As with other Honda cars, most major options are obtained by climbing trims. Stepping up to the Accord EX-L gets you the newly available wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a moonroof, blind-spot monitoring, universal garage remote, auto-dimming rearview mirror, and 10-speaker/450-watt premium audio with HD Radio and SiriusXM satellite radio.

The topline Honda Accord Touring model gets ventilated front seats, rear heated seats, a head-up display, 19-inch wheels, adaptive damping suspension, rain-sensing windshield wipers, Wi-Fi and near-field communication (NFC), an enhanced instrument cluster, and a navigation system. The Touring model comes standard with the 2.0-liter turbo engine.

Three powertrains are available for the 2021 Honda Accord. Standard is a very good 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder that makes 192 horsepower. This engine is standard on all but the top-line Touring trims of the standard Accord and includes a CVT (continuously variable transmission) automatic. The formerly available 6-speed manual has been discontinued.

Optional on the Sport and EX-L and standard on the Touring is a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine that makes a robust 252 horsepower. This engine is mated to a 10-speed automatic. Here again, the formerly available 6-speed manual has been dropped.

1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 (LX, Sport, Sport SE, 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, 29/35 mpg (Sport 1.5)

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