CREDIT: NAUMAN FAROOQ
Honda might not offer the variety with the Accord nameplate as it once did, but 2020 Honda Accord 1.5 Touring is still a good car with lots of tech.

Honda has been offering the Accord nameplate since 1976, and this midsize sedan was once the most popular family car in America.

Nowadays, people seem to prefer SUVs over the family car, and as a result, these kind of vehicles are thinning away.

Now in its 10th generation model, the Accord is outsold by the CR-V by a huge margin. Part of the reason could be, because Honda just offers the sedan version of the Accord now, whereas in the past, there were coupes, fastbacks, and wagons offered as well. Come to think of it, the only body style Honda never offered with the Accord nameplate was a convertible.


With sales numbers for the Accord on a decline, there might not be an 11th generation model. So let’s take a close look at the one we can buy now, and figure out if it’s something we will miss when it’s gone.

Styling: Let’s be honest, this isn’t the best looking Accord ever offered, and certainly not the best looking car in its class at the moment.

It looks like an elongated Honda Civic, with a stubby nose! It almost looks like the clay model for the new Accord had rolled into the wall at the design studio, and Honda decided to not correct the accident.

With the right rims, and the right color, it looks fine; but it isn’t likely to win any beauty pageants — which is exactly why I like this car. It is unconventional and quirky, and I like cars that defy the norm.

Interior: Step inside, and regardless of what car you currently drive or have been in, it will impress you.

First of all, everything looks good. The materials that make up this interior are of very high quality, the layout is fantastic, and the technology is top notch. This Accord offers everything you need in a car, and that’s impressive.

There are cars in this class that don’t offer heated steering wheels, or cooled seats, or an infotainment system that doesn’t support either Android Auto or Apple CarPlay; the Accord has all of this and more.

By more I mean, it even has available options such as a headup display, built in Wi-Fi hotspot, built in navigation, SiriusXM, and a whole lot more. That is on top of great seats, plenty of room for five people, and a spacious trunk. This is a very complete family car.

Powertrain: There are two engines offered with the 2020 Honda Accord, and surprisingly, also two transmissions. For lovers of the manual gearbox, the Accord Sport and Sport 2.0 are offered with a sixspeed manual gearbox, otherwise, all models come equipped with a CVT automatic gearbox that sends power to only the front wheels.

Motivation comes from either a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder that produces 192 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque, or a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder that produces 252 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. My tester had the 1.5-litre engine with the CVT.

Performance & Driving Dynamics: I sure wish my tester was the Sport 2.0 model with a manual gearbox, instead of the Touring 1.5 with the CVT; because this vehicle was fairly boring to drive.

A 192 horsepower and torque is not a small amount of power, but it feels very lazy in this vehicle. You really have to dig into the throttle pedal to get any decent acceleration out of this vehicle — its programming is to be more “chillaxed.”

Surprisingly, it handles very well for a car of this size and personality. The steering weight helps you toss it into a corner, and there is good grip. I certainly wasn’t expecting that.

The Accord is best on the highway, where you can engage its adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist, and just waft to your destination.

Fuel Economy: In my fuel economy test (where I drive a vehicle 170 kilometres on the highway + 130 kilometres in the city) the 2020 Honda Accord Touring 1.5 averaged 7.7 litres per 100 kilometres. That’s quite good, but surprisingly, the new Subaru Legacy averaged the same, and that has all-wheel drive. I will have to test the Accord Hybrid one day, to really see how efficient that model is.

Pricing: The very base Accord LX is yours from $30,276. A fully loaded Touring 2.0 will set you back nearly $42,000.

My tester, a Touring 1.5 model is yours from $38,976, which when you consider all the equipment you get in this car, is not a lot!

Verdict: Honda might not offer the variety with the Accord nameplate as it once did — the Civic does that nowadays — but it is still a good car with lots of tech.

For me, it just isn’t exciting enough to be my one and only car, but if I already have a fun sports car tucked away in the garage, than the Accord would make for a good daily driver.

Actually, I still would not get this Accord for myself, as for about the same amount of money, I’d rather have the Acura ILX A-Spec. It might be a bit smaller, but it is a lot more fun to drive, and a premium Honda product.

PHOTOS BELOW COURTESY OF NAUMAN FAROOQ Click on the thumbnails below to view a larger version of each image.