Starting at the base price of MSRP $24,270 and going all the way up to $36,400, the 2020 Honda Accord is offered in 5 varied trims namely the LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, and Touring. There are a total of two powertrain options available on the Accord. For starters, you have the 1.5L Inline-4 engine and then you have the 2.0L Inline-4 engine both turbocharged.

Backing the engine are three transmissions, a CVT, a 6-speed stick shift, and a 10-speed automatic which are classified for different trim levels. All the trims except Touring get the 1.5-liter turbocharged unit under the hood paired with a 10-Speed transmission as standard. The feature front as such gets minor changes, with plenty of safety features being added as standard from now on.

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The Sport trim with the 2.0-liter engine coupled with the 6-speed manual transmission brings the most value for the buck. You might have to stretch your budget a little but it's totally worth the money. It not only improves the performance factor but also offers adds a host of features like heated mirrors, a much more sporty interior, rear spoiler, and sport paddles at your disposal. The stick-shift in itself is a hot commodity, now there being reports of it to be discontinued from 2021.

Both engines are smooth operators, but the 2.0-liter offers a rush of power that can easily spin the front tires in first gear - Car and Driver

The entry-level 2020 Honda Accord hides a turbocharged 1.5L Inline-4 engine mated to a CVT transmission that drills out 192 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque. The EX trim hides a similar powertrain under its hood. This engine wants to be pushed harder but the CVT transmission is more focused to put up higher fuel efficiency figures rather than making the most of the engine power. The other engine on offer is the 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder unit that puts out a huge 252 horses and 273 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine paired to the 6-speed manual gearstick in the Sport trim is sort of a wet dream for many purists out there. Not only is the manual transmission slick, but it also helps the engine return respectable fuel efficiency figures.

The only thing that Honda Accord lacks is an AWD variant. The 2020 Honda Accord with its 1.5-liter engine mated to the CVT travels from 0-60 mph in just 7.6 seconds which is decent but not jaw-dropping. However, bring in the 2.0-liter 4-pot motor with the 10-speed auto transmission and the Accord runs from 0-60 mph in just 7.3 seconds. The engine on the Honda Accord has linear power delivery and the car can stay at higher RPMs with ease for a longer time.

Behind the wheel, the Accord’s electric-powered steering is precise and accurate but the feel is not natural and the minimal road communication feels like a liability on the Accord. The top Touring trim comes with a lot of perks when it comes to performance, the adaptive suspension changes the game in favor of Honda. The sedan becomes more precise and keen to your command. Around the curves the Accord is entertaining, merging lanes and overtaking is not a problem for this midsize sedan.

Honda’s reliability is possibly its best suit and this implies its braking perfectly. The pedal feel is nice and composed and has a good bite to it. Around the city, the pedal is easy to modulate and predictable for the majority of the time. The front brakes are rated at 11.5 inches and the rear brake rotors are rated at 11.1 inches. From a speed of 70 mph, the Accord takes 163 feet to come to a standstill. The stopping prowess of the Honda Accord is unmatchable.

Known for its fuel efficiency, the 2020 Honda Accord with its 1.5L Turbo-4 engine generates a 30 MPG city and 38 MPG highway mileage with the CVT transmission. The top Touring trim gets a bigger 2.0L engine and is only offered in a 10-speed automatic which shears a couple of points by mustering 22 MPG in the city and 32 MPG of highway mileage. Then comes the Accord Sport variant, which delivers 26 and 35 MPG in the city and highway respectively with the 6-speed manual gearbox, and 29 and 35 MPG with the CVT.

No engine option on the Accord compromises with efficiency. One might be few points higher on the mileage scale but every trim stands right into the Accord’s legacy of clean cars. The total traveling range of Accord for the 1.5L CVT engine comes out to be 488 miles while the models equipped with the 20-liter engine can run for about 395 miles. The class-leading mileage numbers lay it bare. Its direct competitors like the Ford Fusion deliver much less on the economy front. Honda wins here big time.

In every configuration, the Accord is fitted with impressive materials and fit and finish that punch higher than its price class - The CarConnection

Accord’s interior is not its main attraction but it contributes to its class-leading persona. The cabin is an amalgamation of upmarket interior elements with a lot of soft-touch materials and a contemporary design. All the features are controlled through physical buttons and knobs, all located in the vicinity of the driver. The doorsills are higher than the usual height and the wide front and rear door opening are fair for comfortable entry and exit. 

The front seats are large and comforting, although passengers over 6 ft. will suffer from a limited legroom space resulting in their knees touching the front. The rear cabin space, on the other hand, is quite luxurious and can have 6-feet adults sit in them quite comfortably, without any hindrance.

Honda Accord comes with a 7-inch infotainment screen as standard in the base trims, whereas the Sport and EX-L trims are much better, as they get an even bigger 8-inch system. However, you don’t get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard features on the base trim. You can opt for them in the Sport trim by paying a little extra. The screen is responsive without any delay and all the menus are simplified with clean graphics. Even under direct sunlight, the screen is easily visible, and operating it won't be a tussle.

Reliability and Practicality are 2 things the Accord is known for. Honda’s name secures reliability and the generous trunk volume safeguards the latter. The Accord offers a class-leading 16.7 cubic feet of cargo space. The trunk door opens a lot wider making sure that the ingress/egress of cargo can be comfortably done. The cabin utility is not far behind, you get sizable door pockets, cubby holes with space for multiple cell phones, a standard glove box, and a big armrest bin.

Along the sides, the Accord mimics fastback shapes found on other makes to near-perfection - The CarConnection

Possibly the most good-looking sedan in the segment, Honda Accord keeps its coupe-like styling alive. Though its younger cousin Civic propels on a similar ideology, it’s the Accord that actually pulls it off. It looks sportier than its fellow executives in the segment without compromising on practicality. The Sport trim takes things to another level with its chrome exhaust, decklid spoiler, and more. Some trims feature grille shutters on the front fascia to enhance the aerodynamics of the car. The 17-inch alloy wheels come standard on the Accord with an option for 19-inch alloy wheels.

On the outside, the Honda Accord resembles its luxury sibling Acura ILX. The front gets a chrome plate between the grille and the hood to give the car a more aggressive touch. The sloping roofline just enhances the looks of the Honda Accord without compromising the rear headroom. The rear end of the Accord complements the front end really well with a decklid spoiler and subtle yet stylish-looking rear tail lamps.

In comparison to the competitors, Honda Accord is the biggest and the meanest looking car. It marches past all its rivals in terms of its length, width and wheelbase. In terms of the design language, the Toyota Camry and Ford Fusion come close to Honda Accord, however, the latter is just a tad bit better in terms of its design scheme.

Honda prides itself on its safety quotient, and the Accord is certainly a living testament for that. The stellar safety numbers from the 3^rd party crash testing say it all. NHTSA awarded the Accord with the highest 5-star rating and even the IIHS agreed on this one as they too gave Accord their top “Good” rating on every aspect of their crash test. The rich safety feature list pushed the envelope further with the Honda Sensing unit being made standard from this time around.

Some of the safety features on offer are-

• Stability Control
• Tire Pressure Monitoring system
• Lane Departure Warning Accident Avoidance System
• Forward Collision Warning
• Adaptive cruise control
• Collision Mitigation braking system
• Lane Keep Assist system
• Traffic Sign Recognition System

2020 Honda Accord vs 2020 Ford Fusion

With sufficient power, fair price, and well-rounded practicality, Ford has created a solid offering in the sedan segment. The Fusion is definitely one of the promising sedans to step out in the year 2020. The only sedan that is worth looking at a second time, based on the exterior silhouette, is the Fusion.

The rest of the sections have the Accord trailing in front. On the performance front, the Accord is much more powerful than the Fusion, and that is well reciprocated in the acceleration times as well. The shoppers favoring fuel efficiency over power can also rest assured, the Accord’s got an edge here too.

2020 Honda Accord vs 2020 Toyota Camry

Probably the aptest rival to the Honda Accord, the Toyota Camry is right up there with its Japanese counterpart on the best-selling list. The Camry's standard engine is every bit more powerful than the Accord, although it is certainly overpriced. 

Considering that and the fact that as you climb the trim ladder both cars balance out on price. In that case, Toyota is a better choice. The Accord is better on the cargo front, whereas the Camry wins it on the fuel efficiency front.

The rise of the crossover market has increased options for the budget shoppers, however, the 2020 Honda Accord still remains in the top 5 cars of every buyer’s list. Hence, Honda is dominating the mid-size sedan market for quite some time. The brand value backed with sufficient power, decent ergonomic numbers, and an uninterrupted comfort level is the knack for when buying an Accord. All that under the 25 grand price band is truly a great deal. Honda gives you 2 engine and 3 transmission options classified amongst each trim level at a competitive price. By that logic, Honda is catering to a variety of buyers looking for different things in the same segment. So, if you are looking to buy a midsize sedan go no further, the Accord is the car to buy.