Autos

2016 Honda Accord — Value-Priced Sportiness

July 12, 2016 - Behind The Wheel - Comments: 
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2016 Honda AccordModel Tested: 2016 Honda Accord EX-L, two-door

Engine: 3.5-liter SOHC, 24-valve iTech V-6

Transmission: Six-speed manual

EPA Ratings: 18/city, 28/highway, 22/combined

Base Price: $30,925

As Tested: $31,745

Overview: For 2016, the Accord gets minor styling revisions and additional safety features. The EX-L two-door is the sporty version of the venerable Accord sedan, which offers surprising performance and nimble handling.

Changes consist of a bolder grille, reshaped aluminum hood and redesigned taillamps with LED brake lights.

Honda Sensing, a package of driver assistance programs, is new to the 2016 Accord. It includes collision warning and braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, road-departure mitigation and adaptive cruise control.

The Accord’s base powerplant is a 185-horse, 2.4-liter four-cylinder with direct injection. However, our test vehicle had the 278-horse V6 Earth Dreams engine with variable cylinder management.

2016 Honda AccordInterior: Honda designed the Accord from the inside out, rather than the other way around. The low positioning of the instrumentation, with the most-used controls placed high on the panel, creates a sense of space in the cabin. Visibility from the driver’s seat is good and legroom aplenty upfront. The rear seat seems to be for looks more than functionality. We really like Honda’s innovative video display showing the lane behind the car from a sideview mirror-mounted camera when you use the right turn signal.

Behind the Wheel: The V-6’s acceleration is strong and handling excellent. The Accord utilizes MacPherson struts upfront instead of double wishbones, creating a smoother ride. Electric power steering adds confident handling with excellent road feel and feedback.

The six-speed manual transmission shifts with precision, and a tight clutch makes the Accord both responsive and refined.

Whines: The available dual-screen infotainment system creates unnecessary clutter, complexity and confusion in an otherwise highly functional interior design.

Bottom Line: The 2016 Honda Accord two-door EX-L is a sporty, fun-to-drive coupe that boasts Honda’s legendary reliability and value. You won’t go wrong checking it out.