Cargazing
By Derek Price
The Honda Accord, one of the most popular mid-size sedans in America, gets a major update for 2016 that makes it feel noticeably more refined from the driver’s seat.
The changes run deep, ranging from sharpened body styling to a stiffer chassis, bigger wheels and new technologies in the cabin. It’s not an all-new design — that happened back in 2013 — but it is a significant upgrade for a sedan that has a large and loyal following.
What’s new on it?
The most obvious thing is its crisper, more modern looking body. While it remains inoffensive, which is perhaps the Accord’s most consistent trait through the decades, it is decidedly bolder this year. A new aluminum hood has deeper, more eye-catching creases in it than the steel hood on last year’s model, and the grille has a brighter, classier look to it overall.
Expanded use of LED lighting adds to the upscale look. Luxury cars are rapidly switching to exclusive use of LEDs, and more affordable models like the Accord are starting to add them on their higher-end trim levels these days to look more like the luxury boys. It offers a snazzy style to go along with the practical benefits of LEDs: long bulb life and low power consumption.
Wheels on both the Sport and Touring trim levels grow to 19 inches this year, and I thought they looked surprisingly aggressive on my Touring test car. Dramatic spokes and big gaps show off the brake calipers in a way that seems out of character for a four-door family car.
Then again, the Accord has always had a sportier spirit than most sedans. That’s one of the things I love about it. It has a firmer, more responsive ride than you typically find in its closest competitors from Toyota and Ford, and that keeps it fun and engaging to drive — at least by meat-and-potatoes sedan standards.
The Honda Accord gets a sharper, more modern look for 2016. It has more noticeable creases on the hood, a brighter grille and bigger wheels on Sport and Touring models.
My top-of-the-line Touring tester came with two new features to give it a more supple ride: Amplitude Reactive Dampers and hydraulic subframe bushings. I thought it had a nice mixture of comfortable silence on the highway along with a tight feeling in corners.
All Accord trim levels can now be equipped with the advanced safety suite called Honda Sensing, too. It comes standard on the Touring trim and is available as a standalone option on all the rest, including the base model. It includes:
• Collision mitigation braking
• Lane departure warning
• Forward collision warning
• Lane keeping assist
• Road departure mitigation
• Adaptive cruise control
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both available on the 2016 Accord, making it easier than ever to connect your smartphone and operate it through the car’s digital touchscreen display.
All combined, these features give you the sense that the car is always watching your back. It’s designed to warn you and, hopefully, intervene automatically to help avoid some types of accidents.
Finally, my favorite upgrade on the 2016 Accord is how nicely it works with smartphones. It’s available with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, making it one of the first high-volume cars to deploy both technologies, Honda says.
With two big digital screens, plus the CarPlay system that seamlessly worked with my iPhone 6 through the USB port, I found it easy to use on the road — as long as I stuck with using the controls on the steering wheel. Tiny buttons next to the touchscreen still struck me as a rare annoyance on an otherwise near-perfect vehicle.
Pricing starts at $22,205 for the basic Accord LX and ranges up to $34,680 for the near-luxury Touring trim.
2016 Honda Accord 4D Touring V6 ($34,580). Options: None. Price as tested (including $820 destination charge): $35,400
Wheelbase: 109.3 in.
Length: 192.5 in.
Width: 72.8 in.
Height: 57.7 in.
Engine: 3.5-liter V6 (278 hp, 252 lb.-ft.)
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
EPA Mileage: 21 city, 34 highway
Performance: 7
Price: 9
Handling: 9
Ride: 7
Comfort: 8
Quality: 10
Overall: 8
The legendary Accord feels even more refined after an upgrade for 2016. Styling makes it more eye-catching this year, and upgrades to the suspension, steering and chassis are rewarding to the driver.