The first model to utilize
Honda’s new Earth Dreams engine technologies, the redesigned 2013 Accord gets a long list of upgrades and a big bump in fuel economy.
A long selection of engine and transmission options is available for 2013, not to mention a choice of two body styles and an available plug-in hybrid. The new 2.4-liter 4-cylinder adds direct-injection and makes 185 hp and 6400 rpm and 181 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm and can be mated to either a six-speed manual transmission or an all-new CVT automatic. Fuel economy is rated at 27 mpg city, matching the segment-leading Altima, while highway mileage falls just short at 36 mpg. A combined, or average, fuel economy rating is 30-mpg, one mpg short of the Altima.
An all-new 3.5-liter V6 engine for the first time combines Honda’s i-VTEC technology and cylinder deactivation, delivering a total of 278-hp at 6200 rpm and 252 lb-ft of torque at 4900 rpm. Available exclusively with a six-speed automatic in the sedan, in the Accord Coupe, the V6 engine can be paired with a six-speed manual. Fuel economy for the V6 is up, to 21 mpg city and 34 mpg highway for a combined 25 mpg, tying the other segment leaders, though all are behind some of the turbocharged 4-cylinder models currently on offer.
A third engine option, a plug-in hybrid, will mark the first use of the technology for Honda and signal a shift away from the brand’s long outdated Integrated Motor Assist hybrid system. Combining a lithium-ion battery pack, electric motor and 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, total system output is rated at 196-hp and 226 lb-ft of torque with an electric-only range of 10 to 15 miles. One innovative feature of the system is that it allows the driver the option of choosing when to use the electric only portion.
In the styling department the new Accord has received a subtle update with a slightly more dramatic flat-fronted chrome grille and a chrome lower front splitter. Further helping to add some premium style to the new Accord are standard 16-inch aluminum wheels and chrome door handles. Out back a new taillight design is oddly reminiscent of the Hyundai Genesis sedan.
Perhaps the biggest change to the overall look of the Accord is its smaller size, with a one-inch shorter wheelbase and the car 3.6-inches shorter in length overall. Despite the change in size, Honda has managed to keep interior room the same while increasing trunk space slightly.