Honda
Honda Accord
The midsize sedan for people who still care how a car steers, with a hybrid system that is genuinely excellent.
The tenth-generation Accord is a better-handling car than any midsize sedan needs to be. Honda lowered it, widened the track and fitted a genuinely well-tuned suspension, and the result rides more comfortably than a Camry while cornering with far more composure. The 2.0-liter turbo version is quick enough to embarrass some sport sedans.
The hybrid is the one to seek out. Honda's two-motor system runs the engine as a generator most of the time and drives the wheels electrically, which makes it smoother in traffic than any belt-driven alternative and returns real-world economy in the high 40s. There is no conventional transmission to fail, and the system has proven durable in taxi and rideshare use.
Costs are ordinary. Brakes, tires and filters price like a Civic's with a modest size premium; the 10-speed automatic behind the 2.0T wants a fluid service that owners often skip. As with the Civic, the 1.5T rewards attention to oil condition in cold-climate short-trip use.
Generations
What changed, and which years share the same hardware.
Ninth generation
2013–2017
Introduced Honda's Earth Dreams 2.4L direct-injection four with a CVT, and kept the 3.5L J35 V6 with a 6-speed automatic. The V6 uses cylinder deactivation and is the version to inspect carefully for oil consumption.
Tenth generation
2018–2022
Dropped the V6 entirely in favor of 1.5L and 2.0L turbo fours, the latter derived from the Civic Type R engine and paired with a 10-speed automatic. Lower and wider with a notably better chassis. The two-motor hybrid became a mainstream choice rather than a niche one.
Eleventh generation
2023–present
Simplified to the 1.5L turbo on lower trims and the two-motor hybrid on everything above, with the 2.0L turbo discontinued. Larger screens, cleaner styling, more sound deadening.
Model years
Reliability, reported issues and annual running costs, year by year.