The Honda Accord is the second-longest-running automotive nameplate in Honda’s history and has become a household name in Australia for almost five decades. This all-new 11th-generation Accord is longer and sleeker with sophisticated styling that further advances the Honda design direction.
The all-new Accord is powered exclusively with the latest Fourth-Generation two-motor hybrid system, first released in the new CR-V e:HEV RS. This system includes a newly refined 2.0-litre Atkinson cycle 4-cylinder engine with a combined power output is 135kW and 335Nm of torque.
Mated to the petrol engine is a pair of larger and more powerful electric motors which are now mounted side-by-side rather than in-line with the engine crankshaft as in the two-motor hybrid system in previous generations. The official combined fuel consumption is 4.3L/100km and for my week I used 5.9L/100km.
The new hybrid system also incorporates Linear Shift Control, which creates the vehicle speed-linked engine rev feel of a conventional drivetrain shifting gears when the accelerator pedal is fully pressed. The Accord drives very smoothly, with a quiet, comfortable ride and my only gripe was the CVT would get a bit lost and labour at times.
The drive modes available are Individual, Sport, Normal (my preferred mode), and Econ or there is the option to drive in full EV mode under certain conditions. Under Individual mode you can adjust the powertrain, steering, adaptive cruise control, and gauge display to your personal preferences.
New Honda Accord owners will also experience Honda’s first-ever Google built-in integration with access to the latest apps and services including Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play enabled by Telstra SIM and powered by Telstra’s leading mobile network. The Accord also introduces a new and improved upgrade to the Honda Connect service.
Among the enhanced connectivity capabilities made possible by this partnership, Honda is able to securely access the vehicle’s telemetry data, which collects, transmits and analyses vehicle data including engine performance, fuel efficiency and environmental conditions for improved vehicle maintenance and diagnostic monitoring; a new and improved infotainment system with entertainment, navigation, and weather updates. In order to use these features, you must agree to the terms and conditions that include your data being shared with third parties.
Accord comes standard with Honda’s largest ever touchscreen, a 12.3-inch colour unit with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Wireless Android Auto did not work for me and I had to use a wired connection for the whole time. In addition to this I was not able to make or receive phone calls either via Android Auto or Bluetooth phone connection. The wireless charging pad is located in the cubby at the front of the console with two USB-C ports here and one 12V socket located in the deep storage cubby under the arm rest. The central rotary knob has a digital clock display and has a calm-inducing graphic on it.
I like that there is no gloss black on the centre console and only a small amount around on the dash and I also like the dash design, but I worry about cleaning the dust out of it over time and you can’t close off the central air vents. A nice touch is the ambient lighting strips in the dash change colour as you adjust the temperature up and down, but like all of the recent Hondas that I have driven, I found that the temperature control was hard to balance.
The seats are upholstered black leather-appointed material with red stitching and both front seats have powered adjustment for recline, forward/back, seat height front and rear, but they do not have any seat heating. In addition to the controls on the left hand side of the passenger seat there are also controls for recline or forward/back on the driver’s side of that seat, which is handy. The driver’s seat also has 4-way lumbar support and two memory positions.
Other notable features on the new Accord include keyless entry on all four doors with keyless start, which means you can leave the key fob in your handbag at all times. There are two hexagon shaped cup holders in the centre console with grippy sides and one is higher than the other. While the drink bottle storage in front door cubbies is only suitable for short drink bottles.
There is a good amount of leg room in the rear seats if the Accord for me, but my head was touching the roof even in the roof cut-outs and I bumped my head on the lip around the sunroof as well. For younger passengers there are two ISOfix/three rear tether child seat restraint points and manual blinds on the rear windows to keep the sun out of their eyes.
Rear passengers also get two central air vents with individual direction control and one central roller on/off switch and below vents there are two USB-C ports. The centre seat folds down as a soft arm rest with two rigid cup holders at the front of it and there are good sized drink bottle cubbies in rear door, but they are at a 45-degree angle. And I love the mat over the transmission tunnel with press buttons to keep it in place, so practical!
The boot in the Accord is huge and would easily take anything your family good throw its way including a weekend away at the Crown Sydney. The boot space has two hooks, one light, but no tie down points and there’s a tyre repair kit under the boot floor. The entire rear seat folds down using the lever in the boot if you need extra space or you can use the peek a boo door in the centre seat for long items. The boot lid has a powered boot release with a button located under the boot lid, key fob, and in the cabin and you manually close it down.
The Accord has updated version of Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering body structure is designed to better protect occupants and pedestrians in the event of an accident. It also has dual front, side front, knee and full-length curtain airbags, but its currently unrated by ANCAP.
It also comes with new and advanced active and passive safety technology including Honda SENSING, safety and driver-assistive technology made possible by an improved front camera and radar system. Standard driver assistance features include road departure mitigation, blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise control. The Accord comes with a standard rear-view camera and a 360-degree view with front and rear sensors and has auto lights and auto wipers.
A redesigned larger 11.5-inch head-up display projects a broad range of information directly in front of the driver on the lower portion of the windshield. The driver can adjust the vertical position of the projection and turn the display off, if preferred. Display modes include Speedometer, Navigation, and Driver Assist.
All new Honda’s sold in Australia come with the Honda Road Ahead Guarantee that includes a five year/unlimited kilometre warranty, five years Premium Roadside Assist, five years map updates for the satellite navigation system, and a 5-year Honda Connect subscription. For the all-new Honda Accord the service schedule is every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever occurs first and the first five services are capped at $199 each.
All eligible Honda car owners are now given the opportunity to extend their Honda Genuine Warranty and Premium Roadside Assistance each year, for an extra 12 months so that it continues for up to 8 years. If a vehicle qualifies for the program, its extended warranty will continue for 5 years, it may be extended for up to 3 years; or 7 years, it may be extended for 1 year in accordance with the program terms that are set out in the Honda Extend FAQs.
Purchasing your new Honda is made easy with the Honda One Price Promise. This means your new Honda has the same price no matter which Honda Centre you visit in your State or Territory, haggle free! The all-new Honda Accord RS e:HEV is priced from $64,900 drive away and this is also the as tested price. Visit your preferred Honda Centre or build and price your new Honda Accord online.
| Pros | Cons |
| The smooth, quiet ride | The CVT laboured at times |
| The huge boot | Issues with the technology |
| The carpet mat over the rear floor | The climate control temperature was hard to balance |
Photographs by Driven Women Magazine.