The Accord remains a sensible midsized sedan that’s roomy, fuel-efficient, and blessed with super-easy controls and decent outward visibility. Owners are also likely to benefit from the Accord’s history of solid reliability. The 2024 Accord EX that we tested, which uses a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, did well in our testing. But the hybrid model scored even better, thanks to its superior fuel economy and more pleasant power delivery. For 2025, the EX trim is replaced with a new SE trim, which is mostly equivalent to our tested EX.
In a nod toward Honda’s “electrified” future, the four upper Accord trims all use a 204-horsepower hybrid powertrain, while the bottom two rungs—the LX and EX (SE for 2025)—utilize a 192-horsepower, 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The conventional model works well, has good scoot for most situations, and its CVT does a nice job keeping engine revs low when you’re just cruising casually around town. But overall the powertrain feels lazier than the hybrid, owing to the fact that it lacks an electric motor to help “fill in the gaps” during certain driving situations, and because its CVT rarely performs simulated upshifts like the Accord Hybrid’s two-motor setup, which gives it a more natural feel.
Even though the two powertrains feel quite different out on the road, in terms of outright acceleration they are very similar; both the Accord EX tested here and the Accord Sport Hybrid we also tested scooted from 0 to 60 mph in 8 seconds flat—competitive times for the segment. The Accord EX sees a 1-mpg improvement in fuel economy over the previous model, now up to 32 mpg overall, which just edges the Hyundai Sonata and Nissan Altima. But, that’s no match for the Accord Sport Hybrid and the 40 mpg overall it achieved in our testing. Keep in mind, the 2025 Camry, which is only offered with a hybrid powertrain, achieved an astounding 48 mpg overall in our testing. Of note to buyers who live in snowy regions: Unlike the Altima, Camry, and Subaru Legacy, the front-wheel-drive Accord doesn’t offer an all-wheel drive option.
Although it’s a roomy midsized sedan, the Accord feels light on its feet and eager to tackle turns. Our drivers appreciated its finely weighted steering and minimal body roll when we picked the pace up a bit on curvy roads. It proved plenty capable when driven to its limits through our accident-avoidance maneuver test, registering an impressive 55.5 mph. The suspension is on the firm side, but it contains enough compliance to shrug off most bumps effectively. The regular Accord EX’s smaller 17-inch tires give a slight advantage in ride comfort over the 19-inch tires on the Sport Hybrid we tested. 2025 SE trims also get 17-inch wheels.
Step into the Accord and you might feel like you’ve gone back in time to an era when car interiors were immediately intuitive. Frequently-used controls have their own clearly labeled button or knob, and there’s even a traditional “PRNDSL” gear-selector lever. We love the way the climate knobs turn with a satisfying “click,” like a rotating bezel on a high-end watch. The turbocharged Accord models have a smaller, 7-inch infotainment touchscreen vs. the 12.3-inch version found in the hybrids, but it actually has some benefits, including physical shortcut buttons and a tuning knob. The 10.2-inch digital driver’s display is easy enough to read, but it’s a bit fussy to navigate through its different menus and options using the thumb-wheel controls on the steering wheel.
But it’s the front seats that are the Accord’s biggest letdown: The bottom cushion’s shape makes it feel like you’re sitting in a hole, and the thin padding loses support quickly, compromising comfort on even moderately long drives. On the other hand, our drivers appreciated the Accord’s ample front headroom, fairly well-placed armrests, and clear view of the gauges within the instrument cluster. The rear seat feels more plush than up front, and there’s plenty of knee room and good foot space underneath the front seats; taller folks may wish for more headroom back there. The trunk is also quite large among midsized sedans.
The Accord ’s interior is a solid effort in terms of fit and finish, but it’s far from the nicest in the midsized sedan segment. We appreciate details such as the honeycomb-mesh trim across the mid-dash, which encompasses the smooth-operating air vents, as well as the plush, velvet-covered steering column. Obvious signs of cost-cutting include the flat-black center console with its hard plastic sides, the very plain door panels, and the just-barely-padded front window sills. Although our tested 2024 Accord EX (Equivalent to the 2025 SE) comes fairly well-equipped with heated front seats, heated side mirrors, dual-zone climate control, and a sunroof, the plastic steering wheel (rather than a leather wrap) is a disappointment.
All Accords come with the “Honda Sensing” suite of active safety and driver assistance systems. Standard features include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking that operates at highway speeds, lane centering assistance, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Disappointingly, blind spot warning and rear cross traffic warning aren't available on the base LX, although both are standard on all other trims. The Accord also comes with a rear belt-minder as well as a rear occupant alert system that warns the driver that a child or pet might be in the back seat.