Explore the North American Car of the Year, the 2018 Honda Accord.

January 24th, 2018 by

Automotive journalists are very picky. They give opinions – albeit anchored in facts – but they don’t pull their punches or hand out compliments willy-nilly. That’s why the praise they’ve heaped on the 2018 Honda Accord since their first glimpse of it last summer is all the more remarkable. They’ve showered the new, completely redesigned, 10th-generation Accord with almost a dozen prestigious awards, including the biggest one of all: 2018 North American Car of the Year (NACTOY).

The North American Car of the Year, which some call the “Oscar of the Auto Industry,” is handed out annually at the North American International Auto Show (aka Detroit Auto Show). A jury of about 60 of those picky automotive journalists made the Accord their top choice based on segment leadership, innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar.

In the news release announcing the win, CNET’s Chris Paukert said, “Honda appears to have pulled off a “magic trick” with the Accord, which is appealing even in its less expensive trim levels.”

2018 Honda Accord Awards

NACTOY was just the latest in the slew of awards the Accord has racked up since July. The others include:

What are these automotive experts seeing – and talking about – in the 2018 Honda Accord that makes it a standout? Plenty!

The Detroit Free Press said, “The all-new 2018 Honda Accord is the quickest, most fuel-efficient, sophisticated and spacious Accord in the model’s 41-year history.”

This was the 32nd time the Accord has made Car and Driver’s “10 Best” list, more than any other vehicle. The publication’s evaluators were not prepared to be enthusiastic. But they were: “‘Have you been out in the Accord yet? Oh my God! It’s soooooo good,’ one of our more effusive editors said at our 10Best base camp. ‘Even the 1.5 with the CVT!’ Even while many among us can muster no more enthusiasm for a family sedan than can be expressed with a quiet nod, he wasn’t wrong.”

Trim Levels

The 2018 Accord comes in five different trim levels: LX, Sport, EX, EX-L and Touring. Each jump in trim level brings more goodies in the way of larger engine, interior comfort and luxury, and technology. As CarConnection.com noted, “Accord Touring models rival luxury cars in every aspect but the badge up front, while base EX models represent good value in the class. No Accord looks cheap…”

Here’s just a glimpse at what they’re all raving about:

Design

The 2018 Honda Accord has been totally redesigned to be shorter, lower and wider, so it’s sportier but there’s also more room inside, accommodating rear passengers or a rear-facing child seat very comfortably. It has more glass for better visibility. As CarConnection.com put it, “On-trend angles and traditional proportions merge to make the 2018 Honda Accord one of the best-looking mainstream sedans that we’ve seen in awhile.”

Powertrain

Two turbocharged four-cylinder engines: 1.5-liter with 192 hp/192 lb-ft of torque; 2.0-liter with 252 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. Six-speed manual transmission available on both, a CVT available on the 1.5-liter engine, and a 10-speed on the 2.0-liter engine. The 2018 Accord Hybrid has Honda’s 3rd-generation iMMD two-motor hybrid power unit.

Fuel Economy

1.5-liter engine with CVT gets an EPA-estimated 30/38 mpg* city/highway; 2.0-liter with 10-speed gets an EPA-estimated 29/35 mpg*; slightly less on both with a manual transmission. The Accord Hybrid is expected to get 49/47 mpg* or better, with an EPA-anticipated range of 600 miles.

Safety

Honda Sensing™ safety suite is standard on all trim levels. It includes forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, road departure mitigation, traffic sign recognition, and adaptive cruise control. All trim levels have a multi-angle rearview camera. Available on higher trim levels are the driver attention monitor, blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert. The 2018 Honda Accord is an IIHS Top Safety Pick, and earned a Five-Star safety rating from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.

Space

Even though the 2018 Accord is shorter, the rear seat passengers still get a generous 40 inches of legroom. All but LX models get a 60/40 split-folding rear seat. Even in the Accord Hybrid, the trunk measures 16.7 cubic feet.

Infotainment

Begin with the standard 8-inch touchscreen (7-inch touchscreen on the LX trim) display that has easily comprehended tiles/icons and the ability to pinch, scroll and zoom like on your phone or tablet. However, it also has some physical buttons and knobs. Android Auto® or Apple CarPlay™ compatibility are standard, as is Bluetooth® compatibility.

More Tech

HondaLink® telematics comes with emergency roadside assistance, remote engine start, stolen vehicle tracking and remote locking/unlocking. On Touring trim there’s a head-up display, 4G LTE in-car Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® phone pairing.

Other Goodies

Depending on your chosen 2018 Honda Accord trim level, you can get smart entry, voice-activated air conditioning and navigation, a power moonroof, full-LED headlights, wireless phone charging, leather upholstery and leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats and heated back seats, memory seat settings, 12-way adjustable driver’s seat and 4-way passenger seat, front and rear parking sensors, multiple USB ports, up to 10 speakers. Honda has specific apps for both Android and iOS that allow unlocking, starting and locating your car.

Outclasses the Competition

As the editors and evaluators at KBB.com point out, the 2018 Accord “outclasses the competition in almost every meaningful measure. It also sells for far less than the average new car while providing more features, better fuel economy and a more proven reputation for quality and reliability.” We invite you to come see everything this car has to offer and can do. Test drive the award-winning 2018 Honda Accord at Schomp Honda in Highlands Ranch today

Check out this KBB video Review and Road Test for a closer look at the 2018 Honda Accord:

*30 city/38 highway/33 combined mpg rating for 1.5T LX, EX and EX-L models with CVT. 26 city/35 highway/30 combined mpg rating for 1.5T Sport models with 6-speed manual transmission. 29 city/35 highway/31 combined mpg rating for 1.5T Sport and Touring models with CVT. 22 city/32 highway/26 combined mpg rating for 2.0T Sport models with 6-speed manual transmission. 22 city/32 highway/26 combined mpg rating for 2.0T Sport and Touring models with 10-speed automatic transmission. 23 city/34 highway/27 combined mpg rating for 2.0T EX-L models with 10-speed automatic transmission. Based on 2018 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions and other factors.

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