Exclusive spy photos of the latest version of Honda’s perennial Car and Driver 10Best Cars–winning family sedan, caught completely undisguised and in multiple trim levels: four-cylinder Sport, V-6, and V-6 Touring.
2016 Honda Accord Sedan: What It Is (cont'd)
The hybrid and plug-in-hybrid models weren’t in attendance, so we’re not sure what updates they will receive for 2016. Expect them to also receive fresh front- and rear-end styling, and all versions of the Accord are likely to receive interior upgrades, as well.
2016 Honda Accord Sedan: Why It Matters
While the increasing popularity of crossovers has taken a bite out of the sales of traditional passenger cars, the spacious and swell-handling Accord is still hugely important to Honda—and a huge seller overall.
2016 Honda Accord Sedan: Why It Matters (cont'd)
This refresh addresses at least one of the Accord’s major shortcomings: dull styling.
2016 Honda Accord Sedan: Why It Matters (cont'd)
The 2016 Accord also likely will get significant powertrain updates, particularly V-6 models like this one, ensuring that the six-cylinder models are efficient and relevant in an age of ever-stricter fuel-economy standards.
2016 Honda Accord Sedan: Platform and Chassis
Lending a more athletic look to each of the models seen here are new grilles, bumpers, decklid garnishes, headlamps, and taillamps—including multi-element, Acura-style LED headlamps on the Touring model that prove that the sexy lights on the Honda Civic Coupe concept shown last month at the New York auto show were no fluke. Here’s hoping they appear on the production 2016 Civic, as well.
2016 Honda Accord Sedan: Platform and Chassis (cont'd)
The Accord likely won’t get much more than some cursory stiffening measures to its structure and slight suspension tweaks for 2016, but it doesn’t really need more than that.
2016 Honda Accord Sedan: Platform and Chassis (cont'd)
The Accord’s wheel designs are also new, and we particularly like the big five-spoke pieces seen in some of these shots.
2016 Honda Accord Sedan
2016 Honda Accord Sedan
2016 Honda Accord Sedan
2016 Honda Accord Sedan: Powertrains
Expect Accord V-6 models like this to adopt direct fuel injection and offer the new nine-speed automatic transmission that’s found in the 2016 Pilot crossover’s top-spec Touring and Elite trim levels.
2016 Honda Accord Sedan: Powertrains (cont'd)
In the Pilot, the direct-injected six-cylinder pumps out 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque.
2016 Honda Accord Sedan: Powertrains (cont'd)
Were the Pilot V-6's output numbers to carry over to the 2016 Accord V-6, the new sedan would offer only a slight bump in output (2 hp, 10 lb-ft) over the current V-6. But the engine likely will have improved responses across the rev range while also delivering a modest gain in fuel economy.
2016 Honda Accord Sedan: Powertrains (cont'd)
It’s probably inevitable that Honda will slide its new turbo four-cylinder into the Accord in coming years—as Acura will in the ILX—but we expect the current base engine, the direct-injected 2.4-liter “Earth Dreams” four-cylinder, will continue to be the entry-level offering for 2016.
2016 Honda Accord Sedan: Powertrains (cont'd)
It's likely that four-cylinder buyers who opt for an automatic will still find a continuously variable transmission (CVT) on the spec sheet.
2016 Honda Accord Sedan: Powertrains (cont'd)
Honda mates its 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine to an excellent eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox in the Acura TLX, but the carmaker may wish to keep that transmission exclusive to the Acura, if only to give buyers some reason to choose it over the Accord.
2016 Honda Accord Sedan: Powertrains (cont'd)
A dual-clutch offering would be a great option for the Accord Sport, which is aimed at enthusiast drivers, if they don't want the six-speed manual that's standard on the four-cylinder Sport.
2016 Honda Accord Sedan: Powertrains (cont'd)
Speaking of the slick six-speed manual, we sincerely hope that Honda continues to offer it. Our favorite Accords are usually the ones that team the four-cylinder with a stick.
2016 Honda Accord Sedan
2016 Honda Accord Sedan
Steve Siler creó una columna sobre automóviles en el periódico de su universidad en 1995 y ha estado escribiendo sobre automóviles desde entonces, y sus reflexiones y fotografías han aparecido en decenas de publicaciones impresas y en línea diferentes. Nacido en Los Ángeles (California), donde aún vive y trabaja cuando no participa en un programa multimedia de conducción o cubre una exposición de automóviles, Siler aporta una perspectiva de la costa oeste a su cobertura y ha colaborado con Car and Driver desde 2006.
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