The 2023 Honda Accord Just Got a Huge Makeover and it Looks Great

Photo: Honda

The Honda Accord is still one of the best midsize sedans you can buy, but the current model has been around since 2018, so it’s time for a redesign. Here it is: the 2023 Honda Accord. It’s got Civic-inspired styling both inside and out while still maintaining its own distinct look, especially around back.

2023 Honda Accord: Engine and Hybrid Drivetrain

Photo: Honda

The biggest news is under the hood. For 2023, the base engine is a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 192 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque. Paired with a CVT, it’s largely unchanged compared to the current 1.5-liter, although Honda says the engine has been “updated with additional refinement and improved emissions performance.” The torquey 2.0-liter turbo, however, is gone from the lineup.

Instead, Honda has decided that if you want to step up to something nicer than the Accord LX or EX, you’re getting a hybrid. For 2023, the hybrid Accord pairs a two-motor electric propulsion system with a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated engine for a total of 204 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque. That’s not quite as much horsepower as the outgoing model, but it is an extra 15 lb-ft of torque.

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Honda says the hybrid system is “more responsive and significantly more refined at highway speeds,” and you can expect improved fuel economy to make up for the extra power that’s missing now that the 2.0-liter turbo is gone. The hybrid Accord is also said to be more fun to drive than before, a claim we look forward to testing ourselves.

2023 Honda Accord: Interior Tech and Luxury

Photo: Honda

Inside, Honda promises “premium materials” and more comfortable seats, along with “class-leading passenger volume and and rear seat legroom.” The designers also angled the shift lever toward the driver for a wonderfully American reason: “allowing the cup holders to be positioned to the right of the shift knob and still hold large-size cups.”

A 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster comes standard, as does a 7.0-inch center touchscreen. On higher trim levels, that screen grows to 12.3 inches. A physical volume knob and support for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included, and Honda says it added a one-inch finger rest below the screen to rest your hand on for easier use. Only the top trim gets wireless phone charging, though.

That top-of-the-line Accord Touring model also includes Google integration, a six-inch head-up display, and a 12-speaker Bose sound system. And while there are two USB-C outlets in the front, the Touring adds two additional outlets in the back. All versions are equipped for over-the-air updates, as well.

2023 Honda Accord: Safety and Pricing

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Like the recently revealed 2023 Honda Pilot, the new Accord was designed to earn the IIHS’s Top Safety Pick+ and meet its Side Impact Crashworthiness Evaluation 2.0 standard, as well as earn a five-star crash test rating from the NHTSA. The latest suite of Honda’s safety and advanced driver assist features is standard, which includes an upgraded rear camera, radar sensors, and blind spot monitoring, plus lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, traffic sign recognition, and low-speed automatic braking.

For now, Honda hasn’t said when the 2023 Accord will go on sale, nor has the automaker released pricing info. Look for that information to be announced at a later date.

Photo: Honda