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2023 Honda Accord Arrives in January: New Design, Tech, Safety

Written by CarPro | Jan 10, 2023 5:41:00 PM
Editor's note: This post has been updated with new information and additional photos since its original post date November 17, 2022.

 

The all-new 2023 Honda Accord will start rolling into CarPro dealerships this month.  The 11th-generation sedan lineup focuses on hybrids. Of six trims, four of them are hybrid models equipped with Honda's more advanced 4th-generation hybrid powertrain.  Also making headlines: its new sleeker design and new technology. The new Accord will also mark the brand's first integration of Google Built-In (only on the top-of-the-line Touring Hybrid.)   The hybrid models also receive Honda's largest ever touchscreen.

Pricing for the gas-only models starts from $28,390 with destination. For the hybrid trims, it starts from $32,990.

All-New 2023 Honda Accord

Trims

The automaker says hybrids will represent about 50% of Accord sales.   The four top trims come as hybrids-only. The bottom two trims are equipped with a 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. 

  • LX (Turbo)
  • EX (Turbo)
  • EX-L (Hybrid)
  • Sport-L (Hybrid)
  • Sport (Hybrid)
  • Touring (Hybrid)

Design

Honda designers made the new Accord longer and sleeker with a broad stance. It features a low horizontal beltline and a longer hood,   upright grille and a fastback silhouette. Blacked-out LED headlights are also part of its new design direction.  

Credit: Honda.

Honda says laser brazing technology eliminates the need for roof molding so you get a smooth and clean roof line.  In the rear,  horizontal LED straight-line taillights accentuate its wide stance. 

Here's a look at some design features by trim:

  • LX, EX (Turbo engine) and EX-L (Hybrid) trims feature a black grille mesh, body-color side mirrors and standard 17-inch alloy wheels.

  • Sport, Sport-L  (Hybrids) add sportier styling with black side mirrors, a black rear spoiler and black 19-inch alloy wheels

  • Sport-L (Hybrid) models add a unique black rear diffuser.

  • The top-level Touring (Hybrid) features unique gloss-black 19-inch alloy wheels along with silver and black exterior trim for a sharp, high-contrast look.

Eight exterior colors are available  including three new ones: Meteorite Gray Metallic, Urban Gray Pearl and Canyon River Blue Metallic.


Interior

Inside, Honda says a new sporty and modern interior offers fine craftsmanship and high-quality materials. The automaker says it paid special attention to materials used for the switchgear and controls.   Designers also angled the shift knob toward the driver by 5 degrees, so the cup holders positioned to the right of the shift knob can accomodate large-size cups.  Honda says the sedan's new front Body Stabilizing Seats reduce fatigue on long drives.  

Credit: Honda.

  • LX and EX feature gray or black cloth upholstery with EX sporting an 8-way power driver's seat.
  • EX also adds a moonroof, heated front seats and dual zone climate control. Sport features unique black cloth upholstery, aluminum pedals, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and a leather shift knob.
  • EX-L and Sport-L come standard with leather seating surfaces and a 4-way power-adjustable passenger seat. Touring adds ventilated front seats and heated rear seats.  

Honda says the 2023 Accord has the most cargo room in its class, with all models providing 16.7 cubic feet of trunk space and standard fold-down rear seats.

Technology

Key technology features include:
  • Standard 10.2-inch digital driver instrumentation display
  • 12.3-inch color touchscreen for top trims with wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto compatibility (Sport, EX-L, Sport-L, Touring)
  • Standard 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto compatibility (LX, EX)
  • Honda's first integration of Google built-in (Touring), including Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play capability with the latest apps and services
  • New Over the Air (OTA) software updates to nearly all vehicle computer modules, enhancing functionality and capability
  • Standard Honda Sensing system, plus Low-Speed Braking Control, Traffic Sign Recognition system (TSR), and new Traffic Jam Assist (TJA)
  • Available wireless charging

The Accord's standard 10.2-inch digital instrument panel displays unique display functions depending on powertrain.  A digital power flow meter replaces the tachometer in the hybrid-electric powered Sport, EX-L, Sport-L and Touring.   

Touchscreen for Hybrid models. Credit: Honda.

Features by trim:

  • Sport, EX-L, Sport-L, Touring models come standard with Honda's largest ever touchscreen, a 12.3-inch unit with a physical volume knob, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility and a simplified navigation structure with fewer menus. A 1-inch finger rest at the bottom of the touchscreen makes it easier to use by providing a stable surface to rest your hand.

  • Touring: Qi-compatible 15W wireless smartphone charging is available.

  • Touring also comes with a standard 6-inch head-up display and a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system. Featuring Bose Centerpoint technology and Bose SurroundStage digital signal processing, the new system was custom-engineered precisely for the Accord's new interior so drivers and passengers – regardless of their seating position – are placed in the middle of the music, with a clear and spacious listening experience.

  • LX, EX: A new 7-inch touchscreen audio system is standard on LX and EX with physical knobs for volume and tuning, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto usage and a simplified menu structure.

  • Two illuminated 3.0A USB-C ports are standard on LX, EX, and Sport models.

  • On EX-L and Touring rear seat passengers get two illuminated 3.0A USB-C charging ports as well.

Google Built-In

Photo Credit: Honda.

The top-line Touring features Honda's first integration of Google built-in. This includes apps like Google Assistant, Google Maps and more on Google Play for a helpful, personalized and connected driving experience. Control select vehicle functions by voice with Google Assistant, get directions and live traffic updates with Google Maps, and download music, podcasts, audiobooks and more with Google Play.

Powertrain

Updated Hybrid System

Honda says the new Accord hybrid  (Sport, EX-L, Sport-L, Touring)  is the most powerful hybrid Accord ever with 204-horsepower and 247 pound-feet of torque from its 4th-generation hybrid system.  Hybrid models also feature a new Individual mode that enables customization of the driving experience.

Honda says the new hybrid-electric system also is more responsive and significantly more refined at highway speeds. Linear Shift Control elevates the driving experience by mimicking the vehicle speed-linked rev feel associated with a conventional drivetrain shifting gears under acceleration. Changes to the hybrid control system also improve the management of engine and electric power in different conditions for a better driving experience.

Updated Gas-Only Turbo 

Under the hood of the LX and EX, Accord's 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with VTEC variable valve lift technology has been updated with additional refinement and improved emissions performance. Enhancements include an upgraded direct-injection system and new cold-active catalyst, plus a high-rigidity crankshaft and oil pan to reduce engine noise.

The continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) for the 1.5-liter turbo has been updated to reduce noise. Significant drivability and performance improvements were also made and include Step-Shift programming that simulates gear changes at full throttle.

Ride and Drive

Honda says a retuned four-wheel independent suspension provides a more engaging driving experience. New front suspension damper mount bearings and ball joints reduce friction to improve steering smoothness.

Safety

The Accord comes standard with updated Honda Sensing safety suite that has a new camera with a wider 90-degree field of view and wide-angle radar with a 120-degree field of view. This wide angle improves collision prevention performance via improved ability to recognize attributes of objects, such as a vehicles or pedestrians, as well as white lines, road boundaries like curbs, other vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcycles, and road signs. The wide angle also enables expanded control range for Accord at intersections.

Blind spot information (BSI) has been expanded, now with 82 feet of radar range. Also new is Traffic Jam Assist (TJA), which is a first for Accord. Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow, and Lane Keeping Assist (LKAS) have been updated to feature more natural responses. Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR) is also standard, and Low-Speed Braking Control is available on Touring.

Accord features standard Rear Seatbelt Reminder and Rear Seat Reminder, the latter notifying drivers to check the rear seating area for children, pets or other precious cargo when exiting the vehicle. Expanded available standard security features now include a stolen vehicle locator, remote immobilizer, and a Find-My-Vehicle function.

New driver and passenger front airbags (first introduced on the 2022 Civic) were designed to minimize the potential for severe brain trauma associated with angled frontal collisions. The new front driver's airbag uses an innovative tuck sewing structure to increase the rigidity of both sides of the airbag. The passenger-side front airbag uses a three-chamber design with the two outer chambers designed to cradle the head and minimize rotation. For the first time, Accord features standard knee and rear-passenger side impact airbags.

Assembly

The new 11th-generation Accord will continue to be built in the Marysville Auto Plant in Ohio. The plant celebrated its 40th year of Accord production in November of 2022. Honda says it's produced more than 12.5 million Accords in Ohio since starting U.S. production in 1982.

Photo Credit: Honda.