2015 Honda Accord Review and Quick Spin

2015 Honda Accord Sport Sedan Obsidian Blue Metallic Front Quarter Right ・ Photo by Christian Wardlaw

Honda says the Accord is the best-selling car in America. Toyota says the Camry is the best-selling car in America. Who’s right? Well, that depends on how you look at the data. Toyota sells a whole bunch more Camrys to rental car companies and other corporate and government entities, while Honda parks more Accords in driveways like yours and mine.

In my book, that makes the Accord the most popular car in America, if not the best seller.

What makes this midsize sedan so popular? Most people buy Accords because they’re reliable, because they’re fuel efficient, because they’re safe, and because even after putting 100,000 miles on one, it’s still worth a decent chunk of change. Plus, you don’t need to justify an Accord purchase among family, friends, or colleagues. Tell ‘em what you bought, and they’ll think you’re one smart cookie.

Here’s the wonderful thing about an Accord, though. In addition to all the reasons people actually buy them, they deliver a sensation of impeccable engineering combined with a genuine fun-to-drive character. They feel quick, spry, and nimble, at the same time displaying uncanny precision and refinement. And that’s why I’m a big fan of the 2015 Honda Accord.

About Our Test Car

Honda sells the Accord Sedan in a wide variety of trim levels and with a choice between 4-cylinder, V-6, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid powertrains. You can also get one in 2-door coupe format.

I’m driving the 2015 Accord Sport model, painted Obsidian Blue Pearl, and though it looks upscale the price tag is just $25,455. If that sounds like a deal on a roomy family sedan, it is, but it doesn’t come without compromise, which we’ll cover later in the review.

The Accord Sport is basically the Accord LX equipped with fog lights, attractive 18-inch aluminum wheels, a sport-tuned suspension, paddle shifters for the optional continuously variable transmission (CVT), a 10-way power driver’s seat, a rear spoiler, and a freer breathing exhaust system with dual outlets that helps to make this model slightly more powerful than other Accords with a 4-cylinder engine.

In my opinion this is the best-looking version of the Accord, and I wish Honda offered all this stuff as a Sport Package on other models. That would definitely resolve one of my biggest complaints about this particular version of the car, and that’s its lack of infotainment and safety equipment.

Photo by Christian Wardlaw

Comfort and Cargo

Though the Accord Sport includes a 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat, and while I find it to be quite comfortable, I’ve gotta say that it offers me just enough height and just enough rear travel to be comfortable. Were I taller, I’d need to sit lower, and I don’t like sitting low in a vehicle. Makes it hard to see out. Which is why my wife was unhappy about the Accord’s lack of a front passenger’s seat height adjuster.

Speaking of seeing out, visibility is outstanding. The pillars are thin, the side mirrors are large, and the rear headrests are low. Honda’s reversing camera provides a useful field of view and good resolution of details, too.

There’s no shortage of room in the Accord’s back seat. With the driver’s seat set for my comfort, I’ve got plenty of legroom, foot space is decent, and it’s super easy to get into and out of the car. There’s even a center armrest with cupholders. What’s missing, though, are air conditioning vents and USB charging ports. Hey, I’ve got kids. I know how important those are.

Pop the Accord’s trunk, and you’ll find 15.8 cu.-ft. of space, which is competitive among midsize sedans. One nice thing is that my compact folding stroller fits wheels first. Unfortunately, though it can be achieved with effort, you can’t easily pack full-size suitcases on their sides.

Here’s another limitation. Pull the seatback release handle, and the back seat doesn’t flop down. You’ve gotta go around to the rear door, open it, and pull the seatback down. Plus, the Accord Sport’s rear seat isn’t split, so your choice is to carry extra people or extra stuff.

Once you’re all packed up, you close the trunk by putting your hand on the outside of it, making your hand dirty.

Photo by Christian Wardlaw

Features and Controls

Here’s another thing I like about the Accord: the speedometer is huge and uncluttered, making it easy to reference at a glance.

In fact, that’s true of all the Accord Sport’s controls, because the Sport version of the car isn’t available with Honda’s touchscreen infotainment system. The most sophisticated thing about my test car is a Bluetooth system with text messaging support and the ability to stream Pandora Internet radio.

Personally, I like my test car’s simplicity. But if you’re interested in keyless entry with push-button starting, a navigation system, a premium sound system, leather seats, HondaLink services, or any of the Accord’s available safety technologies, you can’t also get the Sport model’s unique set of features. And that limitation, more than anything, is why Honda needs to turn the Sport model into a Sport Package that can be installed on other versions of the Accord.

Photo by Christian Wardlaw

Safety Matters

Here’s another reason why the Sport model should be a Sport Package. You can’t get any of the Accord’s available safety systems on this version. Whether we’re talking about the LaneWatch technology, a lane departure warning system, a forward collision warning system, or an adaptive cruise control system, none of these features is available with the features that make the Accord Sport unique in the lineup.

At least you can rest easier knowing that the Accord is a very safe vehicle. According to the NHTSA, it gets a 5-star overall crash-test rating, while the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives the Accord a “Top Safety Pick” rating.

Photo by Christian Wardlaw

What's Under the Hood

Honda offers a powerful V-6 engine for the Accord, but doesn’t install it in this, the sportiest version of the car. Instead, the Accord Sport has a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, massaged a bit to supply four extra horsepower over other Accords with this same engine, for a total of 189 ponies. That’s 89 fewer horsepower than you get with the Accord’s available V-6.

Enthusiast drivers can, however, get the Accord Sport with a 6-speed manual gearbox, but then color choice is limited to black or gray. That’s why 99 percent of the Sport models you’ll find at the local dealer have the optional CVT, like my test car does.

Honda provides three subtle ways to adjust the powertrain more to your liking. First, there is a Sport driving mode for the CVT, which basically makes the car feel more energetic and responsive. Second, for people who want even more control, the Accord Sport has paddle shifters for cycling between seven pre-programmed transmission ratios. Third, there is an Eco driving mode that adjusts climate control operation and powertrain calibration to maximize mileage.

My test car effortlessly returned 26.8 mpg on my normal test loop, coming up short of the EPA’s 29 mpg rating in combined driving. Aside from testing out the Sport and Eco modes, I was driving the car in its standard powertrain calibration, which suited me just fine.

Photo by Christian Wardlaw

Driving Impressions

A model of unrelenting civility, the Accord’s 4-cylinder engine revs willingly, offering a perfect blend of performance and efficiency. Better yet, the CVT is one of the best in the business, rarely calling attention to itself as the car effortlessly gathers speed. Coupled with the Accord Sport’s special suspension tuning, this version of the car zips around town with grace and confidence, regularly putting a smile on its driver’s face.

Yes, the ride quality is a little stiffer than other Accords, but the driver’s seat feels almost springy, absorbing bumps while at the same time communicating road surface detail to the driver. As velocity increases, or as the pavement deteriorates, the cabin does start to get loud from the wind and road noise, but compared to older Accords this latest version is remarkably quiet.

If you decide to take the long way home, know that the Accord Sport is unexpectedly entertaining. Grip is impressive, the tires sticking to the pavement better than the driver does to the seat. The brakes prove flawless, and it’s easy to pitch the car through S-curves thanks to subtle body roll and balance that you’d swear is closer to a 50/50 front-to-rear split than the actual 60/40.

In short, the Accord is absolute delight to drive, on almost any road, and at almost any time. Shhh. Don’t tell Mazda, but I enjoy driving the Accord Sport even more than a Mazda 6.

Photo by Christian Wardlaw

Final Thoughts

It is not easy to criticize a Honda Accord. Sure, there are a few flaws that could use attention, but at my Accord Sport’s as-tested price, I could live with ‘em, especially because the car exudes refinement and thoughtful attention to detail while providing an entertaining driving experience.

If nothing else, Honda ought to offer this Sport trim level, which is essentially an option package for the Accord LX, on other Accord models. That way, family sedan buyers who enjoy the journey as much as they do the destination could also benefit from the numerous infotainment, safety, and comfort upgrades offered for the Accord EX, EX-L, and Touring.

Honda supplied the 2015 Accord Sport for this review

2015 Honda Accord Sport photos by Christian Wardlaw

Photo by Christian Wardlaw