Monday, August 10, 2015

2016 Honda Accord: Explaining the Trim Levels

Honda updated its popular Accord for 2016 with new styling, an overhauled multimedia system and some mechanical tweaks. The Accord sedan goes on sale Aug. 19 with a starting price of $22,925, including a destination fee; the coupe arrives Aug. 26 with a $24,595 starting price.

Related: 2016 Honda Accord: First Drive

Honda expects EPA-rated gas mileage on the Accord sedan to rate a very good 27/37/31 mpg city/highway/combined with the four-cylinder and continuously variable automatic transmission. That's up 1 mpg highway thanks to some aerodynamic and friction improvements, Honda says. The automaker expects the Accord Sport sedan, which gets some styling tweaks and a revised exhaust system, to get 26/35/30 mpg. That's up 1 mpg combined versus last year.

At the other end, Honda anticipates the lowest-rated V-6 automatic Accord coupe will get an EPA 25 mpg combined. That may not be the least-efficient Accord once the dust clears: Estimates for the V-6 manual coupe are still pending, and last year's rated 22 mpg combined.

The 2016 Accord sedan's $22,925 starting price is unchanged from 2015, and it gets you a well-equipped four-cylinder Accord LX sedan with a six-speed manual transmission. Standard features include:

  • 16-inch alloy wheels
  • Keyless entry and cruise control
  • USB/iPod-compatible stereo with Pandora, Bluetooth phone/audio and steering-wheel controls
  • 7.7-inch dashboard screen
  • Backup camera
  • Dual-zone automatic climate control

An LX automatic runs another $800 ($23,725 total), which is right in line with the automatic-only 2015 Toyota Camry LE.

The Accord Sport ($24,985 with a manual or $25,785 with an automatic) adds to the LX:

  • 19-inch alloys and larger disc brakes
  • Fog lights, side skirts and a rear spoiler
  • Leather-wrapped steering wheel with paddle shifters
  • Aluminum pedals
  • Cloth-and-leatherette (that is, faux leather) seats
  • A 60/40-split folding rear seat (in place of the LX's single-piece folding seat)
  • A power driver's seat with power lumbar
  • Dual exhaust pipes and a freer-flowing exhaust system, which nets 4 more horsepower and 1 pounds-foot of additional torque but loses 1 mpg in EPA combined mileage

The Accord EX ($26,300 with a manual or $27,100 with an automatic) builds off the LX, rather than the Sport, with these features:

  • Honda's LaneWatch system, which mounts a small camera on the passenger-side mirror and throws the image on the Accord's 7.7-inch upper dashboard screen
  • A second 7-inch dashboard touch-screen with capacitive controls, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, HD/satellite radio and six speakers (versus four)
  • Power driver's seat
  • Fog lights, 17-inch alloys and heated mirrors with integrated turn signals
  • Rear center air vents
  • A moonroof and one-touch front windows (versus driver's only on LX/Sport)
  • Keyless access with push-button start
  • Remote start on automatic-transmission models

The EX-L ($29,390, automatic only) adds these features atop the EX:

  • Leather-wrapped steering wheel
  • Auto-dimming rearview mirror
  • Two-position memory for the driver's seat
  • Four-way power passenger seat
  • Leather upholstery
  • Heated front seats
  • More stereo wattage and a subwoofer

Honda's 3.5-liter V-6 is also optional on the EX-L, where it's another $2,075 ($31,465 total). Optional on all trims with the automatic transmission up to this point is a new Honda Sensing package, which includes auto-braking forward collision warning, high-speed adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning with steering assist. Honda Sensing adds $1,000 except on the EX-L, where it adds $2,000 because it also includes a navigation system. The navigation seems even less justifiable now that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto both incorporate navigation apps, however.

The range-topping Accord Touring ($35,400) includes the kitchen sink — Honda Sensing, navigation and the V-6 — plus a few more features:

  • LED headlights, 19-inch wheels and larger brakes
  • Front and rear parking sensors (in addition to the backup camera)
  • Heated rear seats
  • Automatic high-beam headlights
  • Rain-sensing wipers

Honda checks all the boxes on multimedia and traditional luxury features, but some competitors have shot for the moon on the luxury front. A panoramic moonroof, heated steering wheel, cooled or ventilated seats and a height-adjustable passenger seat - all features that one or more competitors offer — are not available here.

The Accord Coupe comes in LX-S, EX, EX-L (four-cylinder or V-6) and Touring (V-6 only) trims. They roughly mirror the sedan, save features like the heated rear seats, a power passenger seat and the split-folding rear seat, none of which are available on the coupe. However, it's the only way to pair a six-speed manual with the V-6, a combination available on the EX-L.

Pricing for the Accord coupe runs from $24,595 to $34,945.

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