Editors' Page: 2013 Honda Accord

If the country ever has to decide on just one car, we need to take a long look at the Accord.

Just for fun we asked Google how many times the terms "Accord" and "gold standard" have appeared together on KBB.com over the years, but the results were spotty. The exercise itself, however, conveys the point: The Accord remains a benchmark not just for the midsize sedan category, but for the entire automotive industry.

Backed by a decades-deep reputation for dependability, reliability and value, the Accord is also defined and distinguished by its uniquely nuanced refinement. From the feel of the door handle to the response of the gas pedal, the Accord just feels good. And those subconciously satisfying details are key reasons the Accord remains a favorite family sedan of the car enthusiast and journalist crowds.

Driving It

A few driving impressions from our full review: "The most surprising thing about the Accord is its refined continuously variable transmission (CVT). Mated to the 4-cylinder, this CVT feels much like a normal automatic, mimicking gear changes. Even a base Accord has good power for acceleration and passing, yet attains an impressive 36 mpg on the highway. Move up to a V6 model with 6-speed automatic transmission, and the Accord is downright quick."

Awards for Accords

10 Best Family Cars of 2013 
2013 Best Resale Value Award - Midsize Car Winner
2013 5-year Cost to Own Awards - Midsize Car #3

Hybrids on the Horizon

The 2014 Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid is already on sale, actually, and in our most recent time with the car we pegged it as perhaps the best-driving hybrid we've tested. The electric-to-gas transition can border on imperceptible, and braking feel is as good as we've ever experienced in a hybrid. But it's a $40,000 car, and Honda only plans to sell around 1,000 of them. However, there's a "traditional" hybrid Accord on the way, which should offer the same great driving dynamics, fuel economy in the upper 40-mpg range and pricing to make it a more realistic and compelling alternative for more Accord shoppers. If you'll put a lot of miles on your new Accord, the hybrid might be worth the wait. And if 13 miles of all-electric range is worth the significant price premium to you, you can check out the Plug-in Hybrid right now.

Most Popular

The best-selling 2013 Honda Accord style and color combination -- and the one you're likely to have the easiest time finding on dealer lots -- is a white Accord EX-L with ivory leather interior, as pictured below.  With a four-cylinder engine and continuously variable automatic transmission, you're looking at an MSRP of $28,785. But check this week's Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to get a better idea of how much you should really pay for this well-equipped Accord.

The Other Accord

In addition to the sedan, Honda also offers the Accord in a sportier, sleeker coupe version. The 2013 Honda Accord Coupe lives in the shadows of its ubiquitous sedan sibling, but it's a great way to get every ounce of Accord goodness (minus two doors and several cubic feet of interior volume) without driving the same 4-door sedan that more than 300,000 people will purchase this year alone.

From the Video

"With LaneWatch, you'll have zero excuses for side-swiping that school bus when changing lanes." Watch our infotaining video review of the 2013 Honda Accord

Build and Price

The 2013 Honda Accord sedan starts pretty well-equipped at $22,470 and just crests $34,000 for an Accord Touring with a V6 engine, leather, moonroof, navigation and adaptive cruise control, among other features. But how much should you really pay? Click here to build a 2013 Honda Accord the way you like it and we'll give you the Fair Purchase Price, which reflects actual transaction prices before applicable incentives.

The One (of 12)

The Honda Accord is indeed a special car, but today it's one of many great choices in the midsize sedan segment. There are 12 midsize sedans to choose from in 2013, and according to the needs and wants of an individual buyer, we could easily endorse 10 of them.