Used 2019 Honda Accord

If we could recommend just one sedan for the majority of buyers, it would be the Honda Accord. In fact, Honda’s venerable midsize sedan is our overall winner for the 2019 Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Award. The 2019 Honda Accord, which was just overhauled last year, is the exceptionally rare car that does almost everything right yet retains enough variety to appeal to a wide range of buyers. Whether you just want a reliable, easy-to-drive, efficient yet energetic commuter, or a driver-oriented manual-transmission sedan with a potent turbo engine, the Accord delivers. Excellent resale value and a standard suite of safety and driver-assistance features known as Honda Sensing further bolster the Accord’s allure.

Looking for the best fuel economy you can get in an Accord? Check out the 2019 Honda Accord Hybrid.

The Honda Accord expresses itself differently depending upon trim level, but know that whatever powertrain or trim you choose, you’ll be picking a satisfying sedan.

The Accord has long been a commuting champ with a bit of a fun edge, and that characteristic remains, only now in arguably a wider degree. The standard 192-horsepower 1.5-liter engine offers strong off-the-line performance and acceptable passing power, but the biggest advantage is its 33-mpg combined fuel-economy figure. Its continuously variable transmission (CVT) is among the best out there, feeling similar to a traditional automatic. Moving up to the 2.0-liter turbo brings a more robust response, with 252 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque available as low as 2,200 rpm.

We’ve spent a good deal of time in the Touring trim outfitted with the 2.0-liter and the Adaptive Damper System. This engine is mated to a new 10-speed automatic transmission, which we generally liked, but did notice a bit of hesitation in some passing maneuvers. The adaptive dampers do a good job helping the Accord round corners with confidence, but also render the Honda more susceptible to road distortion and freeway expansion joints.

The 2019 Honda Accord’s 5-passenger interior is roomier than you might expect, especially in rear-seat legroom. Up front, the dash is anchored by a color display — a lower-res 7-inch screen in base models or a high-res 8-inch touch screen in the rest of the lineup. Those aggravated by some recent Hondas will be happy to know that the new Accord has a volume knob, plus a separate one for tuning. Climate settings are also easy to see and change thanks to additional knobs below. The Accord manages to feel at once futuristic yet familiar. About the only thing we still find aggravating at times is the push-button gear selector in the middle of the console. Instead of a traditional gear lever, there’s a row of buttons you press for Drive, Reverse, Neutral, etc.

Honda’s Accord is the latest sedan aspiring to look like a coupe, similar to its smaller Civic and Insight siblings. We think it’s a good look, and one the Accord pulls off well. It’s swoopy and sporty yet still retains the practicality and class-above interior volume for which the Accord is known. Accord Sport models amp things up slightly with chrome exhaust finishers and decklid spoiler. Wheel sizes are 17 or 19 inches depending on the model. The trunk is spacious at 16.7 cubic feet.

HONDA SENSING
Standard on every new Accord, the Honda Sensing suite bundles advance safety and driver-assistance features. Its features include automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control and road-departure mitigation.

6-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION
We know manual transmissions are not long for this world, but if your trim name is Sport, then a good manual transmission definitely belongs in the mix. Available with both the 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter turbo engines, the Accord Sport’s 6-speed manual transmission is a rarity on a sedan of this size, but it definitely improves the fun factor.

The 2019 Accord comes in five main trims: LX, Sport, EX, EX-L and Touring. The most basic Accord LX features a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, a CVT, Honda Sensing (see Favorite Features), push-button start, dual-zone automatic climate control, multi-angle rearview camera and 7-inch LCD screen with Bluetooth and USB connectivity, and 4-speaker audio system. If your budget allows just under $2,500 more, we recommend stepping up to at least an Accord Sport trim. It adds features you’ll appreciate like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone integration, 12-way-power driver’s seat, 8-inch touch-screen display, 8-speaker audio system, 60/40-split-folding rear seats, and 19-inch wheels.

In typical Honda fashion, most major options are gained by climbing trims. Moving up to the Honda Accord EX brings blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, power moonroof, remote start, heated front seats, rear-seat air vents and keyless entry with automatic locking function. Accord EX-L models add leather seats, a 450-watt/10-speaker premium audio system, 4-way-power passenger seat, HomeLink universal garage remote, and auto-dimming rearview mirror.

At the top, the Accord Touring model feels like a premium sedan with its ventilated front seats and heated rear seats, navigation, head-up display, adaptive damper suspension, rain-sensing windshield wipers, wireless phone charger and mobile hotspot.

The 2019 Honda Accord sedan offers a choice of two turbocharged 4-cylinder engines. Standard is the 1.5-liter turbo good for 192 horsepower and 192 lb-ft of torque. Optional on Accord Sport, EX and Touring models is a 2.0-liter turbo pumping out 252 horsepower. All trims with the 1.5-liter engine are mated to a CVT automatic transmission, with the exception of the Sport, which offers a 6-speed manual option. The 2.0-liter is paired with Honda’s 10-speed automatic, again the only exception being the Sport 2.0’s 6-speed manual gearbox.

1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 (LX, Sport, EX, EX-L)
192 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
192 lb-ft of torque @ 1,600-5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 30/38 mpg (CVT automatic), 29/35 mpg (Sport 1.5, CVT automatic), 26/35 mpg (Sport 1.5, manual)

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (EX-L, Sport, Touring)
252 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
273 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500-4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/32 mpg (Sport manual), 22/32 mpg (Sport and Touring, automatic), 22/34 mpg (EX-L, automatic)