2011 Honda Accord Review and Prices

By Chuck Giametta

Table of Contents
2011 Honda Accord Review and Pricing
2010 Honda Accord Review and Prices
2010 Honda Buying Guide
2010 Midsize Car Buying Guide
2009 Honda Accord Quote

2011 HONDA ACCORD BUYING ADVICE

• The 2011 Honda Accord is the best car for you if you appreciate precision engineering in your daily transportation, and don’t want to pay a bundle for it.

• Modestly priced midsize cars aren’t supposed to be this rewarding to drive. The 2011 Honda Accord sedan is a blueprint for the comfortable and efficient family four-door, and the stylish 2011 Honda Accord Coupe compares well to some pedigreed sports models. Together they form one of America’s most-popular car lines. The top value in an Accord is a sedan in midrange EX trim with the four-cylinder engine.

• Should you buy a 2010 Honda Accord or wait for the 2011 Honda Accord? Wait for the 2011 Honda Accord. No drastic mechanical changes are expected. But the 2011 Accord is queued up for a style freshening that’ll take this car to its next full redesign, likely for model-year 2013.

2011 HONDA ACCORD CHANGES

• Styling: The look of the 2011 Honda Accord won’t change dramatically, and its critical dimensions won’t be touched at all. But expect a new nose and tail, with the sedan possibly getting more extensive alterations than the coupe. The four-door’s busy, multi-fold body lines aren’t the most harmonious, and Honda may come up with a slightly smoother skin to mimic the swept-back look of the Accord coupe. A corollary benefit would be improved aerodynamics that would help fuel economy. The Accord is already among the largest midsize cars, and its critical dimension is wheelbase. This is the distance between the front and rear axles and essentially defines how much space can be allotted for the passenger compartment. The Accord sedan’s wheelbase measures 110.0 inches, the coupe’s 107.9.

• Mechanical: The 2011 Honda Accord will stick with a proven formula of front-wheel drive and a choice of carefully matched four- and six-cylinder engines. Front-wheel drive places the mass of the engine over the wheels that propel the car. That’s good for traction in snow, and concentrates the powertrain in the nose, leaving maximum space for passengers and cargo. Despite its relatively large size, Accord isn’t overweight, so Honda can use engines tuned for a balance of performance and fuel economy. The 2011 Accord doesn’t need to gain horsepower to stay competitive with newer rivals. That suggests its four-cylinder engine will again come in two states of tune, one generating around 180 horsepower, the other around 195. The V-6 should continue at around 275. Don’t look for a gas-electric hybrid Accord for 2011; Honda’s placing its near-term hybrid bets on the smaller Honda Insight four-door hatchback and its sporty two-door cousin, the Honda CR-Z. Honda has also pulled the plug for now on plans to make U.S.-market Accords available with a diesel engine.

• Features: A reshaped dashboard could accompany the 2011 Honda Accord’s exterior facelift. It’ll still accommodate the latest in voice-activated navigation and Bluetooth phone connectivity. However, the addition of USB linking for iPods and other MP3 devices would be welcome, as would hard-drive music storage capability. A rearview camera and lane-departure-warning system would keep the car current with latest practices. Finally, Honda might consider extending availability of some of these hi-tech accessories beyond just the top-line Accord models.

2011 HONDA ACCORD PRICES

• Based on previous Accord pricing, 2011 Honda Accord prices will best be described as competitive, not bargain-basement. Anyway you slice it, though, there’s unquestioned value here: quality materials; engineering that translates into a rewarding driving experience; design that creates a spacious cabin; a reputation for reliability; robust resale values. Some rivals with weaker credentials do have base prices that undercut those of the Accord. But Accord is among the few cars that manages to be both affordable and aspirational.

• The 2011 Honda Accord prices will span roughly $22,000-$32,000, including destination fees. Honda won’t stray from a model hierarchy with well-defined suites of standard equipment, and it isn’t likely to begin offering factory options. With slight variations along the way, the basic Accord lineup will continue to consist of LX models, midrange EX versions, and top-line EX-L models (“L” indicates leather upholstery.)

• Four-cylinder Accords begin around $22,000 and top out around $29,000 with leather, sunroof, navigation, and other amenities. That’s not inexpensive for a four-cylinder car. But forgo a few creature comforts and for around $25,000 you can land an EX sedan with the high-horsepower four-cylinder, automatic transmission, power driver’s seat, heated power mirrors, power sunroof, and 17-inch alloy wheels. That’s a fine car and a fabulous value. Add around $2,000 for the same model with the V-6, but the four-cylinder is so well matched to this car that you’ll likely find the extra power superfluous.

• Accord Coupes are priced slightly higher than comparably equipped sedan counterparts. They trade rear-seat room for racy styling, but are still more practical than most two-door cars of this size.  

2011 HONDA ACCORD FUEL ECONOMY

• Hybrid versions of the Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Fusion, Nissan Altima, and Toyota Camry are the most fuel-efficient cars in the midsize class. But the Honda Accord’s EPA ratings are no worse than any gas-engine rival’s, and better than most. And all Accords are tuned to run on regular-grade 87-octane fuel.

• Fuel economy ratings for 2011 models were not available in time for this report. But based on ratings for other Accords of this design generation, expect four-cylinder 2011 Accord sedans and coupes to rate about 22/31 mpg (city/highway) with manual transmission and about 21/30 with automatic.

• The V-6 Accord sedans come only with automatic transmission and should continue to rate about 19/29 for 2011. V-6 coupes should rate about 17/25 with manual transmission, 19/28 with automatic. Accord’s V-6 saves gas in low-demand driving by automatically switching between six-, four-, and three-cylinder operation.

2011 HONDA ACCORD RELEASE DATE

• Accord tradition points to autumn 2010 for release of the 2011 Honda Accord.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE HONDA ACCORD

• The 2008-2012 Honda Accord represents the eighth design generation since Accord’s U.S. debut as a 1976 model. That original Accord retailed for $3,995 and had a wheelbase 16.5 inches shorter than today’s sedan. Its body was shorter by about 32 inches and narrower by around 9 inches.

• Honda sells variations of the Accord in some 160 countries. Europe and Japan get a version that’s slightly narrower than the U.S. model and a lot sportier looking. The TSX from Honda’s upscale Acura division is based on this Accord. Some features common to overseas Accords could be clues to the ninth-generation U.S. model. One intriguing prospect is Honda’s acclaimed four-cylinder diesel engine, which could be tuned to meet U.S. emissions standards and would give future Accords fuel economy of around 31 mpg city, 41 mpg highway.

• Another possibility involves alternative body styles. Honda is reportedly exploring a “four-door coupe” variant for Japan and Europe. This fastback sedan could come here as an Accord response to the Volkswagen CC, though it also could be marketed as the next-generation Acura TSX.

• A more likely future Accord body style is the station wagon. Honda sells station-wagon Accords in other markets, but a U.S. Accord wagon would likely take the shape of a midsize crossover SUV. It would share a front end with other Accords but have a taller and wider wagon body. Increased ground clearance and an elevated seating position would be part of the package. The Accord crossover would offer four- and six-cylinder engines and come in front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, though it wouldn’t be intended for off-road use. It would give Honda a rival for the Camry-based Toyota Venza and the Fusion-based Ford Edge in the five-seat crossover-SUV category.        

2011 HONDA ACCORD COMPETITION

• 2011 Nissan Altima: Accord’s closest rival for sporty performance and roominess among front-drive midsize sedans. Assertive styling and sharp handling are assets. But engines are gruffer than the Honda’s, ride quality is stiffer, and cabin materials not quite as good. Altima comes as a sedan and coupe with four- and six-cylinder engines. It also offers a gas-electric hybrid sedan in California and selected Northeastern states. Base price range is about $21,000-$31,000. Estimated fuel economy is 18/27 with the V-6, 23/32 with the gas four-cylinder, and 35/33 for the hybrid. Altima’s next full redesign is likely for model-year 2013.

• 2011 Toyota Camry: Accord’s arch rival for sales leadership, dependability ratings, and resale value. Camry reigns for isolating comfort and refinement at the cost of handling prowess. It comes only as a front-wheel-drive sedan with a choice of four-cylinder and V-6 engines and a gas-electric hybrid option. Base price range is about $20,000-$30,000. Estimated fuel economy is 21/31 with the gas four-cylinder, 19/28 with the V-6, 33/34 for the Hybrid. The Toyota Camry’s next full redesign is expected for model-year 2012.

• 2011 Ford Fusion: Slips ahead of the Chevrolet Malibu with a major refresh for model-year 2010. A big reason is the state-of-the-art Fusion Hybrid, a lively gas/electric with fuel-economy ratings of 41/36. A starting price around $28,000 is the cost of progress. Otherwise, Fusion four-cylinders rate around 23/34 and are priced from about $20,000. Two V-6s are offered, starting around $24,000 and earning up to 18/27 mpg. Fusion’s roomy and capable, and the only car in this group to offer all-wheel drive in addition to front-wheel drive. Fusion’s next full redesign likely comes for model-year 2013.