What changes make 2017 Honda Accord different? This venerable nameplate turns 40 for model-year 2017, and Honda celebrates by resurrecting a gas-electric Hybrid model and adding a new midlevel trim, the Sport Special Edition. About 60 percent of new vehicle purchases these days are crossovers, SUVs, and pickup trucks, but the midsize-sedan market is still vital to car makers. Toyota’s Camry remains the segment’s sales leader, while the Nissan Altima has overtaken Accord for second place. And with Honda winding down this 2013-2017 generation Accord in preparation for an all-new 2018 replacement, will the Hybrid and Sport Special Edition be enough to sustain interest in what’s arguably the best all-around car in the class? Why should I buy a 2017? Because - even in the final year of its current design — its combination of comfort, features, safety ratings, driving dynamics, and value are without peer in the class. No other mainstream midsize car offers 2-door-coupe and 4-door-sedan body styles.
Accord is one of the few available with both manual and automatic transmission and among the shrinking number to offer both four- and six-cylinder engines. Most Accord buyers choose a four-cylinder sedan from a ’17 lineup consisting of LX, Sport, Sport Special Edition, EX, and EX-L models. The new Sport Special Edition adds some upscale amenities without a substantial price increase. V-6 sedans come in EX-L trim and in flagship Touring guise. Four-cylinder coupes are available in LX-S, EX, and EX-L trim; V-6 coupes in EX-L and Touring grades. Available in base, EX-L, and Touring form, the Hybrid is one of the segment’s most fuel-efficient cars with an EPA rating of 48 mpg city-highway combined. Should I wait for the 2018 model instead? With an all-new Accord on the horizon, we’re tempted to recommend waiting to see how Honda updates this high-profile car. But the current Accord is still an exceptional car — one we’d have few qualms about purchasing right now.
It might behoove you to hold off until the end of the 2017 model year, though, to take advantage inventory closeout sales as dealers clear showroom space for the redesigned car. Note also that the ’17 Accord will likely be the last available with a V-6. Tightening fuel-economy requirements mean Honda will almost certainly discontinue the six in favor of a turbocharged four-cylinder, following the lead of rivals from Chevrolet, Ford, Hyundai, or Kia. Is the 2017 styling different? No. It carries over a model-year 2016 freshening, when Honda updated the front fascia to more closely resemble that of its compact Civic. The welcome change made Accord appear a bit more aggressive. Still, this is one of the more conservatively styled midsize cars, which is somewhat ironic given that it’s one of the most fun to drive. Sport, Sport Special Edition, and Touring versions present the car’s sporty nature in the best light, with their rear spoilers, lower-body kits, and tasteful wheels on low-profile tires.
Drivers and passengers alike will appreciate the Accord sedan’s spacious cabin. Headroom is generous all around, while legroom feels like it never ends. Even the coupe’s back seat is surprisingly roomy, at least once you’ve contorted your body enough around the door pillar and front-passenger seat in order to get settled. Cargo volume is a generous 15.5-15.8 cubic feet in conventional sedans. This shrinks to 13.4 cubic feet in the coupe and 13.5 in the hybrid, though these figures are still not bad at all. Instrumentation is easy to read. The controls are somewhat of a mixed bag, depending on which model you get. The standard setup in the LX, LX-S, Sport, and Sport Special Edition is a simple array of clearly labeled buttons and dials, supported by a large information screen at the top-center of the dashboard. EX and higher models substitute pushbutton audio controls for a touchscreen infotainment system that supports Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto.
It’s often sluggish to respond to inputs, and some functions are buried deep within sub-menus. Not for 2017. All non-hybrid four-cylinder Accord models use a 2.4-liter engine that produces 185 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque in the LX, LX-S, EX, and EX-L. Sport and Sport Special Edition models have revised exhaust tuning that improves those figures to 189 horsepower and 182 pound-feet of torque. The V-6 engine is a 3.5-liter unit that produces 278 horsepower and 252 pound-feet of torque. A 6-speed manual transmission is standard on the LX, LX-S, Sport, Sport Special Edition, and EX. 850 on these models and standard on the EX-L is a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). All V-6 versions use a conventional 6-speed automatic. Enthusiasts will want to take note of the fact that, for no extra charge, you can equip a V-6 EX-L coupe with a 6-speed manual. Hybrids pair a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with a battery powered electric motor for a combined 212 horsepower. Their standard transmission is a CVT. The 2.4-liter engine/CVT combination provides adequate acceleration in most every driving situation.
