2014 Honda Accord Consumer Review

Last year Honda updated its bread and butter Accord sedan. As the fourth best-selling vehicle in America, it’s a safe assumption that the Accord has a lot of fans.

Designed as an all-around vehicle for families, retirees and single people alike, the Accord is a sort of utility belt in the automotive world. For 2013, more safety, better efficiency and higher levels of technology have been baked into the latest generation.

To see if the mid-size Honda still has what the car buying public are looking for, we put our general consumer Amanda behind the wheel for a week. Here are her thoughts.

The Specs

The Honda Accord is available with a choice of two engines,: a four-cylinder and a V6. Amanda has the more popular choice amongst Accord buyers, the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine making 185 hp and 181 lb-ft of torque. Available with a six-speed manual transmission, her test vehicle came equipped with the optional continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).

SEE ALSO: 2013 Honda Accord Review – Video

In this configuration, it’s officially rated at 27 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway. During a week behind the wheel, Amanda was only able to achieve an observed average of 25.6 MPG.

Pricing for the 2014 Accord sedan begins at just at $22,745 after delivery fees, which is segment competitive. Her test vehicle is the fully loaded EX-L w/ Navi that lists much higher at $30,835.

How does it Drive?

Although the Accord is a mid-size car with dimensions bordering on the full-size segment, Amanda found it easy to drive. Most of the time it felt more like a compact car to her, until it was time to park the Accord in a crowded lot, where it reminded her of its true size.

On the road the suspension set-up is soft and she found it drove smoothly, especially on the highway. The four-cylinder engine is adequate as Amanda found it to be enough to propel the car, but not exactly “peppy.”

The biggest controversy when it comes to the 2013 Accord has to do with the addition of a CVT for four-cylinder models. As we have reported during our testing, Amanda did not notice any unusual behavior from the transmission and quite enjoyed the way it operates in normal driving.

The View from Inside

The interior isn’t overly exciting, but Amanda did like the layout of the dashboard. She found the driver’s power seat adjusted easily and in no time was settled in, comfortable behind the wheel.

The leather used on the seating surface was not to her liking, but wouldn’t be a deal breaker either. The steering wheel placement was also a bit of an issue as lowering it to a comfortable height would cut off the top of the speedometer; an issue I found as well despite our roughly one-foot height difference.

What She Liked

Highlights for Amanda with the 2014 Accord include the car’s space. She loved the front seat headroom and large back seat that offers passengers 38.5 inches of legroom. The trunk is also relatively big, being able to carry 15.8 cubic feet of cargo.

Being a larger car than she is used to, Amanda appreciated the big display screen for the back-up and lane watch cameras, which helped her navigate close proximity parking lots.

SEE ALSO: 2013 Toyota Camry vs 2013 Honda Accord

Since the Accord can be optioned with a V6 engine, the gas tank is quite large at 17.2 gallons, which meant she didn’t have to stop to refuel once during a week of commuting to work.

What She Didn’t Like

She didn’t like the fact there isn’t a digital speed read-out within the gauge cluster, especially considering the above steering wheel placement issues. The sun cover that protrudes over the upper display screen obstructed her view of that screen in relation to where her seat was positioned as well.

Finally, Honda’s navigation system required long and tedious inputs. Amanda did learn that entering a zip code first would marginally speed things up, but other OEM navigation systems she has used are quicker and better.

The Verdict

Aside from a few minor nuisances, Amanda really liked the 2014 Honda Accord. Easy to drive, spacious and full of the latest technology, it’s a strong contender for her next vehicle in a few years. It appears Honda has once again created the perfect family sedan recipe.

FAST FACTS

Engine: 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, 185 HP, 184 lb-ft of torque Transmission: CVT Fuel economy: 27 MPG city, 36 MPG highway. Observed averaged 25.6 MPG Price: Honda Accord sedan begins at $22,745 after destination charges, $30,835 for our fully loaded EX-L w/ Navi test vehicle.

GALLERY: 2014 Honda Accord