Honda has lifted the covers of the refreshed for the U.S. market Accord sedan and coupe model. Both iterations of the Accord enter the 2011 model year with some styling and aerodynamic upgrades, improved fuel economy on certain versions and new features.
On the outside, the Accord coupe and sedan get a new grille more or less inspired from the controversial Accord Crosstour, revised front and rear bumpers, new alloy wheel designs and reworked tail lamps, with the four-door version gaining a (totally unnecessary in our opinion) pair of Chris Bangle-7-series-like reflector extensions.
Interior improvements concern the repositioning of the climate-control buttons on the left side of the control stack, closer to the driver for ease-of-use, with less-frequently used buttons now located on the right side. In addition, all models get new seat fabrics and an updated instrument panel design.
New features for the 2011MY include steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters on the Accord EX-L V6 Coupe, a USB Audio Interface on all coupe models and Accord EX and EX-L Sedans, a rear view camera on sedans equipped with the available Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System, and a two-position memory system for the driver's seat for the Accord EX-L V6 models.
The Accord will continue to be offered with a 2.4-liter engine available with 177HP and 190HP, and a 3.5-liter V6 with 271HP, but the Japanese automaker says that improvements to vehicle aerodynamics, engine friction and transmission gear ratios help increase fuel economy.
According to Honda, the EPA fuel-economy ratings for Accord 4-cylinder sedan models equipped with an automatic transmission improve by 2mpg in the city and 3 mpg on the highway, for a city/highway rating of 23/34 mpg respectively.
Preliminary EPA fuel-economy ratings for the 2011 Accord V6 Sedan are 19 city/30 highway mpg, an improvement of 1 mpg in highway driving over the 2010MY Accord.
The four-cylinder Accords get a 5-speed manual gearbox as standard and a 5-speed automatic as an option. A 5-speed automatic transmission is standard on V6-powered models, while a 6-speed manual gearbox is available exclusively on the V6 Coupe.
The redesigned 2011 Accord Sedan and Coupe are scheduled to go on sale in the States in mid-August.
2010 HONDA ACCORD SEDAN & COUPE [Outgoing Models]
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NEW 2011 HONDA ACCORD SEDAN
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NEW 2011 HONDA ACCORD COUPE
