By: Tarek Hawchar
Through its ten generations, the Honda Accord has been a paradigm and benchmark for mid-size family sedans
There are still some great family sedans out there, but one stands out above the rest for its outstanding driving dynamics, unrivaled safety, reliable performance, and practical interior: the 2022 Honda Accord.
Through its ten generations, the Honda Accord has been a paradigm and benchmark for mid-size family sedans—trusted by enthusiasts and common people alike. The current tenth-generation Accord, introduced in 2018, received a minor facelift a few months ago of upgraded styling, technology, comfort, and safety features.
There are five trim levels for the facelifted sedan in Qatar: LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, and the range-topping 2.0T Sport. The latter is exclusively equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine mated with a 10-speed automatic transmission. A 1.5-liter turbo mill hooked to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) powers the first four grades.
Complementing the refreshed exterior design of the 2022 Honda Accord are a new front grille with improved integration of Honda Sensing's radar unit
Exterior
Complementing the refreshed exterior design of the 2022 Honda Accord are a new front grille with improved integration of Honda Sensing's radar unit, a new front bumper, new alloy wheel designs, and new LED headlights with a longer and wider down-the-road illumination.
Depending on the trim level, other exterior highlights include piano black accents on the shark fin antennae, side mirrors, and the 18-inch machine polished wheels. A black chrome front grille, LED fog lights, body-colored decklid spoiler, twin exhaust pipes, and LED taillights are also available at some trim levels.
The new sports sedan is available in nine exterior color options, including the San Marino Red, Still Night Pearl, Platinum White Pearl, Modern Steel Metallic, Lunar Silver Metallic, Crystal Black Pearl, Radiant Red Metallic, Obsidian Blue Pearl, and the all-new Sonic Grey Pearl.
Dimensionally speaking, the 2022 Accord has an overall length of 4889 mm and measures 1862 mm and 1450 mm in width and height, respectively. The wheelbase is 2830 mm, and the curb weight ranges from 1448 to 1570 kilograms.
The interior of the 2022 Honda Accord is refined, spacious, and intuitively designed
Interior
The interior of the 2022 Honda Accord is refined, spacious, and intuitively designed. Most of the interior has soft touch surfaces, and you will even see aluminum paddle shifters, high-quality leather, and wooden accents on the dashboard to give it a more upscale look.
For 2022, Honda is offering the 8-inch infotainment touchscreen display as standard equipment in the EX, EX-L, and 2.0T Sport grades, and the cabin now also features standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. A leather-wrapped steering wheel and a navigation system with voice recognition function are available in some variants. The front USB ports have also been relocated for easier access.
Depending on the trim level, the new Honda Accord sedan features a 450-watt, 10-speaker premium sound system, a head-up display, dual-zone automatic climate control, aluminum sports pedals, and an analog-digital instrument cluster. With some variants, Honda offers a 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with 4-way power lumbar support and memory function, and heated and ventilated front seats. There is also a new rear-seat reminder feature that alerts drivers to check the back seat when exiting their vehicles if the back door has been opened.
The new Accord received the “Top Safety Pick+” award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and a 5-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
On the safety front, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration rated the Accord 5-stars. The 2022 Accord also received the “Top Safety Pick+” award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It is equipped with a wide range of driver assistance features such as an Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Following, a Road Departure Mitigation System (RDM), a Lane Departure Warning (LDW), a Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), a rear-wide view camera, a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), and a full set of advanced airbags including knee airbags.
There are two turbocharged engines available under the hood of the 2022 Honda Accord: a base 1.5-liter and a potent 2.0-liter
Engine and Performance
There are two turbocharged engines available under the hood of the 2022 Honda Accord: a base 1.5-liter and a potent 2.0-liter. A 1.5-liter turbo, inline four-cylinder engine that produces 198 hp at 5500 rpm and 260 Nm of torque available between 1600 rpm and 5000 rpm powers the LX, Sport, EX, and EX-L variants. The inline four-cylinder mill hooks to a continuously variable transmission (CVT), sending power to the front wheels.
If performance is your primary concern, you can opt for the larger 2.0-liter engine. The latter delivers 247 hp at 6500 rpm and 370 Nm of torque (available as low as 1500 rpm). The 2.0-liter engine now comes exclusively with a 10-speed automatic transmission.
A MacPherson strut front suspension and a multi-link rear suspension make the 2022 Accord quite comfortable on the road and encourage drivers to push the car hard through corners, offering a minimal amount of body roll. The steering feedback is adequate, befitting a car in this class. This Honda could even be a sports sedan if it had sharper steering!
Our Verdict
For an all-around midsize sedan, the 2022 Honda Accord is a brilliant choice, and has been the USA's best-selling midsize sedan for years. The facelifted Accord, with its spacious interior, updated styling, choice of 1.5- and 2.0-liter turbocharged engines, and a host of driver-assistance features, stands out from its Korean and Japanese competitors like Sonata and Camry.