Used 2017 Honda Accord Consumer Reviews
Best Buy for 4 bangers!
Design is appealing and slick, turns heads. Interior looks/feels rich. Instrument well designed, with balanced brightness at night. Headlights sufficient brightness, taillights gorgeous at night. Leather Seats are comfortable and easy to adjust (power mode), seats warmer both side (driver/passenger). Stereo volume sufficient, controls on steering wheel makes it effortless to control/adjust/change channel. Leather wrapped steering wheel feels rich and smooth. Cabin is roomy front/back, trunk sufficient space. Ride is average "S" mode makes car glue on road, increase engine response which translates for faster acceleration. Small wind noise at center of driver side window at 65+ mph. Engine super quiet at idle and roars at high rpm. Transmission shifting super smooth, unnoticeable. Great gas mileage. Overall, car is best buy in my book.
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So far, so good
I've owned this vehicle for seven months now, and so far it seems to be a good investment. Driving is easy, and acceleration is very smooth: engine RPMs barely get above 3k when accelerating from a stop light, and the car gets up to speed easily with very little struggle (compared to my previous 2013 hybrid that red lined while accelerating to 45 mph). The interior is very quiet and comfortable with good visibility. Love the Honda sensing with the camera on the passenger side - very helpful when passing vehicles on the highway or making sure you're parking close enough to the curb. I wish I had a camera on the driver's side as well! Adaptive cruise control works great - the furthest distance setting provides a very comfortable 3-second following range which is a bit far in some driving situations. The closest distance setting is also comfortable, giving about a one-second following distance. Love the lane keeping system - when off, it gives you a visual warning when you are departing your lane; when on, it helps to gently guide you to the center of your lane - the car almost drives by itself! And the lane departure is a gentle reminder - some cars I test drove nagged at you when you started to leave your lane, and the loud notification beeps were quite distracting. It has pretty good smartphone integration - if I plug my Android phone into the USB port, I can use Google navigation that's on my phone (and it automatically shows up on the console screen) - that saved me a few hundred bucks since I didn't have to buy the trim with navigation (and Google maps is generally more user-friendly than most car navigation systems). I also have access to music on my phone and Amazon music. You can also use Pandora or other streaming services or use Honda's "A-Ha" music app. I can get phone calls through the car speakers, and the system will even read texts & give me the option to provide a voice reply. Android Auto will also read my emails to me once the vehicle is parked. Overall, very good technology and integration that I've only just begun to explore. Other notes: - Fold down rear seats are only operable from the trunk, and you can't access the trunk from the back seat. This provides the opportunity to securely lock the trunk so the valet driver can't get in without the key. You can also lock out the glove compartment so you need the physical key to get in. - Rear seat room is comfortable, even for a 6'3" adult. - This trim level has two center dashboard screens - the upper screen cycles between music info, trip info, or an uploaded photo & clock. You also have the option to combine music info and trip info on the same screen. The lower touch screen displays music, cell phone, Android Auto features (e.g. navigation) & trip info (trip mph and duration, including previous trips) - seems a bit redundant though to have some of the same info displayed on both the upper and lower screens. - Below the bottom touch screen are simple, easy to operate dual-zone climate controls that keep the passenger compartment very comfortable. - Car has a number of driving modes. The transmission itself has "Drive" and "S" (which I assume means "Sport," but it's not defined in the owner's manual as such). "S" gives a little more power for faster starts, probably at the expense of fuel economy at highway speeds. "S" is also used for models with paddle shifters, for towing, for increased engine braking, or in hilly terrain. Drive, I assume, gives you the advertised 185 hp and 181 ft-lbs torque. You also have an "Econ" button: Econ mode restricts both the climate system and engine power to maximize fuel economy. The A/C doesn't blow as hard, and it takes a bit longer to cool the vehicle on warm days. I suppose you could drive in Sport mode with Econ activated, but it seems like it would be counter productive. I generally leave the car in drive with Econ mode activated, and it seems to do fine, even on the hottest summer days. I've had no problem with acceleration or speed while in Econ mode, though I've noticed that with cruise control on, the vehicle slows a bit when going up hills, and it doesn't return to the ordered speed as aggressively. I suppose if you want something a little more responsive, either don't use Econ mode, drive with the transmission in "Sport," or buy the V-6 or sport model. With about 5000 miles on the car, I'm getting about the advertised 30 combined mpg (advertised at 27/36 mpg & 30 mpg combined). Most of my driving is on the highway, and I've seem mpg up to 42 mpg. Yesterday, I turned off Econ mode and still got 36 mpg highway. Overall, a very good mid-size sedan. While it doesn't have all the luxury features that are out there, it is very well equipped, and very well made. And if buying a domestic vehicle is on your agenda, my previous Ford was built in Mexico, but this Honda was built in Ohio. I probably put more groceries on tables in America with this car purchase than with my "domestic" Ford.
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Close to Perfection
This is my second 9th gen Accord Touring, so I'm obviously a fan of Honda and this iteration of Accord. The 2017 9.5 gen is even more refined than my 2014, with a smoother operating engine that has more seamless VCM transitions between 3 and 6 cylinders, more supple ride quality due to the reactive amplitude dampers and revised rear bushings, vastly improved and updated infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, improved, more eye-catching styling, Honda Sensing safety features, and additional luxury features, such as rain-sensing wipers, full LED headlights with auto LED highbeams and heated rear seats. In Lunar Silver Metallic with deeply tinted windows, the car often attracts compliments. The acceleration is outstanding and the J-series V6 is a real gem: one of Ward's Best engines for 2014, it's smooth and rev-happy, with a mean, intoxicatingly joyous sound when worked hard into VTEC range (5100 rpm). It makes higher trim Accords feel like a completely different beast than those powered with i4s and CVTs. If there's any downside, it would have to be the POS Continental ProContact tires that Honda has chosen for models with 19" wheels. Too narrow in both width and sidewall, the tires explode at seemingly the tiniest impact, which is probably one of the reasons why such a reliable automaker now has a roadside assistance program. Having owned my 2017 for 6 months, I speak from experience as I have now had 3 blowouts since December 2016. At $362/tire, premature replacement of tires due to blowouts has to be the largest, if only downside to my ownership experience thus far. UPDATE (June 2020): At 3.5 years and 42K miles, our Accord has been trouble-free, save for the fuel pump recall that was performed at the dealer under warranty, and routine oil and filter changes. We had the brake and transmission fluids changed prior to the Maintenance Minder's recommendation, as the former is required at 3 years and we regarded the latter as a precautionary measure. Although the tires weren't worn, the OEM tires were replaced with 245/40/19 Continental DWS06 tires, which improved handling and winter traction. Other than that, we have continue to consider the Accord a sound value and purchase and we enjoy having the vehicle in our household.
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Comfortable, agile, manual transmission sedan
The 2017 Accord doesn't have the most powerful engine at this trim level, but the slightly gruff, very responsive character of the non-turbocharged 4-cylinder has won me over. The engine loves to rev, feels alive and is your friend for a fast drive, as is the handling which is agile and sure footed as long as you feed the car some power through fast corners -- if you lift off or are timid with it, it can feel a bit twitchy and nervous. On balance I'd much sooner have this car with its absence of electronic add-ons than an option-laden front-heavy V6 that is great for freeway acceleration but doesn't have the balance of a four and is lumbered with an automatic transmission. Having come from European and U.S brands, it was refreshing to get into a new car and have simply nothing wrong with it. Best points: engine performance; handling; steering; reliability; the standard halogen headlights are very effective -- really as good as HIDs; value for money; passenger space; San Marino Red color. Worst points, minor stuff but: stereo sounds boxy and tinny with a treble bias that can't really be dialed out (lessons to be learned from GM's ability to get decent balanced sound from a modest system); Bluetooth radio streaming sometimes fails -- may be the iPhone at fault; I'm no doubt in the minority on this but I would prefer a fully manual climate control system -- this one does not seem good at holding a comfortable temperature and airflow volume in winter when set to full auto with a setting of, say, 72 degrees (but summer A/C performance seems strong). Overall, this car does pretty much everything I care about very well and I am glad I bought it. Update at 10K miles: The car is still performing flawlessly. The manual transmission is sweet and intuitive. I recently had the opportunity to drive an LX with CVT. It was a different car entirely, well made but a bit lacking in character and the handling did not have the edge that the Sport's has. I expect that C&D is right: the Sport with manual is the sweet spot in the range. I drive a lot of country roads in winter and headlight performance matters. I feel as comfortable with the Accord's halogens as I did with the HIDs in my old BWW 325i. There is plenty of light to the sides of the road and the high beams flood the road with light. That's thoughtful design and carefully, rigorously tested implementation that many others in the U.S. market do not seem to bother themselves with. Update at 15,000 miles: one issue so far. Rear defog had one bad element, associated with poor FM radio reception when switched on. Rear window replaced under warranty, issue fixed.
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Love my new Accord
I recently purchased this car and have driven it for about 3 weeks. The V6 has a ton of power when needed but gas mileage could be better. The drive is very smooth with minimal road noise. The engine sounds great with a nice purr and the V6 is rarely challenged with shifting or acceleration. The leather seating is very soft and comfortable, I hope it holds up over time. Most of the dash is covered in a leather like material but more importantly I can lay my phone down on the dash without worry that it will fly off while turning or hard breaking. When I made my purchase, I was shopping for Lexus, Acura, Hyundai, and Camry. I chose the Honda based on value and quality over the other vehicles. I've driven Hyundai Sonatas for over 10 years and have been very pleased with the brand. My wife has owned 2 Honda's and both have held the resale value extremely well, something I cannot say for the Hyundai. The car is not perfect and here is my take on some of the technology. The entertainment boot time is way to slow. Not sure why the skimped on the processor but it seems to take over a minute to boot on start up. Even booting up to the FM station takes a long time and there is noticeable lag when switching radio stations. The Bluetooth connection has been flawless with my iPhone and works very quickly. I’ve taken several calls in the car on BT and all the conversations have been clear. Apple car play is a nice feature but the phone needs to be plugged in. It would be a nice alternative to adding the navigation depending on how much you need that feature. I have the built in nav and have tried both. The Apple carplay nav cannot use the sound system will navigating, it can play off iTunes or Apple Apps while navigating but you won’t be able to listen to the radio while using Apple maps, or at least I can’t figure how to do so. My favorite features of the car include the keyless entry, push button start, remote start, back up camera, and adaptive cruise control. The lane watch is okay not really a major improvement over turning your head or using your driving awareness and senses. The camera will blur up when it rains, same for back up camera. Adaptive cruise control is excellent and very easy to use. The lane keeping assistant and breaking warning are great additions for safety and I am glad to have them. Overall I am very pleased with my purchase. It’s a Honda, it’s well built, it will last a while, and it will re-sale well. You really can’t go wrong with this car.
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Unbelievable Value
Change the badge to BMW, MB or Audi and there would be $55,000 sticker on this. I've owned an Audi A4, driven A6s, A8s & MB E class. Nice cars with beautiful cabins and great performance. No question. But the Honda Accord Sport SE is an unbelievable value. The cabin is top notch. Quality through & through with many features. Leather interior with red stitching is a nice touch. Leg room for the front & rear passengers is excellent. Very comfortable for driver & passengers. I feel that I could drive from NY to Florida and get out of the car feeling fresh as a daisy. Trunk space is ample. Controls are easy to use & very intuitive. The engine is a very reliable I4, 2.4L with 189bhp. Pickup is adequate. It's not going to match other 4 door, 4 cylinder sedans. But Honda is not in the performance business. They make FAMILY vehicles. But it would be nice if they would up the BHP to 220. The engine is quiet and revs low. The ride is smooth and quiet even at 70mph. But the 19" rims outfitted with P235/40 tires does make you feel the road more. That may not be favorable for those who enjoy more of a soft/quiet ride. But I don't mind it at all. You feel the road more and true drivers like that. The MPG is excellent and it uses regular-unleaded 87 octane fuel. Overall this is an excellent vehicle. For the price, it's a steal. I don't know how Honda does it.
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Comfortable and Good Looking!
The value for what you get is great. Good looking vehicle and comfortable. It's a smooth ride. Not an engine to rev, but you would have chosen a different vehicle if that was important. Sport SE is limited in tech, but has some basics, such as bluetooth and backup camera. Pandora compatibility is great. The one annoyance is the phone app. The voice call capabilities are awful, would have been better not having at all. The interior look and feel, gives you a more luxury feel, even if it's not. It has a smooth ride. Based on the value, if you're not looking for the latest tech and want a comfortable sedan that has good gas mileage, is roomy, has a reputation of reliability, and looks good, this is the way to go.
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A dying breed
Car and Driver had the temerity to run this car alongside the Mercedes E class, and declared the Accord the winner, hands down. And I concur. It's bigger inside, rides as well, and the V-6 engine positively blows away the coarse, pressurized 4-cyl that the E-class now sticks you with (edit - Honda now sticks you with one, too). But great cars never last, and already the devil was at work on this generation. The electrically boosted power steering is not in the same league as the previous hydraulic systems. First, on-center feel is non-existent, when it used to be so vivid. Second, Honda's hydraulic systems used to give you a constant stream of feedback, informing you what was happening at the contact patches of the tires. Any slip angles would give you that gentle tug at the wheel, so you knew what to expect. Even textures came through. I traded in a 10 year old Accord, so the contrast is striking to me. The current one is simply numb. It transforms what should be a premiere best sports sedan into a Lexus. Agreeable, but devoid of any involvement. My other gripe is the entertainment system. If not for the steering wheel mounted buttons, it would be un-usable. It is finnicky with all the touch buttons that don't like to respond, and the menus are Byzantine. Definitely degrades the experience. It's also a little nose-heavy, so it's not happy being tossed around in the turns. It's was the best choice in 2017, and cars have only gotten worse, since. Transmissions now have a zillion gears or are CVT, and are disposable. Turbos are becoming universal, and those engines can't last as long. The bar has been lowered, across the board. Nobody makes great cars anymore. This was just less degraded than the rest. Now it's gone, too.
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Accord vs impala
I had previously purchased nine new Chevrolets over two decades My most recent to Chevy's were impalas. I was ready to buy another impala. But the new impalas, while they had a four cylinder available, really needed a v six. The fuel economy with that was dismal. 18 mpg in city. Nevertheless i had picked out the model, trim packages and color i wanted. Priced it using all dicounts rebates etc. then i decided what the heck , let me look at a honda accord. Test drove. Whoa. More acceleration than the impala that had a six cylinder. This accord has a four cylinder in it? With acceleration like that! Then i checked some packages and trim levels. This accord cost me 6000 less than a comparably equipped impala. It has 27 mpg in city and 35 or more on highway. I am. Averaging over 31 combined after 1100 miles. The Accord has a much bigger back seat than the impala. The trunk in impala is bigger, yes, but accord has plenty of trunk space, golf clubs fit with no problem. The passenger front seat is not as comfortable for my wife as the impala. Except for that this car is awesome. Test drive one, look at the price...i still think chevy makes great cars, but I am 6-3 and dont want a malibu, hard to fit in. I have plenty of room in the accord and in terms of mileage, performance and price, honda beat you chevy. Update--after 7 months, I LOVE my accord. Gas mileage is a combined 32mpg, some highway trips i get close to 40. And when I need acceleration, trust me, this kicks butt. Very very happy with the Accord....UPDATED. After owning for 13 months and 13,000 miles. I love this car. Mileage is always over 30mpg city....highway is mid to upper 30s. A few times over 40 mpg on highway. Love this car....UPDATE--after 2 years I really love this car. Gas mileage is still great, and I am comfortable in the car and it drives great. 25,000 miles on it and it is superb!
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Nice car, but... update.
Update after 1 year: Now getting between 29-30 MPG around town and 15 miles to work each day according to dash board reading. No more wandering on highways or higher speeds. Very nice car, I went for the Sport SE and I'm glad I did. After driving for 6 months the handling is much better. Between 3500 and 4000 miles the wandering on highways subsided and the car drives great(?). According to dash board reading I'm averaging 28.8 mpg. Its a very nice car for the money. Reading another Edmunds reviewer comments about their Accord wandering on the highway I have to agree, my Accord does the same thing when reaching speeds of 50 MPH or more. Should have taken on the highway during the test drive but this dealer was surrounded by roads with traffic and residential streets. I did get a great deal so I went for it. With that being said things I like - looks, comfort, CVT is really cool, dual temp controls as well as heated seats will come in handy when driving with my wife, auto head & tail lights setting so they come on when dark, fog lights included, dash and instrument panel looks great, lots of interior room. I'm 6'2" and can sit comfortably with lots of head room and people can sit behind me with plenty of leg room. Back up camera helpful, bluetooth works fine, and for about $800 more you get the red thread stitched black leather seats with front buckets heated, worth it. Trunk is huge for a mid size. Car drives around town great. Don't likes - car wanders with speeds over 50 MPH. Wheel alignment checked and is fine. (?) So make sure you test on a highway before you commit. Radio sound Is just OK. Cup holders have retractable, square, kinda chinsy plastic pegs designed to firmly hold different width cups in place but rattled when I placed a paper coffee cup in it. Floor mats are kinda thin.
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