2020 was a terrible year for us, and the automotive industry didn’t fare too well either because of the challenges posed by the health crisis. Despite the untold misery brought by the virus that shall not be named, the Accord still is a popular choice in the mid-size sedan segment.
The biggest challenger to the Toyota Camry’s throne has a lot going for it, starting with the $24,970 retail price of the LX trim level. A bucketload of standard features also helps the Accord stand out in the crowd. The base LX, for example, offers Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration.
If you’re in the market for a brand-new Accord, the Sport is arguably the most level-headed choice because of the available 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine and 10-speed automatic transmission. Priced at $4,530 over the 1.5-liter turbo and continuously variable transmission, this combo is good for 252 horsepower, 273 pound-feet (370 Nm) of torque from 1,500 through 4,000 revolutions per minute, and 26 mpg (9 l/100 km) on the combined cycle.
The Accord 2.0T 10T featured in the following clip is rocking a Stage 2 upgrade that pushes the four-pot engine to 320 horsepower and 361 pound-feet (490 Nm), figures that make the Civic Type R blush with admiration.
On the other lane of the drag strip, the lighter and smaller Volkswagen Jetta GLI is rocking a 2.0-liter TSI with quite a serious ECU recalibration from COBB Tuning. There’s no other way of saying it, so here goes: the compact contender flexes in the ballpark of 360 ponies and 400 torques (542 Nm).
Unfortunately for the Accord, the Jetta is obviously faster over the quarter-mile sprint. The only drawback to the COBB upgrade is wheelspin, which makes the Volkswagen feel slow off the line. This drawback is pretty much eliminated from a 50-kph (31-mph) roll that ends in a victory for the VW.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News