2021 Honda Accord: A Trim Comparison
The 2021 Honda Accord is one of the best and most affordable sedans you could buy. That might lead you to wonder if stronger engines or more luxurious trappings worth the price upgrade? The 2021 Honda Accord is offered in five different trims with the EX trim being cut from the lineup. newly available is the Sport Special Edition trim.
Honda Accord Trims
Each higher trim adds something new, but some drivers may not find it worth going to the top Touring model. Here’s a breakdown of each trim’s standard offerings so you can determine if it’s the best bang for your buck.
LX
The 2021 Honda Accord LX is the least expensive option with a starting MSRP of $24,970. Even though it’s the cheapest, it has tons of standard features that some sedans lack, such as an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, four-speaker audio, Bluetooth, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, a multi-angle rearview camera, and dual-zone automatic climate control and more.
The Accord LX is equipped with a 1.5-liter turbo 4-cylinder engine, which produces 192-horsepower and 192 lbs.-ft. of torque. It gets 30 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway. That some of the best EPA fuel economy ratings on a non-hybrid vehicle.
Along with the features above, the Accord LX has plenty of other things that make a daily drive much more enjoyable and safe! Forward collision warning, road departure mitigation, automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assist and traffic sign recognition are all offered. On top of this, there’s adaptive cruise control and driver drowsiness monitoring.
Hybrid
Though several of the 2021 Honda Accord trims also have hybrid options, the standard hybrid model (known simply by the trim name of “Hybrid”) is a standalone offering. It has a starting MSRP of $26,570 with fuel economy ratings of 48 mpg/city and 48 mpg/highway.
What differentiates the Accord Hybrid trim from the Accord LX is the introduction of a one-touch power moonroof and Smart Entry with Walk Away auto lock. Additionally, there is a sport mode indicator and deceleration paddle selector indicator.
Sport
The 2021 Honda Accord Sport has the same standard 1.5L turbo 4-cylinder engine from the Accord LX trim. However, the Accord Sport is the first trim to offer the optional 2.0L turbo engine. That adds an additional $4,530 to the total price. The larger engine generates an impressive 252 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. The transmission for the 2.0L engine is a 10-speed automatic compared to the CVT on the 1.5L engine.
Manual transmissions are no longer offered for this or any other Accord model. The Accord Sport also has many small adjustments that are meant to fine-tune the car’s driving performance. The entire thing sits on 19-inch wheels instead of 17 inches. Furthermore, it introduces LED daytime running lights, rather than halogen.
Some of the other features on the Sport include LED fog lights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, aluminum pedals, and an 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support. It also has dual exhaust pipes. The base 1.5L Accord Sport has a starting MSRP of $26,180.
There is no hybrid offering of the Accord Sport trim.
Sport Special Edition
The Sport Special Edition trim starts at $28,920. It adds sporty leather upholstery, heated front seats, a power-adjustable front seat and a rear-seat reminder. Mot other features are carried over from the previous trim.
EX-L
The standard offering is the 1.5L turbo engine, yet again. This starts the MSRP at $31,090. The Accord EX-L allows drivers to upgrade to a 2.0L turbo engine for an additional $2,000. This degrades the fuel economy to 23 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway. If you wanted to go the opposite route and increase fuel economy, a hybrid model is also offered. With a starting MSRP of $32,890, it achieves 48 mpg during both city and highway driving.
The Accord EX-L trim adds some major improvements to the interior including a q0-speaker audio system, a moonroof, HD radio and satellite radio, as well as wireless device charging, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Touring
Finally, the 2021 Honda Accord Touring is the top-tier trim. It has a starting MSRP of $36,900, but it’s absolutely worth it. The vehicle comes standard with the 252-horsepower and 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and 10-speed automatic transmission. The Accord Touring adds LED headlights with auto high-beam and heated rear outboard seating to the included features from the previous trim. Drivers will also appreciate the Honda satellite-linked navigation system, which includes voice recognition and HD digital traffic. On top of this, there are ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a head-up display, and a Wi-Fi hot spot.
For $36,440, the fully-loaded hybrid version of the Accord is also a great buy and you’ll save a ton on gasoline by paying a little more.
(Featured image via Honda)
