The 2019 Honda Accord comes with two engine options depending on the trim level. The base engine is a 1.5L turbocharged Inline-4 unit producing a maximum of 192 HP and 192 lb-ft of torque. This engine comes as standard on all the trims, except the range-topping Touring trim which comes with a bigger, more powerful 2.0L turbocharged Inline-4 engine producing a maximum of 252 HP and 273 lb-ft of torque. The latter one is available as an option on the Sport and EX-L trims. While the base 1.5L unit is paired with a CVT automatic gearbox, the 2.0L unit is paired with a traditional 10-speed automatic gearbox. That being said, the Sport trim also offers a 6-speed manual gearbox as a no-cost option, regardless of the engine.
While the base engine is pretty decent for what it is, you have the option to upgrade to a more powerful engine if you feel the power output from the base engine is not enough for you. That being said, what the buyers would like most about the Accord is its responsiveness to the driver’s input. The drivetrain in the Accord responds quickly to the driver’s inputs, making it feel more powerful than it actually is.
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Models
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2019 Honda Accord
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2019 Hyundai Sonata
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2019 Kia Optima
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2019 Mazda 6
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MSRP
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$24,675
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$22,500
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$22,990
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$23,800
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Engine
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1.5L turbocharged Inline-4
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2.4L Inline-4
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2.4L Inline-4
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2.5L Inline-4
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Drivetrain
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Front-wheel drive
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Front-wheel drive
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Front-wheel drive
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Front-wheel drive
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Transmission
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CVT automatic
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6-speed shiftable automatic
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6-speed shiftable automatic
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6-speed shiftable automatic
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Power (hp @ RPM
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192 HP @ 5500 rpm
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185 HP @ 6000 rpm
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185 HP @ 6000 rpm
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187 HP @ 6000 rpm
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Torque (lb-ft @ RPM)
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192 lb-ft @ 1600 rpm
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178 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
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178 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
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186 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
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0-60 MPH (seconds)
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6.6
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6.8
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6.7
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7.2
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Quarter-Mile (seconds)
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15.1
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16.1
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15.1
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15.0
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Top-Speed (MPH)
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125
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123
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123
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134
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With a 0 to 60 mph time of 6.6 seconds from the base engine, it is pretty impressive. It makes the Accord one of the quickest cars in its segment. But most importantly, the power delivery from the engines feels smooth, which makes the Accord a pretty enjoyable car to drive. If you want to go faster, go get the 2.0T variants of the 2019 Accord with the 2.0L turbo unit, which will let you hit 0 to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, which is almost a second quicker than the variants with the base engine. Comparatively, all the cars here have similar performance and none offers anything exceptional in terms of performance.
How well does the 2019 Honda Accord handle?
The Accord comes equipped with a strut front suspension with coil springs, along with a multi-link suspension with coil springs at the back. The Accord feels more planted on the road than most of its rivals. It makes driving the car pretty confidence-inspiring, and the sportscar-like feel makes it a pretty fun-to-drive car overall. The top-of-the-line Touring trim comes with adaptive suspension dampers, which just takes all the positive traits of the handling characteristics of the standard Accord and makes it better.
The steering wheel feels very light and the feedback from the wheel could be improved for better driving dynamics. However, the steering feels very precise and predictable so there is nothing much to complain about in this regard. The Honda Accord manages to provide a good balance between the ride and handling of the sedan.
Braking Performance
The Accord comes equipped with power-assisted ventilated disc brakes at the front, and solid disc brakes at the back. The standard rotor dimensions are 11.5” at the front, and 11.1” at the back, which is true for all the trim levels except the Accord Sport. While the rear rotors for the Accord Sport remain the same, it gets a bigger 12.3” rotors at the front.
While the 122 feet emergency stopping distance from 60 mph to standstill might be on the slower side of the spectrum for its segment, it still feels pretty confidence-inspiring, to say the least. The brake pedal has a nice modulation to it, remains stable under heavy braking, and feels pretty good overall while using it.
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Models
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2019 Honda Accord
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2019 Hyundai Sonata
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2019 Kia Optima
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2019 Mazda 6
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Brake Rotors: Front (inches)
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11.5
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12.0
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12.0
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11.7
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Brake Rotors: Rear (inches)
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11.1
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11.2
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11.2
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10.9
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Curb Weight (lbs)
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3428
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3247
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3230
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3433
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60-0 (feet)
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122
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118
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119
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129
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In terms of rotor dimensions, the Honda Accord and its competitors are more or less in a similar ballpark. Being slightly on the heavier side of the spectrum for its segment, the braking distance of the Honda Accord is slightly on the slower side as well. The 2019 Hyundai Sonata performs slightly better but the difference is not that much. The Mazda 6 takes the highest distance at 129 feet to stop from 60 to 0 mph.
