2020 Honda Accord: 10 things you need to know about it

Honda Malaysia had finally unveiled its much anticipated 2020 Honda Accord to the Malaysian market. The event took place in the midst of Malaysia’s infamous political-centric week. If you’re curios on what’s new for Honda’s D segment sedan, then here’s a 10 point rundown of what you need to know about the Honda Accord. 

1. A familiar family face

The current Honda Accord looks very much like an extended Honda Civic. The headlamps, front grill desgin and the chrome strip that runs across the front facia is similar to the Civic. The rear 3/4 profile is also identical. However the front end is a lot more pronounced with an extended front bulge. Is it a hit or miss? Let us know in the comments. 

2. It’s bigger yet lighter

While its slightly shorter than the outgoing Accord, the 2020 model is significantly wider. Its still bigger than its rivals from Mazda and Volkswagen. The wheelbase is considerably more than the outgoing model. In fact only the Mazda 6 has the same wheelbase. There’s a 48mm increase in rear legroom in the new Accord. Its obvious when you sit in the back of the Accord.  The boot space has also increased considerably, yet the overall weight has reduced from 1530kg to 1494kg. 

3. Shoulder Switch for the front Passenger seat

Or the Boss Switch as we like to call it. You can adjust the front passenger seat from the back to give you an extra legroom for the back seat passenger. This car has limousine, official vehicle duties destined for it. 

4. Its got laser welded roof

And side panels too. So instead of rivets you find this lovely seam between panels with no rubber strips covering them. This is to give it better NVH properties. In other words, your cabin ambiance is going to be better than the outgoing car. 

5. Wireless charging for the first time

You dont have to worry if you forgot your charger cable for your phone. You can now charge compatible mobile phones via the in built wireless charger. The Kia Optima GT introduced it to the D segment sedans in Malaysia and now the Accord has followed suit. 

6. Finally its turbocharged

Helping to haul all that bulk is a brand new turbocharged 1.5 liter engine under the hood. The Accords engine puts out 201bhp and 260Nm. That makes it more powerful than the 2.5 Skyactiv Mazda 6, the 2.5 Toyota Camry and the outgoing Accord 2.4. Only the Volkswagen Passat trounces it with its massive 350Nm torque figure. The Accords power is sent to the front wheels via a CVT gearbox, just like the Civic. 

7. Honda Sensing for the TC-P variant only

Just like the Civic, the TC-P is the only variant that will have all the Honda Sensing safety features. These would be;

1. Low Speed Follow (LFS)
2. Auto High Beam (AHB)
3. Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
4. Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS)
5. Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
6. Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS)
7. Road Departure Mitigation (RDM)
8. Lane Departure Warning (LDW)

In other words, you will have to be extremely careless to get into a fender bender with the new 2020 Honda Accord. Under the RM200,000 price bracket, we have to say the Proton X70’s ACC has one of the best calibration. We would love to test the Accord’s system to see if the extra premium gets you a more talented system. 

8. Parking Assistance

Also new for the TC-P variant cars are the Smart Parking Assist System with Brake Assist. The car will brake itself if it detects obstacles or if you’re exceeding the parking box. You will get an audio reminder followed by auto braking if it detects any obstacles behind the car. As for the base car, you now have Brake assist to your electronic parking brake, which allows you to engage the parking brake at the touch of a button. 

9. Improved interface 

The 2020 Accord has an improved media display via an 8 inch touch panel which sits on the dashboard. The graphics are a far cry from the Civic too. The instrument cluster is semi digital, with a 7 inch Interactive TFT screen sitting alongside the speedometer to provide you with vital car information. 

10. The most expensive Accord ever

Previously the flagship Accord was priced at RM168, 998. The current Accord starts from RM185,900 for the TC variant and RM195,900 for the TC-P variant. That’s more expensive than the Passat Elegance, a continental D segment car. In fact only the Camry 2.5 comes close with a price tag of RM196,888. Honda projects a sales target of 200 cars per month. With the current economical client, its a pretty ambitious number for the price. Not to mention SUV’s and Crossovers like the X70 and the Peugeot 3008 offers most of the features at a fraction of the price, with added versatility. 
Will the Honda Accord be another runnaway success for Honda Malaysia, like its previous iterations. Or will it be a product for a shrinking segment of the car market? What are your thoughts on the 2020 Honda Accord? share your thoughts in the comments below! 

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