The all-new Accord further advances Honda’s design direction first pioneered by the all-new Civic. Emphasizing a longer (by 71 mm), sleeker shape, it’s filled with clean body lines with a more impactful front-end. The upright grille and blacked out LED headlights giving it a more confident appearance, while a distinctive horizontal LED straight-line taillight further accentuates the rear-end. Standard are 17-inch wheels, but go up to 19-inch on top trims.

Underneath, the Accord comes with two engine choices. The base engine is a turbocharged 1.5-liter now boasting of 192 horsepower and 260 Nm of torque mated to an updated CVT gearbox. The bigger news is the more powerful 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle direct injected + two-motor hybrid which now generates a combined output of 204 horsepower and 335 Nm of torque.

Together with the updated engines, the 2023 Accord features suspension tweaks such as a re-tuned four-wheel independent suspension. It also gets new front suspension damper mount bearings and ball joints reduce friction to improve steering smoothness.

The interior of the all-new Accord takes on the same striking metal mesh motif also found in the Civic. Spanning the dash, it makes for a more harmonious design. The front seats feature a new Body Stabilizing design reducing fatigue during long drives, while the rear seat room has been expanded to 1,036 mm making it best-in-class.

Standard is a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, while at the center is Honda’s largest ever touchscreen at 12.3 inches. This infotainment system has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but still keeps a physical volume knob. A 15-watt wireless charger is available, as is a 12-speaker Bose sound system. Best of all, the Accord now supports over the air (OTA) updates improving the ownership experience throughout its lifecycle. Other features include dual zone climate control, a sunroof, and power ventilated/heated seats.

As with other modern Hondas, the Accord’s Honda SENSING system uses a wide-angle camera. But here, it’s further supplemented by a wide-angle radar which further improves collision prevention performance to detect pedestrians, vehicles and even road boundaries like curbs and road signs. This also unlocks Traffic Jam Assist—a first for the Accord along with low-speed follow and low-speed braking control. The Blind Spot Information system also has an expanded radar coverage range.

Sadly, do not hold your breath for its ASEAN arrival anytime soon. Honda has clarified that the Accord follows a different product cycle here which means a possible launch window sometime 2025 onwards.