In its evolution to becoming a more premium, sophisticated and aspirational sedan, the all-new 10th-generation Accord adopts a stronger, lighter and significantly more rigid body. Its lower and wider exterior proportions express a more premium and athletic stance, accentuated by a longer wheelbase and wider track (see Chassis), advanced LED exterior lighting (including available LED headlights and fog lights) and luxurious bright trim. Dramatic aerodynamic advancements and a choice of new 17- and 19-inch alloy wheels (five wheel designs in total), all contribute to a more confident, youthful and sporty sedan.
The next-generation Accord body uses over twice as much super high-strength steel (29 percent) as the previous-generation Accord Sedan – along with the model’s first use of structural adhesives – to increase global bending rigidity by 24 percent, torsional rigidity by 32 percent and floor bending rigidity by 12 percent, which in turn improves all aspects of the vehicle’s dynamic performance. Widespread noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) countermeasures, including the flagship sedan’s first use of acoustic spray foam insulation and airflow management technology such as the Active Shutter Grille System, make the 2018 Accord the quietest, most comfortable and efficient Accord yet.
Key Body Features
- Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure with crash stroke design
- Active Shutter Grille System* (1.5T EX EX-L, and Hybrid)
- Available one-touch power moonroof with tilt feature
- Unibody structural adhesives*
- Acoustic glass, flush-mounted windshield*
- Available acoustic front door glass*
- Acoustically sealed unibody*
- Triple door sealing
- Underbody aerodynamic management
- LED daytime running lights (DRL)
- Projector-beam halogen headlights with Auto On/Off
- Available LED low and high beam headlights with Auto On/Off
- LED turn signals
- LED taillights
- Available LED fog lights
* First for Accord
Exterior Styling
Upscale and sophisticated, confident and distinctive, youthful and sporty – the 10th generation Accord design strongly advances the emotional and aspirational appeal of Accord. Designed to distinguish itself as a “class above” its competitors, the new Accord has a wider stance, lower roofline and a dramatically longer, lower hood to achieve improved dynamics, a more comfortable interior and a more dramatic presence. Using a slightly shorter overhang than before, the front-end design is characteristically Honda, with the chrome wing grille and streamlined wing-shaped headlights (LED high/low beams on the Touring trim), and aggressive air inlets presenting a strong image. Aggressive hood lines add an athletic look to the Accord front end, while thinner A-pillars moved rearward on the body (and relative to the driver’s seating position) improve outward visibility for the driver by 7.9 degrees compared to the previous Accord Sedan.
The sporty body sides are distinguished by strong wheel arches, an emphatic character line running from front to rear along the beltline, concave door panels that capture the light just right, and strong, flowing lower sills – finished with bright trim on the Touring trim – that lend a look of solidity at the base of the body.
With the new Accord’s longer wheelbase, the more spacious cabin is even more streamlined than before, with a more tapered rear section including longer and sleeker quarter windows. These windows contribute to a large “6-light glass” cabin that adds lightness, visibility and a sporty flair to the new Accord, while a bright trim strip flowing front to rear above the windows adds a windswept look.
In back, the brightly trimmed rear fascia is as athletic and energetically designed as the front end, with a slightly longer overhang than found on the previous generation Accord. Here, a sharply tailored decklid helps air separate cleanly from the body, while bright trim (including dual bright exhaust finishers on the Touring trim) add an upscale look, and dramatic light-pipe LED taillights define the Accord as all new – and all Honda.
LED Lighting
All Accord trims incorporate a wide range of light-emitting diode (LED) exterior lighting features, including standard LED daytime running lights (DRL), an array of six LED low-beam headlights, LED one-touch turn signals (including mirror-mounted LED turn signals on the EX-L and Touring trims), and LED taillights, brake lights, license-plate light and center high-mounted stop light.
LED lighting has several advantages beside improved visibility. The LEDs are both mercury free and lead free, minimizing environmental impact. They also require less power to operate than traditional incandescent lighting, which helps fuel efficiency. The versatility of the LED arrays also contributes to the Accord’s dramatic design. Finally, LED lights have a longer life and are maintenance free.
Touring Headlights
The Touring trim features both LED low- and high-beam headlights – six LED low beams arranged in a low, sleek and compact in-line display, and three additional LED high beams (replacing the projector beams found on the other Accord trims) to provide longer and wider visibility in nighttime driving. Also on the Touring trim, LED turn signals are integrated into the side mirror housings.
Fog Lights
The Accord Sport, EX, EX-L and Touring trims are equipped with LED fog lights to enhance visibility and safety in inclement weather. Four individual LED elements make up each fog light.
LED Taillights
The C-shaped design of the LED taillights complements the design of the front LED DRLs and contribute to a distinct Accord appearance that is easy to spot on the road. The taillight shape also mimics the trapezoidal shape of the Touring trim’s bright dual exhaust finishers. The Accord Hybrid is also distinguished by blue-tinted lenses over the backup lights.
Exterior Dimensions
The 2018 Accord has a 111.4-in wheelbase, 2.1-in. longer than the previous generation, to provide excellent ride comfort, outstanding second-row seating roominess (including nearly two inches of additional rear-seat legroom), and easy ingress and egress. The slightly shorter front body overhang and the slightly longer rear body overhang combine to incrementally reduce the new Accord’s overall length by 0.4 inches to 192.1 inches total vs. the 2017 model.
A 0.6-in lower overall height and 0.5-in greater width combine to give the new Accord a more aggressive visual appearance.
2017 vs. 2018 Accord Sedan Exterior Dimensions
Key Body Specifications
Weight Weight Distribution
Cargo Area
The 2018 Accord offers 16.7 cu. ft. of storage (+0.9 cu. ft.), the largest in class. This measurement also applies to the new Accord Hybrid, which gains 3.2 cu. ft. compared to the last generation model. (See the Interior section for more information.)
Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) Body Structure
As an integral part of the 2018 Accord structure, Honda’s proprietary Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure enhances occupant protection and crash compatibility in frontal collisions. ACE utilizes a network of connected structural elements to distribute crash energy more evenly throughout the front of the vehicle, thus reducing the forces transferred to the passenger compartment. ACE channels frontal crash energy to both upper and lower structural elements, including the floor frame rails, side sills and A-pillars.
Crash Stroke
The ACE™ structure features crash stroke technology, developed by Honda. In a frontal collision, a link structure in the front subframe area under the engine helps absorb and dissipate crash energy progressively to minimize potential powertrain intrusion to the cabin structure.
Aerodynamic Efficiency
The 2018 Accord was designed to have class-leading aerodynamic performance, with a significantly lower drag coefficient – approximately 3 percent – than the previous Accord. Detailed management of exterior, underbody and engine room airflow, along with specific wheel designs, all contribute to aerodynamic drag reduction, helping to improve both fuel efficiency and interior quietness. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to evaluate the car’s efficiency during the design phase, followed by scale-model wind tunnel testing and finally by full-scale testing at the Sakura Wind Tunnel.
Specially shaped components at the front of the vehicle guide airflow through the radiator and into the engine’s cold-air intake (see Active Shutter Grille System below), while smoothly channeling the remaining airflow efficiently over, around and under the vehicle. Body details include sculpted “air curtains” located at outside corners of front fascia, 20-percent narrower A-pillars and wide, flush-mounted windshield glass, all of which contribute to the Accord’s efficient passage through the air.
Underbody Aero Package
The new Accord includes the most extensive use of underbody aerodynamic aids in model history. The aero package consists of a broad undercover that extends rearward from below the front fascia to cover the engine and transmission, flat underbody surfaces spanning much of the area between the front and rear wheel areas, and air-diverting strakes positioned ahead of the front tires that help deflect airflow for additional efficiency gains. An additional undercover is located underneath the fuel tank. Even the exhaust silencers are aerodynamically shaped, eliminating the need for under covers at the rear of the vehicle.
Active Shutter Grille System
In a first for Accord, Honda’s Active Shutter Grille system reduces aerodynamic drag at cruising speeds, helping improve fuel efficiency. It is included on 1.5-liter EX and EX-L trims. The system uses an electric actuator controlled by a processor that tracks major temperature parameters, including engine coolant and radiator temperatures, intake air temperature, transmission oil temperature and air-conditioning requirements, all of which can vary due to weather, road conditions, vehicle speed, throttle and gear positions. Located behind the upper grille opening, the four shutters open or close simultaneously to control the amount of air flowing through the engine’s radiator and the air conditioner’s condenser. The system is designed to keep the shutters closed as much as possible in order to minimize aerodynamic drag – even in city driving. Located inside the upper grille opening only, the active shutters do not control airflow to the intercooler.
Softzone Technology
In another first for Accord, the rear frame members and center pillars of the unibody employ “soft zone” technology and partial hot stamping, which combines different material strengths within a single steel component to create specially tempered areas, or soft zones. This results in precisely controlled energy pathways necessary to absorb crash forces, while minimizing weight and overall component count.
Optimized Body Materials
Multiple steel grades are used in the Accord’s body construction to help achieve excellent overall vehicle dynamics, optimize safety performance, and lower noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). Materials range from four different grades of steel, including premium super high-strength steel used in the key unibody locations, to aluminum for the bumper beams. All were chosen to achieve the best combination of strength, rigidity and dynamic performance – in addition to a 5-percent weight savings for the completed unibody, compared to the previous-generation Accord Sedan.
Super High-Strength Steel
57 percent of the Accord body is high-strength steel. Super high-strength “hot stamped” steel comprises 29 percent of the body structure, more than double the amount used in the previous-generation Accord Sedan and the highest for any mass-produced Honda. This directly contributes to improved stiffness and reduced mass for the 2018 Accord unibody (see below). Selected use of high-performance adhesives in critical areas further contribute to the new unibody’s stiffness, helping to reduce noise and vibration, while improving ride and handling. All of these structural improvements also help reduce mass, directly contributing to increased fuel efficiency.
Aluminum Front Subframe
The Accord has a lightweight and rigid cast-aluminum front subframe designed specifically to support the engine and transmission assembly, as well as the lower front suspension and Electric Power Steering (EPS) components. The subframe contributes to agile and light handling, straight-line stability, higher fuel efficiency, pleasing ride comfort, and precise steering feel.
Improved Body Rigidity
Compared to the previous Accord Sedan, the new 2018 Accord body’s global bending rigidity increases 24 percent, its torsional rigidity increases 32 percent, and its floor bending rigidity increases12 percent. The benefits of this increased stiffness are numerous, including more latitude to tune the suspension for superior ride and handling performance. The more rigid body structure also directly contributes to a quieter and more comfortable ride experience for the passengers, with less NVH felt over a wide range of driving conditions.
Some key advancements in body structure include:
In the Unibody
- Certain connection areas where the A-pillars meet the floor sills, and the B-pillars meet both the floor sills and roof rails, reduce idle vibration and booming
- A laser brazing technique creates a narrower, cleaner junction between the roof panel and upper door rings.
- Large body panels are designed using computer aided engineering (CAE) to reduce booming
- Gussets positioned inside the rear quarter areas of the unibody reduce road noise
- Short-pitch welding places spot welds 20mm (0.8 in) apart in critical areas of the unibody, compared to 40mm to 45mm (1.6 in to 1.8 in) traditional spacing, increasing stiffness and durability
Underneath the Vehicle
- The Accord’s floor pan is made of 590-MPa high-strength steel to provide a lighter yet stronger overall structure
- Floor cross-members positioned under the driver and front passenger’s seating area improve ride comfort
- A cross-car brace, located at the front of the vehicle, improves handling
Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) Countermeasures
Extensive noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) countermeasures help position the new Accord at the top of its competitive set. Solutions include a much more rigid and tightly sealed body with substantially increased use of sealants and structural adhesives; new aluminum front and floating steel rear suspension subframes, and extensive aerodynamic tailoring, all of which combine to form the basis for a quiet vehicle. (See the Interior section for more information.)
Body Sealing
The 2018 Accord has a high level of body sealing to dramatically reduce the levels of noise inside the vehicle. This includes weld seals and other sealers to reduce vibration and the transmission of noise. Altogether, these techniques result in a 43 percent reduction in body leaks, which significantly reduces noise entering the cabin in critical areas. In addition, Acoustic windshield glass (see below), an additional carpet barrier layer, acoustic fabric body undercovers, front and rear acoustic felt fender inner liners, and Active Noise Control (ANC) technology (see the Interior section) further attenuate wind and road noise.
Body sealing details include:
- Acoustic spray foam provides extra sound insulation by blocking off hollow pillars, which reduces the transmission of noise from the floor area into the passenger cabin. A first for Accord, it is applied in the base of the A-, B- and C-pillars, as well as in the base of the windshield frame and at the top of the C-pillars.
- Acoustic tape is applied at base of the A-, B- and C-pillars, and a foam stopper is applied to the bottom of the B-pillar. All acoustic tape, and the foam application noted above, is done while the unibody is in its just-manufactured “body-in-white” form – before attachment of key components and assemblies.
- Acoustic hole seals fill open areas inside the door structures, significantly reducing the amount of wind and road noise and vibration that can reach the cabin. The same Thinsulate™ material that is used in the doors is also used to reduce sound transmission through the roof and the body A-pillars (above).
- Air-leak reduction moldings and clips, a first for Accord, are positioned at key locations where the side windows slide into the doors. This helps reduce the possibility of audible air leaks occurring in these locations.
- Triple door sealing utilizes 360-degree molded door seals to reduce wind noise and improve isolation.
- Door gap seals at the rear door edges join the triple-sealed door openings and lower door-edge seals in keeping wind noise from entering the cabin.
- Engine compartment seals include front, side and rear hood seals, and sound-absorbing heat baffles on the hood and beneath the instrument panel.
Acoustic Glass
Acoustic laminated windshield glass helps reduce noise entering the cabin. Tuned specifically to attenuate wind-, urban- and traffic-noise frequencies, the acoustic windshield uses an outer layer of safety glass, a thick middle layer of acoustic polyvinyl butyral PVB and an inner layer of glass for a total thickness of 4.7 mm. This helps the Accord place at the top of its class in wind-noise performance.
The Accord LX and Sport trims have tempered 5.0 mm front and 4.0 mm rear door glass, 4.0 mm rear quarter window glass and broader, 4.0-mm thick rear window glass, while EX and above trims use 4.7 mm acoustic laminated front door glass. In addition, the available power moonroof uses 3.5 mm dark gray privacy glass.
Body and Exterior Features
Exterior Colors
The 2018 Accord is available in 11 exterior colors including six pearlescent colors, four metallic colors and one solid color. New to Honda and the Accord are Platinum White Pearl and Radiant Red Metallic.
The Platinum White Pearl color uses large-particle glass flakes for enhanced brilliance compared to traditional white pearl finishes, while in the Radiant Red Metallic color, glittering metallic particles radiate light in a distinctive fashion.
Color Lineup (Gas and Hybrid Trims)