Compare Some Top Sellers

Two of the top selling cars in America are both models that come from Japanese automakers. These two, the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry are two cars that we enjoy on the road more often than most others. As a pair of cars that are the traditional commuting vehicles we love to enjoy these two are ready to be compared against each other to see which one of the two you should be driving. With these two the though is more about what you need the car for on a daily basis rather than looking for massive power or a sporty look, which makes this one of the most practical comparisons yet.

When you look at these two together the first thing that might stand out to you is the fact that both have done the family sized sedan for so long that its almost unfair for others to be in the same class as these two. You will find that both are smart choices and have strong similarities, but there are enough differences that you will be able to choose one over the other that separates the two of them for more than just a difference in brand name.

Engines

Both of these cars separate themselves from the pack by offering a V6 as the step up engine over the turbocharged four-cylinder that most of the segment offers. For the Accord the base engine is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that gives you 185 horsepower and 181 lb.-ft. of torque. The step up for the Accord is a 3.5-liter V6 which comes in with 278 horsepower and 252 lb.-ft. of torque. The transmissions offers are either a six-speed manual or a CVT automatic to give you a two mpg advantage over the Camry for fuel mileage.

The Camry comes in with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that has 178 horsepower and 170 lb.-ft. of torque. Moving up to the V6 you find a 3.5-liter model that has 268 horsepower and 248 lb.-ft. of torque. The transmission for the Camry shows up as a six-speed automatic to give you smooth shifting in a way you are used to. For overall power the Accord wins out and it offers better overall fuel mileage which is a needed feature of these vehicles that are driven more on the road than any other on the market from this class of vehicle.

The Drive

While you will more often than not be stuck in some form of traffic in either of these two cars, there is a lot to enjoy for driving of either car. The Camry gives you a softer ride with every part of the controls giving a little more in the name of overall comfort. This does leave the car susceptible to crosswinds, but for the most part this is a great car to drive. The Accord has the overall better handling to add a bit of a sport edge that is more planted, but certainly harsher than the Camry. The responsiveness makes for a car that is a lot more fun to drive on any road, except in bumper to bumper traffic.

Size and Style

The Camry is larger than the Accord with a 190.9 inch length. These two cars both offer 16-inch wheels as standard feet, but the Accord can be improved to a 19-inch size for the wheels while the Camry tops out at 18-inch. As the smaller of the two cars, the Accord is seventy pounds lighter than the Camry making it much easier for the engine to get the work done from under the hood of the Accord.

The Accord has been redesigned and refreshed for 2016 to give us more chrome to go along with the LED headlights. With the larger wheels and this new style the Accord has a more modern look than the Camry. On the inside both cars offer great seating positions to give you the feeling you want and the Camry shows up with a little more legroom in the back than the Accord. On the flip side, the Accord has a slightly larger trunk than the Camry to give plenty of storage space and for whatever you need.

Technology

With two screens and the addition of Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, active lane keeping, a lane watch camera and rain sensing windshield wipers the Accord offers a much greater menu of technological advances than the Camry. There is even a second screen that does a lot to add to the tech aspect of the car. The lower screen now does more than just show audio information giving you more of what you want. Most of the tech of the car is built through the HondaLink infotainment system to give you control. The Camry has plenty of controls, but they are made with a variety of knobs and dials to give you the features you need. The choice is yours between touch screen or knobs and dials for the controls you will use.

Verdict

This is an extremely difficult choice to make. There isn’t even a great price difference between the two as they start out within a couple hundred dollars of each other and even reach the same marks when equipped with the V6 engines. With so few differences to look at the deciding factors between these two the right car to choose as the winner comes down to only a few factors.

These factors are technology, style and comfort? In two of these categories the Accord wins out with its clearly updated style and touch screen technology and larger menu of driver’s assistance features, but the Camry certainly is the more comfortable drive. Of course if you feel more comfortable with knobs and dials the scales may tip in favor of the Camry for you, but if you prefer a more dynamic driving experience you will be more apt to choose the Accord. As you can plainly see, there is no clear favorite, you will have to decide for yourself, but both of these cars can easily be the right choice for you.