Pix by Himanshu Pandya

Big size, big style, big power — that’s what these two cars are all about. The new Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry meet on a battlefield again. Only this time, the Accord has new weapons in its arsenal. Who will emerge victorious? Let us find out.

Style file

The Accord has ditched its erstwhile sporty look in favour of a more butch appearance. The car now looks more upright and European due to its large grille, massive headlamp cluster and tipped-forward, ready-for-action stance. At the time of its launch, the Camry’s design was cutting edge with those sharp headlamps, the 3D tail-lights and the comet-like Toyota badge. Today, it looks stylish but it has lost some of its fizz.

In terms of technology, both the cars are pretty evenly matched but it’s in the details that the Accord leaps ahead of the Camry. The Accord is longer and wider and has a longer wheelbase too. The front suspension’s geometry is tweaked to boost resistance to dive under hard braking (the front suspension is compressed when one brakes hard). The Camry differs from the Accord in that it uses a cost-effective MacPherson strut suspension up front, while the Honda gets a more sophisticated double wishbone set-up. At the rear, the Accord gets an independent, multi-link set-up while the Camry gets an independent dual-link suspension.

Both cars come equipped with disc brakes all around and ABS with EBD (Electronic Brake force Distribution) and Brake Assist. Six airbags are standard on both, but the Accord’s airbags work with the passenger side occupant position detection system to decide which way to best inflate the dual-stage airbags.

Inside story

Though the Accord has grown in size, legroom is not as much as in a Skoda Superb. But legroom and headroom in the rear than is more than in the Camry, and the seat is better too. However, the Camry’s front seats are plusher and more comfortable than the Accord’s. The Accord though, is the car with the plush luxury car feel. The quality of materials used in the car is what you would expect from a new Honda. There are too many buttons on the curvy centre console which can be distracting.

The Camry’s dash is simpler, but without the luxury-car feel. It feels a generation older than the Accord even though it’s not. However, unlike the Accord, the Camry comes with the AC and stereo controls mounted on the steering wheel. It also has the bigger boot with 535 litres compared to the Accord’s 396 litres.

Under the hood

The Accord and the Camry are strong performers despite their size and medium-capacity motors. Both come with 2.4-litre motors, but the Accord pumps out 177bhp while the Camry produces 165bhp. The Accord is marginally faster than the Camry taking 9.19sec to reach 100kph compared to the latter’s 9.91sec. Both cars will nudge 200kph and push the speedometer needle further. While the Toyota feels slightly strained at high revs, the Honda begs to be revved harder all the time. And both engines are super-smooth and refined, but the Accord’s motor is a bit more vocal, especially at high revs.

The Camry’s engine is more responsive and torquier than the Accord’s despite there being no difference on paper. The Toyota delivers an instant shove from all engine speeds due to its shorter gearing. By contrast, the Honda suffers in start-stop traffic because of lacklustre throttle response between 2000 and 4000rpm. But the Honda’s five-speed gearbox is light, well-gated and slots gears in with very little effort. The Camry isn’t too far off, but feels heavier. The Camry is more fuel-efficient than the Accord, returning 8.1kpl in the city and 12.2kpl on the highway. The Accord averaged 7.8kpl in the city and 11.1kpl on the highway.

Driver’s deal

The Accord rides better than its predecessor and finally gets the much sought-after big car ride and feel. Everyday bad patches are taken in its stride smoothly and silently. The Camry actually rides slightly better. The suspension is more pliant and straight-line stability at speed is good as well.

The Camry remains planted at speeds over 160kph and, conditions permitting, you can keep your right foot pressed to the floor. The Accord is stable at speed too, but it is not as glued to the road. The slightly soft rear suspension is to blame here. However, the Accord is more agile when asked to change direction and is more fun to drive fast. In comparison, the Camry does not turn as willingly and has far less grip than the Accord. The Accord is clearly more fun to drive and is the car with the more confidence-inspiring brakes as well.

Final verdict

While the Camry rides better and is more fuel-efficient, the Honda is not too far behind the Toyota. The Accord is faster, has more features, has massive space and looks more modern than the Camry.

The Accord delivers a luxurious feel that the Camry can’t match. The final blow is that the Indian-assembled Accord is cheaper by a massive Rs 5.6 lakh than the imported Camry. In the end, the Accord emerges as the clear winner.

spec check

Honda Accord

Length/Width/Height: 4950/1845/1475mm
Wheelbase: 2800mm
Kerb weight: 1515kg
Engine: 4 cylinders in line, 2354cc, petrol
Power: 177bhp at 6500rpm
Torque: 22.2kgm at 4300rpm
Gearbox: Five-speed manual

Toyota Camry

Length/Width/Height: 4815/1820/1480mm
Wheelbase: 2775mm
Kerb weight: 1450kg
Engine: 4 cylinders in line, 2362cc, petrol
Power: 165bhp at 6000rpm
Torque: 22.8kgm at 4000rpm
Gearbox: Five-speed manual