Did you know that the 2013 Honda Accord recently took the top prize at the 2012 Midsize Sedan Showdown? Well, this is actually nothing new, as this is the fifth time a Honda car has managed to take home such an award at said event. So what makes the 2013 Honda Accord a clear winner in this competition? Here’s what the judges have to say about it.
The Midsize Sedan Showdown – What is it about?
Before we talk about what made the 2013 Honda Accord win the title, let’s take a closer look at what the event is all about, shall we? The Midsize Sedan Showdown is an event organized by USA Today, Cars.com and MotorWeek which aims to pit the best-selling dog tags against each other to see which one offers the best features for a certain price range. For this year, the organizers decided to set their criteria at $ 26,000 and 28 mpg combined city and highway.
In a three-day test in and around Germantown, Maryland, which included a consumer test-drive day of the cars, a 185-mile highway and mixed-city gas mileage test, and a fixed tour by the five experts. from USA Today, Cars.com and MotorWeek, the jury returned with their verdict. After adding the points of all the judges, the new 2013 Honda Accord scored higher than its competitors, thus paving the way to be named as the best midsize sedan of 2012.
The 2013 Accord also ranked No. 2 in the fuel efficiency category and earned a Top Safety Pick + designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). As additional recognition, the 2013 Accord was also named one of the strongest competitors for the 2013 North American Car of the Year. Isn’t this quite a feat?
The 2013 Honda Accord: Exploring Its Best Features
So what did the judges like about the new Honda Accord? These are the characteristics that contributed to its success:
Undeniable power. The Accord’s continuously variable transmission delivers undeniable power the moment you step on the gas.
Superior handling. The judges found the Accord to be “athletic and light” and were quite impressed with its well-weighted steering.
Impressive high-end standard features. The Accord’s impressive array of standard features added valuable credit points. The judges specifically pointed to its lower beltline, backup camera, and dash controls as some of the best things incorporated with the new Accord.
The 2013 Honda Accord is a true testament that a midsize sedan can pack superior drivability, excellent fuel efficiency, and high-end standard features into the package without being too expensive. And that’s why he ended up taking the title home with him.