Honda isn’t letting the all-new 2018 Toyota Camry get all the attention this year, with their own brand new 2018 Accord coming this fall. In the lead up to its launch, Honda has revealed big news about what will power their new mid-size best-seller.
The new 2018 Honda Accord will be fully revealed in the coming months that like the new Toyota Camry it competes against will have a sportier stance, bolder styling and more features. And while we only get to see a camouflaged teaser photo of it now, we today know what will be under the hood.
New for the Accord will first be the 1.5 liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that has made its debut in the Honda Civic and more recently the Honda CR-V. In the Accord the 1.5 turbo will be the base engine and come mated to either a 6-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Yes! A six-speed manual will still be offered!
The big news will excite many is an all-new 2.0 liter direct-injected turbocharged engine, replacing the 3.5 liter V6 as the top engine option. While the loss of the V6 may disappoint some, it does bring the 2018 Accord in line with the majority of its competitors, leaving only the Camry and Passat in the class to offer a V6.
The good news is that it will come mated to an all-new 10-speed automatic transmission and also be available with a six-speed manual. Yes, again a manual transmission even on the top power option.
Both gearboxes are huge news as the 10-speed automatic will be the first application of such in a front-wheel drive car. It will also be manufactured by Honda here in the United States and not sourced from an outside supplier.
The new 2.0 liter turbo will feature all the latest power tricks including an electric turbo wastegate for optimum boost control. This offers finer tuning than a traditional vacum operated wastegate and contributes to what will be a flat torque curve.
Also important is an enhanced engine block, head and exhaust path cooling circuit that allows for a richer air to fuel mixture and more aggressive tuning. Of course there’s also full dual-cam variable valve timing we’ve come to know as VTec.
Power ratings for the new 2.0 liter turbocharged engine haven’t been yet released but we should expect a minimum 240-250 horsepower range to be competitive with contemporaries from Ford, Kia, Hyundai and the like.
Specifications also haven’t yet been released for the 1.5 liter base engine, but should offer similar power output to that found in Civic and CR-V which would be about 190 horsepower. A more refined two-motor hybrid system will also be offered in the 2018 Honda Accord, also with full specs to come a little later.
We’ll have to wait a little longer to see the new 2018 Honda Accord as well as to get all the hot new specs. But for those of you who feel let down at the loss of the V6, rejoice in the continued if not expanded availability of the six-speed manual. Rejoice in it!
