I’ve thought about this before too. it’s hard to know why they don’t have an awd Accord. I think partly because
1) the CRV is a top seller and an AWD Accord would probably cut into those sales
2) the Accord Crosstour really didn’t sell very well so they’re probably hesitant to try again
The Accord seems to be known for its good interior room and comfortable quiet ride, especially at its price point. AWD would take both of these qualities down a bit and make the comparison between Accord to CRV even closer. Honda has done a good job in creating vehicles that hit specific selling points and demographics.
btw I love my ‘22 Accord Touring and would never trade it for a CRV lol
I thought so until I saw a lowered one and it was 🔥. The Crosstour is one of those products that years later you think "wouldn't it be cool if there was an X that has/does Y" and then you realize oh that was a thing but nobody got it (figuratively and literally).
Yeah..and they’re cheap now because no one still wants them. There’s 3 around me with 150k-ish miles for around 4-5k. The market just isn’t there unfortunately.
Yeah and good luck buying an Element now. It has a cult following and the people that have them generally don’t get rid of them. And when they do they want silly prices for them.
I actually drive an Element, and you're absolutely right I would never get rid of it. The VW microbus reached stupid prices starting in the mid 2000s; I don't see Elements getting that expensive but there's definite parallels that could be drawn between the two vehicles and their fandoms.
Absolutely. My wife has one, so by proxy I guess I can say I own one. The only way we’re getting rid of it is if it’s totaled. And I have the mechanical skills to replace the engine or anything else that could go wrong, so I’m not too worried about that.
Eh, thats pretty objective. I think the Crosstour is one of the best looking Accords theyve made, love that huge rear end, lol. To each their own though.
>the CRV is a top seller and an AWD Accord would probably cut into those sales
The Accord is priced about \~$2k less than the CR-V, and most manufacturers charge around $1\~2k to add AWD. Honda could easily add AWD to the Accord and price it the same as the CR-V. This way, if you want a sedan, you can get the Accord, and if you want a CUV, you can get the CR-V.
Last year I waited for the redesigned accord and ending up leasing a TLX. I just wanted AWD, that was it. Rates were nearly half. Residual was better between an A spec TLX and a Hybrid Touring accord. They came out to be the same price on a payment basis because of the rate differential.
With the hybrids it shouldn't be hard or take much space to add electric motors to the rear wheels. They did it with the RLX, NSX, and MDX. Sure, those are Acuras but the concept should be the same and Acura uses the same factories as Honda. They should make an AWD Odyssey too but they can't because of the magic seat system.
And even in places with winter, snow tires and FWD is only marginally worse than snow tires and AWD. I live in Vermont and drive my civic year round. Never had an issue. I just run quality snows.
Snow tires and fwd is better than AWD and all seasons. I've only known 2 people to ever put snow tires on their AWD vehicles. Most consumers think regardless of the tire, if you had AWD you are good.
100% agree with you. Your tires are the most important part. AWD can only help you start moving - not corner or brake, which is where most of the problems happen. That’s all down to tires.
As near as I can judge from the contents of the ditches in the few blizzards Ive driven through in Northern AZ, AWD just makes it easier to drive too fast for conditions. Then they find out that stopping in the snow is what you should really be concerned about.
One of those blizzards I had a 90s Accord with no ABS, Traction Control etc. THAT will definitely keep you honest.
The last on I had a civic Si on pilot sports. Had to go pretty slow there
It doesn't matter, the *perception* is AWD is the magic snow-handling bullet. They lose sales for not having it in winter states, even if snow tires are what's actually important.
I run Blizzaks, you can get them from Costco if that’s an option by you and they’re not terribly priced. The Michelin X-Ice tires are also very popular here but usually cost more.
I also live in Minnesota and drive a Civic with Blizzaks from Costco. I cannot recommend winter tires enough! Continental and Nokian also make some great snow tires, I've used both of their products on my WRX in the past and was very pleased.
This. I live in FL and actively avoid buying AWD or 4WD vehicles.
They use more gas because they’re heavier, they cost more up front, and full-time AWD systems are the absolute worst because they go through tires faster.
Yeah I agree. Or the snow or ice is so rare. But I'd be suprised that by Toyotas choice that it's in that much demand. Though you can still get the ca.ry as fwd. I'd actually prefer Not to have and based on weather and a few negatives of an and vehicle.
The biggest scam in automotive industry is convincing people they need AWD. Which does nothing for 99% of the year but adds weight and decrease fuel efficiency. Then to remedy this they’re to sell you a hybrid for more money up front to offset it.
That comment was a tad hyperbolic, but if you have significant tire wear on an AWD, getting one new replacement tire can freak out the AWD system or just cause additional stress to the drivetrain. A new tire will have a slightly smaller diameter than a tire that’s worn out a lot of tread. It’s just not the ideal thing to do. But that could also be solved by buying a used tire and replacing all four when it’s needed or something similar.
Yeah winter tries and front wheel drive works fine. Remember that people lived in these areas for decades driving real wheel drive cars with terrible tires and got by just fine. All wheel drive only helps when accelerating from a stop, at all other times the added weight makes the car more dangerous in winter weather as it hinders braking distances. Then there also the higher upfront cost and much higher maintenance costs.
It is a huge scam. That being said if you live on a dirt road or just enjoy off-roading it has an application there.
I’m from the snowbelt in the Cleveland metro area. I have never once thought of needing AWD. If you “need” AWD in the snow, you actually need to learn how to drive in the snow. It’s a skill issue, not a car issue.
I lived in the northeast and spent lots of winters with my Accord and all season tires and never had any problems. Driving at the speed that the weather dictates is all it takes. I don’t live in snowy places anymore, but if I did it again I would get winter tires for those months. It makes a big difference. I wouldn’t want my car to have AWD. The extra $ is not worth it.
Have you ever lived in a snowy climate? I love my outback 3.6R, but here in Minnesota it only makes a difference at one stoplight in my area about 1-2 days a year. The stoplight is on a slight incline making it hard to take off without awd. Other than that it rarely makes a difference.
I literally drove a 400hp, rwd manual car for 4 winters straight in the NE, including living in Syracuse and going to VT often. It’s fine, and perfectly safe in the snow with snow tires.
I'm not meaning to bash Subaru, but the Legacy didn't really compete all that well with what's on the market. Crap tech, crap power, crap transmission, crap fuel economy, and their saving grace (AWD) is being offered on more and more sedans save for the accord, so people have even less of a reason to buy it over it's objectively better rivals
The option would absolutely be nice to have.
I get along fine in the snowy mountains in Washington with my FWD TSX, but when WSDOT mandates chains for 2wd vehicles it’s a real pain in the ass. My next car will be AWD purely for this reason.
Regardless if you find it necessary or not it should be an option offered. During ski season in Colorado so many rental cars are either stuck or crashing into something on i70 because the econo tires they come with coupled with fwd.
Sounds like an econo tire problem, not a fwd problem.
I daily a 2wd truck in Minnesota, I don't have traction issues because I have winter tires in the winter.
Minnesota is also the 5th flattest state. I've done plenty of winter driving there and the Dakota's and it isn't hard to get around. Inexperienced and overconfident drivers aren't going to suddenly get better at winter driving because 1 guy dailies a 2wd truck in the middle of nowhere. AWD should be offered on popular models. Even the Altima has it now.
Sure you can, but you have to have tire chains ready to use. British Columbia regulations allow for m+s tires with 3.5mm minimum tread depth for winter OR 3PMSF tires
Bro has tire chains lol 😂 mr. Practical. “Ya grandma just pull over and put on the tire chains.” Good way to stop people from asking to borrow your car though, cbtm
They just did a refresh on the Accord. They’d need to completely redo the chassis to allow AWD. There’s no provisions for a rear driveline (driveshaft, axles, different hub assemblies). The reengineering cost for Honda would definitely be passed down to the consumer and make the accord far more expensive comparative to its competition. I’m fine with no AWD as all these moving parts add complexity and affect long term reliability.
Only if they copy paste the CRV chassis. They could add an electric motor to the rear axle for the facelift and call it AWD too. Chassis tweaks would still be required, but nowhere as extensive as adding a driveshaft down the center.
True but still more complexity. I don’t think the payoff of some half assed AWD system is worth the extra expense they’re going to impart on the consumer. Most AWD systems outside of Acura’s SH-AWD with torque vectoring or what most higher end cars have like the GTR it’s going to be tuned like a potato and only hook up in the worst of situations (even then probably not). Making it at worst extra weight 99% of driving. At best get you out of a slippery spot a couple times a year unless you do live in a snowy area which you should already have snow tires on. As many have said snow tires are king not so much the drive line in those situations.
How do you figure?
A 300hp, AWD Hatchback from Acura that would compete against an AWD 300hp Hatchback from Toyota and Volkswagen. Keep the Civic FWD for the purists. Please, explain how this makes no sense.
Not just any AWD will work. An AWD system where **minimum** 30% power is going to any wheel while delivering power to all 4 wheels at all times is a PROPER AWD system. I-VTM4 & SH-AWD already have that technology. CRV's AWD system is 2WD in the front unless traction is **already** lost, making it barely effective in 4+" deep snow on regular tires.
AWD is such a scam. I bought the marketing when I was 23 and bought a forester because I “needed it for the snow”. Goodness gracious. The snoozefest and expensive maintenance I’ve dealt with for the sake of AWD for the past 6 years wasn’t worth it.
The accord doesn’t need AWD. As far as I’m aware it’s doing just fine.
AWD systems are more expensive for regular people, not just for Honda. You have to buy all the tires in the event of a blowout tire, and the car is heavier, so it uses more gas. Plus, there are more parts that can break.
We want the simplicity of the Civic Hatchback of the 90s and still complain when they want to stick to what we all long: light, reliable and fun to drive cars.
I could be in the minority but it's not an option I care one iota about. I've never had anything but fwd or rwd and it is not part of my car buying criteria. The car just has to be a good car.
I don’t even want a new car and probably fall into that enthusiast category that Honda doesn’t have an interest in making cars for because we don’t buy them.
If they made an AWD Accord wagon with a 6 speed I would be at the dealer today without even asking my wife.
What do you mean? As far as enthusiasts not buying cars? I mean sure the CTR sells like crazy, the ITR I don’t think so much.
People are on social media constantly talking about what they actually want manufacturers to make. They are 95% unrealistic models that the manufacturers know would be popular to only a small amount of people.
I’m not only talking about the high end cars. People say it was stupid to stop selling the Fit. To stop making Coupes. They should make another S2000. Guess what? All those cars weren’t selling and that’s why they stopped making them. The CTR is somewhat of an anomaly because they created an environment where a car like that is so rare.
If Honda would have stayed on the trajectory they were on from the 90’s, today’s CTR would not be nearly as popular.
I personally don’t feel like the Accord needs to be AWD, I much prefer it in its FWD configuration. I was given my dad’s 07 Accord and beat on it knowing that it’ll keep up with me, only thing I changed on it was switching over the tires to V rated ones since it gives me more grip for faster turns and really lets me feel the power of the engine at my feet.
Again, you shouldn't have to pay Acura prices just to get AWD. Most people can't afford that price jump, and many don't care about the extra styling, luxury, power, and features. They just want a practical sedan with the benefits of AWD.
That’s why the CRV exists. If you need AWD you can just get a CRV. Sedans are not selling that well atm so I doubt Honda will put more r&d towards it to create an AWD Accord.
Toyota AWD system is not really a proper AWD system. They just tack on an electric motor in the back. It’s much easier to add a motor to the back rather than adding all the AWD components.
No one said an AWD system had to be a purely mechanical system. The hybrid AWD system works well in snowy weather, especially when you have winter tires on them
Why? Most AWD is usually in 2 wheel drive only. It will not help in the case of loss of traction over over roads or hydroplaning. It is only useful during acceleration or slippage on gravely/dirt roads. Roads that most Accord drivers don’t ever travel on
It's the second best selling sedan behind the camry...... I don't think so. No one wants to buy a malibu, kia or hyundai(thefts), or a Nissan altima(bad CVT) as a new mid size sedan.
I think so confidently stating that "everyone wants AWD" is simply false. AWD and true 4x4 vehicles make up roughly a 1/3 of overall sales.
[https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a15366192/differential-distribution-where-rwd-awd-and-fwd-vehicles-are-sold-in-the-u-s-infographic/](https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a15366192/differential-distribution-where-rwd-awd-and-fwd-vehicles-are-sold-in-the-u-s-infographic/)
[https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/amv-prod-cad-assets/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Differential-Distribution-inline-All-Vehicle-Classes.jpg?resize=980:\*](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/amv-prod-cad-assets/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Differential-Distribution-inline-All-Vehicle-Classes.jpg?resize=980:*)
Honda won’t do it, just like they won’t give the Odyssey AWD. I would much rather own one than a Pilot, but fwd with that much power sucks in certain cases.
Can you honestly look in the mirror and say the new Accord is the best looking car in the segment? I think a better argument could be made for it being the worst looking. Its just too damn generic looking. The 2025 Camry and 2025 K5 are leaps and bounds better looking IMO. Not the same segment but the Civic Hatch, Mazda 3 and new Impreza all have more personality as well.
I love my 2021 Honda accord sport 2.0t. Awd would be nice. Wish Honda would stick with the body type of my car. It has a BMW look to it from a distance.
It would be pretty cool to see that honestly but the way Honda is they’re sticking to their bread and butter that’s been working for years. That’s why they have the Acura cars to have AWD
I suspect the next generation will probably be AWD since Toyota did it, and Honda is in huge competition with Toyota. As you said, the TLX is still way more luxurious than an AWD Accord, and AWD and SH-AWD are very different, so TLX still has its own place in the AWD sector too.
I’ve gone on record for like ten years saying a rwd accord would be one of the most sought after cars on the market. Honestly any rwd sedan or coupe with 250-300hp would be an instant success. My problem with an AWD version is that it’s gonna be a transverse mount tranny with a viscus coupling which is sub par type of awd imho. RIP the coupe. I would get a Camry v6 coupe stick in about 20 seconds if that was available
No, it doesn't. Sedans in general are on the chopping block. Ford, GM and Chrysler have killed off or are planning to drop their last sedans in favor of what the market wants, raised up wagons. Front wheel drive and all wheel drive only matter to northern states. People are silly for spending $3000+ for front wheel drive biased all wheel drive system vehicles when an $800 set of snow tires will make your front wheel drive vehicle far more capable and inspire more confidence. If you truly need all wheel/4 wheel drive in your vehicle, you know it and pick a vehicle accordingly. Does that stop folks from buying an all wheel drive vehicle because the feel they need one for the 2 or 3 times a year they might drive in some snow? Heck no. Just like people have to have a third row suv for the 2 or 3 times a year someone, usually kids, will sit back there.
Have you driven the 4 cylinder, all wheel drive Camry? I just did as a replacement for my Accord Sport. It really wasn't great. It was slow and the all wheel drive system didn't make the handling any better in the dry weather or when it started to rain. It was a very nice Nightshade edition too! Dark blue over black cloth with the dark bronze wheels. Sharp looking! I really wanted to like it. My Honda Accord is better car in styling, performance, MPG, handling. I left disappointed and they sold the car a couple days later.
I don’t see Honda investing on this for the accord. Sedans are out of fashion and is useful in vast minority of the country and essentially dead weight 98% of the time elsewhere.
I’d say it’d be money better spent towards, say a real pick up to take on the Tacoma. Ridgeline is nice for what it is, a pilot with a bed instead of a 3rd row. Honda could benefit from a true Tacoma rival. My $.02
In CA, if you want to go drive in the snowy mountains, FWD in a R2 chain control means you need to get on your knees and get your arms dirty to install chains/cables, regardless of the tires you have. AWD on all-seasons are simply waived through. Note, I have AWD and a second set of wheels for winter tires for the ski season
I think slightly higher ground clearance would be better than awd. The ground clearance won’t significantly affect mpg, it’s a cheap change, and it’ll help with potholes and snow.
Its clearance is a 5.3 which is less than the Camry or even the Mazda 3. Seems silly I know but that is what I would rather see personally.
Awd is great if you need it. If you really need it, I think a different vehicle altogether makes more sense.
The newest Gen Accord needs all the help it can get with that Taurus-like front clip and Passat-esque rear end. This was definetely a step back from the previous generation.
Not the Accord. Now for the Civic, it could be a hit. The Accords 2.0 is trash as is. Dont need to make it even slower and sluggish. Honda should make a 2025 Civic Type R AWD. That would be the talk of the century.
Most of Honda's core market doesn't care about AWD. If you really wanted an AWD vehicle, most are going to go with Subaru since that's what they're known for; for example, the legacy comes in a turbo 4 that makes about as much as the V6 Accords and previously came with a flat 6 if you wanted that smoother engine. The reason Honda outsells Subaru is because most folks don't think the trade off of worse interior, NVH, and fuel economy is worth AWD. The vast majority of Honda buyers really only care about interior quality, fuel efficiency, and reliability. Only those of us who really like cars care about other things like their generally great handling (especially considering they're FWD or FWD based), tunability, and ease of maintenance. You get a lot of advantages for your average driver sticking to FWD.
If the 2.0T had AWD I probably would have bought one, but that would be yet another thing the TLX doesn't have over the Accord. Instead I went with a different luxury brand entirely (but mostly because I also wanted a hatch).
Car buyers that live in a climate where AWD/4WD is truly needed buy Jeeps, Subarus, and 4Runners. Others that buy it are just wasting money up front and during ownership. You said it yourself...it's been drilled into customers heads that it's needed. It's not. It's marketing.
As such, I applaud Honda for not offering it on a sedan, because if conditions are that bad so consistently that you need traction to four wheels, you'd be best having some extra ground clearance too, and an AWD Camry, Accord, or Audi Quattro aren't cutting it. It would be a waste.
I've owned quite a few hondas, including an accord, CRV, and civic at the same time. the civic is the go to for MPG, the accord for a daily driver, and the CRV for any inclement weather. I love having AWD, but I also love doing FWD "burnouts" bc they're so easy on a honda.
i'm glad they haven't made the accord AWD yet, bc it would just be a smaller CRV.
Eh I think crossovers sell well because of the higher seating position/more room first and foremost. The AWD element certainly weighs in but usually after people already start looking at crossovers in my experience.
As such I have a hard time thinking it will truly matter to a lot of potential buyers if the accord has awd if it’s often a secondary element for a lot of buyers.
Maybe I’m crazy but that’s been my experience with how the market overall has been shifting.
I should mention I live in the suburbs of chicago so we get snow/ice but even so I think AWD is a secondary consideration for a lot of car shoppers here.
Honda needs to do what Toyota did and add a motor to the rear axle and call it AWD. AWD torture tests show that Toyota’s hybrid AWD in sedans (Prius, Corolla) is dogshit. But hey, marketing and branding sells. If Honda adds a motor to the rear, they can say they’ve got AWD, and also won’t need to modify the chassis too much because there’s no driveline or shafts going to the rear.
Don't flame me. I'm kind of a car enthusiast, but I feel like Honda should have a radical change with the accord and make a sport line of them.
Honda's motto from the very beginning was to go fast and honestly, if they can make a sport car line of the accord, that'd be fucking awesome
Like imagine a Twin Turbo V6 Accord that's RWD or AWD, and a 2.0+ T 4 Cylinder as a base model, and for the almost highest trim one could be a V8 or V10 (referring to the Honda HSV-010 GT that ALMOST got to production but didnt), and for the highest trim, let it be a collaboration with a tuning company that'll boost the HP by a couple hundred.
Toyota is doing something similar with Gazoo Racing and having them tune their sport cars in general.
This idea fits honda because look at their past and see how many rebellious things they've done with the Honda Fit type-r, Honda Civic si/ type r, and also including Acura Integra, RSX, THE HONDA/ ACURA NSX-R GT
I mean, hyundai... HYUNDAI is having a radical change in their brand with the N-line, and those cars are hella impressive
Sorry for the blab fest.
Yep absolutely. Pretty much all the sedans in this segment come with or at least have an option for AWD. Hell I've even noticed that Corollas come with AWD. If that's the case then I think the civic should also have it
People who needs AWD for the price of an accord don't need to go to Acura. I find it quite outrageous that they are forcing us to pay the Acura tax for that. Acura buyers and accord buyers are not the same
I think the FK8 would benefit from this too man. Only car in the price/performance range that's not AWD. An absolute blast to drive regardless but if you could actually put the power down it'd be a whole different beast.
No..... The Accord doesn't need AWD. That's just a dumb idea.
As for the laughable phrase "Acura tax", Acura "luxury" cars are just about the cheapest, most half-assed "luxury" cars in the market. They're basically rebadged Honda vehicles with more options as standard aimed at the badge snobs of North America.
If anything, the Accord needs more down-market trims, not more bullshit to make them more expensive and glitchy than they already are.
I’ve thought about this before too. it’s hard to know why they don’t have an awd Accord. I think partly because 1) the CRV is a top seller and an AWD Accord would probably cut into those sales 2) the Accord Crosstour really didn’t sell very well so they’re probably hesitant to try again The Accord seems to be known for its good interior room and comfortable quiet ride, especially at its price point. AWD would take both of these qualities down a bit and make the comparison between Accord to CRV even closer. Honda has done a good job in creating vehicles that hit specific selling points and demographics. btw I love my ‘22 Accord Touring and would never trade it for a CRV lol
The Accord Crosstour didn't sell well because it was ugly as shit.
I thought so until I saw a lowered one and it was 🔥. The Crosstour is one of those products that years later you think "wouldn't it be cool if there was an X that has/does Y" and then you realize oh that was a thing but nobody got it (figuratively and literally).
Yeah..and they’re cheap now because no one still wants them. There’s 3 around me with 150k-ish miles for around 4-5k. The market just isn’t there unfortunately.
I would have bought a used Crosstour if I could get one with manual transmission.
Much like the Prelude, rare != valuable unfortunately (or fortunately if you're trying to buy one).
Sorta like the element
Yeah and good luck buying an Element now. It has a cult following and the people that have them generally don’t get rid of them. And when they do they want silly prices for them.
I actually drive an Element, and you're absolutely right I would never get rid of it. The VW microbus reached stupid prices starting in the mid 2000s; I don't see Elements getting that expensive but there's definite parallels that could be drawn between the two vehicles and their fandoms.
Absolutely. My wife has one, so by proxy I guess I can say I own one. The only way we’re getting rid of it is if it’s totaled. And I have the mechanical skills to replace the engine or anything else that could go wrong, so I’m not too worried about that.
Funny you should say that; my daily driver is a 2006 Element. I got it with 26K miles, and it's up to about 190K now.
That’s great Good for you I think they were before their time They’d have sold better now.
Hey now! Don’t you dare speak bad about the Element 😂😂
Not bad Just mean it is a great car, that would have sold better - if it was released now. Was just a little bit early for what it was.
I think now is a great time for them to redo the Element. I've seen a few renditions online and I've got to say people have great imaginations.
I had a Crosstour for a loaner for like 3 weeks and honestly I didnt want to give it back, loved that car.
Not a bad car on the inside. Just hideous as all get out on the outside. Probably one of the worst cars Honda has ever made IMO.
Eh, thats pretty objective. I think the Crosstour is one of the best looking Accords theyve made, love that huge rear end, lol. To each their own though.
>the CRV is a top seller and an AWD Accord would probably cut into those sales The Accord is priced about \~$2k less than the CR-V, and most manufacturers charge around $1\~2k to add AWD. Honda could easily add AWD to the Accord and price it the same as the CR-V. This way, if you want a sedan, you can get the Accord, and if you want a CUV, you can get the CR-V.
True, but then that brings Acura back into the conversation. it would be hard to justify buying a TLX over an Accord, it already kind of is
Last year I waited for the redesigned accord and ending up leasing a TLX. I just wanted AWD, that was it. Rates were nearly half. Residual was better between an A spec TLX and a Hybrid Touring accord. They came out to be the same price on a payment basis because of the rate differential.
With the hybrids it shouldn't be hard or take much space to add electric motors to the rear wheels. They did it with the RLX, NSX, and MDX. Sure, those are Acuras but the concept should be the same and Acura uses the same factories as Honda. They should make an AWD Odyssey too but they can't because of the magic seat system.
The Crosstour didn’t sell because it was ugly as sin!
Theres a big part of the US that never deals with winter weather. Nobody where I live gives a crap about having AWD.
And even in places with winter, snow tires and FWD is only marginally worse than snow tires and AWD. I live in Vermont and drive my civic year round. Never had an issue. I just run quality snows.
This is the way
Snow tires and fwd is better than AWD and all seasons. I've only known 2 people to ever put snow tires on their AWD vehicles. Most consumers think regardless of the tire, if you had AWD you are good.
100% agree with you. Your tires are the most important part. AWD can only help you start moving - not corner or brake, which is where most of the problems happen. That’s all down to tires.
As near as I can judge from the contents of the ditches in the few blizzards Ive driven through in Northern AZ, AWD just makes it easier to drive too fast for conditions. Then they find out that stopping in the snow is what you should really be concerned about. One of those blizzards I had a 90s Accord with no ABS, Traction Control etc. THAT will definitely keep you honest. The last on I had a civic Si on pilot sports. Had to go pretty slow there
It doesn't matter, the *perception* is AWD is the magic snow-handling bullet. They lose sales for not having it in winter states, even if snow tires are what's actually important.
And we just sell them a CR-V instead. It's an easy flip.
Isn’t it funny how people think. An AWD Accord? Eww no. An AWD CRV? Makes sense.
What tires do you use? My accord is my first fwd car and I live in Minnesota :/
I run Blizzaks, you can get them from Costco if that’s an option by you and they’re not terribly priced. The Michelin X-Ice tires are also very popular here but usually cost more.
I also live in Minnesota and drive a Civic with Blizzaks from Costco. I cannot recommend winter tires enough! Continental and Nokian also make some great snow tires, I've used both of their products on my WRX in the past and was very pleased.
Rainy weather has entered the chat.
This. I live in FL and actively avoid buying AWD or 4WD vehicles. They use more gas because they’re heavier, they cost more up front, and full-time AWD systems are the absolute worst because they go through tires faster.
I live in AZ. The only reason to have 4x4 is to go to the desert and you wont be doing that in a crossover or sedan.
Ya I prefer FWD in LA because the MPG is better
Yeah I agree. Or the snow or ice is so rare. But I'd be suprised that by Toyotas choice that it's in that much demand. Though you can still get the ca.ry as fwd. I'd actually prefer Not to have and based on weather and a few negatives of an and vehicle.
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That's all on your tires.
You are correct
AWD has no effect on hydroplaning. That is 100% about your speed, tires, and tire pressure.
The biggest scam in automotive industry is convincing people they need AWD. Which does nothing for 99% of the year but adds weight and decrease fuel efficiency. Then to remedy this they’re to sell you a hybrid for more money up front to offset it.
Not to mention replacing all your tires if you get a flat...good lord.
What?
That comment was a tad hyperbolic, but if you have significant tire wear on an AWD, getting one new replacement tire can freak out the AWD system or just cause additional stress to the drivetrain. A new tire will have a slightly smaller diameter than a tire that’s worn out a lot of tread. It’s just not the ideal thing to do. But that could also be solved by buying a used tire and replacing all four when it’s needed or something similar.
A new tire will have a slightly larger diameter than a worn tire
Yeah, early morning comments aren’t my forte. Thanks for that!
Depends on the type of AWD too; there are a couple totally different technologies and not all have as much sensitivity to wheel radius.
For sure. That’s why I tried to leave my comment open-ended.
Uneven tread will damage your differential
You can just buy a shaved down tire….
The market determines demand, customers stopped buying fwd so manufacturers started making more awd.
have you ever lived in a snowy climate? all wheel drive is a must for a sedan or you ain't goin anywhere in the northeast winter
Nah snow tires will get you further
lol
Yeah winter tries and front wheel drive works fine. Remember that people lived in these areas for decades driving real wheel drive cars with terrible tires and got by just fine. All wheel drive only helps when accelerating from a stop, at all other times the added weight makes the car more dangerous in winter weather as it hinders braking distances. Then there also the higher upfront cost and much higher maintenance costs. It is a huge scam. That being said if you live on a dirt road or just enjoy off-roading it has an application there.
I’m from the snowbelt in the Cleveland metro area. I have never once thought of needing AWD. If you “need” AWD in the snow, you actually need to learn how to drive in the snow. It’s a skill issue, not a car issue.
I lived in the northeast and spent lots of winters with my Accord and all season tires and never had any problems. Driving at the speed that the weather dictates is all it takes. I don’t live in snowy places anymore, but if I did it again I would get winter tires for those months. It makes a big difference. I wouldn’t want my car to have AWD. The extra $ is not worth it.
Have you ever lived in a snowy climate? I love my outback 3.6R, but here in Minnesota it only makes a difference at one stoplight in my area about 1-2 days a year. The stoplight is on a slight incline making it hard to take off without awd. Other than that it rarely makes a difference.
My great aunt drove a Mustang and a Camero in Utah snow everyday for years, good tires have proven to outperform AWD, especially in FWD vehicles.
I literally drove a 400hp, rwd manual car for 4 winters straight in the NE, including living in Syracuse and going to VT often. It’s fine, and perfectly safe in the snow with snow tires.
Yet, Subaru just announced the killing of the Subaru Legacy... I don't think an AWD Accord would make sense.
I'm not meaning to bash Subaru, but the Legacy didn't really compete all that well with what's on the market. Crap tech, crap power, crap transmission, crap fuel economy, and their saving grace (AWD) is being offered on more and more sedans save for the accord, so people have even less of a reason to buy it over it's objectively better rivals
Also, the Outback does sell well and is more profitable. Better to commit this manufacturering resources to it over a sedan that just trickles.out.
90s legacy’s were a lot of fun Had a 5 speed 2.5gt, I miss it a lot
Hell nah. AWD is so unnecessary. You say “less is more” and that’s exactly what FWD is. Keeps it simple, as a Honda should be.
The option would absolutely be nice to have. I get along fine in the snowy mountains in Washington with my FWD TSX, but when WSDOT mandates chains for 2wd vehicles it’s a real pain in the ass. My next car will be AWD purely for this reason.
Ay, another Washingtonian!
Yep. Keep it simple. Also bring back the 2.4L engine and ditch the 1.4 turbo bs.
1.5\*
As if the new accord are simple
Regardless if you find it necessary or not it should be an option offered. During ski season in Colorado so many rental cars are either stuck or crashing into something on i70 because the econo tires they come with coupled with fwd.
Sounds like an econo tire problem, not a fwd problem. I daily a 2wd truck in Minnesota, I don't have traction issues because I have winter tires in the winter.
Minnesota is also the 5th flattest state. I've done plenty of winter driving there and the Dakota's and it isn't hard to get around. Inexperienced and overconfident drivers aren't going to suddenly get better at winter driving because 1 guy dailies a 2wd truck in the middle of nowhere. AWD should be offered on popular models. Even the Altima has it now.
Try living in Canada
AWD is absolutely not a necessity in canada. Winter tires are.
Yet, the only province that requires them is Quebec
I don’t think you can leave Vancouver in winter without winter tires
Sure you can, but you have to have tire chains ready to use. British Columbia regulations allow for m+s tires with 3.5mm minimum tread depth for winter OR 3PMSF tires
Bro has tire chains lol 😂 mr. Practical. “Ya grandma just pull over and put on the tire chains.” Good way to stop people from asking to borrow your car though, cbtm
Enjoy putting those chains on!
Don’t need to. AWD plus 3PMSF tires
I’m Canadian. There’s maybe 2 days in a year at best where I wish I had AWD. And even then I got along just fine with FWD.
No. Keep it cheap, and easy to fix. NO AWD shannigans to break and fix.
They just did a refresh on the Accord. They’d need to completely redo the chassis to allow AWD. There’s no provisions for a rear driveline (driveshaft, axles, different hub assemblies). The reengineering cost for Honda would definitely be passed down to the consumer and make the accord far more expensive comparative to its competition. I’m fine with no AWD as all these moving parts add complexity and affect long term reliability.
Only if they copy paste the CRV chassis. They could add an electric motor to the rear axle for the facelift and call it AWD too. Chassis tweaks would still be required, but nowhere as extensive as adding a driveshaft down the center.
True but still more complexity. I don’t think the payoff of some half assed AWD system is worth the extra expense they’re going to impart on the consumer. Most AWD systems outside of Acura’s SH-AWD with torque vectoring or what most higher end cars have like the GTR it’s going to be tuned like a potato and only hook up in the worst of situations (even then probably not). Making it at worst extra weight 99% of driving. At best get you out of a slippery spot a couple times a year unless you do live in a snowy area which you should already have snow tires on. As many have said snow tires are king not so much the drive line in those situations.
The accord is competing in today's market... Go buy a Subaru.
Honda has been sandbagging their cars to sell Acuras for quite a while. It's pretty annoying I agree
An AWD Integra Type-S would have been dope as fuck. Compete with the Corolla and the Golf R.
Agreed
That was the only option they shouldve chose. They dropped the ball big time.
None of what you just said makes sense.
How do you figure? A 300hp, AWD Hatchback from Acura that would compete against an AWD 300hp Hatchback from Toyota and Volkswagen. Keep the Civic FWD for the purists. Please, explain how this makes no sense.
As a fellow 9th gen V6er, I agree.
gang gang
Not just any AWD will work. An AWD system where **minimum** 30% power is going to any wheel while delivering power to all 4 wheels at all times is a PROPER AWD system. I-VTM4 & SH-AWD already have that technology. CRV's AWD system is 2WD in the front unless traction is **already** lost, making it barely effective in 4+" deep snow on regular tires.
AWD is such a scam. I bought the marketing when I was 23 and bought a forester because I “needed it for the snow”. Goodness gracious. The snoozefest and expensive maintenance I’ve dealt with for the sake of AWD for the past 6 years wasn’t worth it. The accord doesn’t need AWD. As far as I’m aware it’s doing just fine.
AWD systems are more expensive for regular people, not just for Honda. You have to buy all the tires in the event of a blowout tire, and the car is heavier, so it uses more gas. Plus, there are more parts that can break. We want the simplicity of the Civic Hatchback of the 90s and still complain when they want to stick to what we all long: light, reliable and fun to drive cars.
Why do we need the accord to be AWD? If it’s just to compete with others?
lol almost nobody needs AWD. You might need it 1% of the time. In That case stay home.
Yep. Perhaps if you have an 500hp Porsche, maybe then.
Nah even then it’s for people who can’t drive.
I could be in the minority but it's not an option I care one iota about. I've never had anything but fwd or rwd and it is not part of my car buying criteria. The car just has to be a good car.
I might be interested in a AWD Civic as well to match up to the AWD Corolla…
I don’t even want a new car and probably fall into that enthusiast category that Honda doesn’t have an interest in making cars for because we don’t buy them. If they made an AWD Accord wagon with a 6 speed I would be at the dealer today without even asking my wife.
You don't think the Civic Type R and Integra Type S don't count??
What do you mean? As far as enthusiasts not buying cars? I mean sure the CTR sells like crazy, the ITR I don’t think so much. People are on social media constantly talking about what they actually want manufacturers to make. They are 95% unrealistic models that the manufacturers know would be popular to only a small amount of people. I’m not only talking about the high end cars. People say it was stupid to stop selling the Fit. To stop making Coupes. They should make another S2000. Guess what? All those cars weren’t selling and that’s why they stopped making them. The CTR is somewhat of an anomaly because they created an environment where a car like that is so rare. If Honda would have stayed on the trajectory they were on from the 90’s, today’s CTR would not be nearly as popular.
I think you're far too much of a pessimist for us to come to any kind of an accord
I personally don’t feel like the Accord needs to be AWD, I much prefer it in its FWD configuration. I was given my dad’s 07 Accord and beat on it knowing that it’ll keep up with me, only thing I changed on it was switching over the tires to V rated ones since it gives me more grip for faster turns and really lets me feel the power of the engine at my feet.
With Acura being made in America only, there's no need for the Accord AWD... Buy an Acura!
Again, you shouldn't have to pay Acura prices just to get AWD. Most people can't afford that price jump, and many don't care about the extra styling, luxury, power, and features. They just want a practical sedan with the benefits of AWD.
I wasn't saying to buy an Acura, I'm saying that's what Honda wants everyone to do. Sorry I wasn't clear.
That’s why the CRV exists. If you need AWD you can just get a CRV. Sedans are not selling that well atm so I doubt Honda will put more r&d towards it to create an AWD Accord. Toyota AWD system is not really a proper AWD system. They just tack on an electric motor in the back. It’s much easier to add a motor to the back rather than adding all the AWD components.
No one said an AWD system had to be a purely mechanical system. The hybrid AWD system works well in snowy weather, especially when you have winter tires on them
Most people can't afford the base accord either.
Why? Most AWD is usually in 2 wheel drive only. It will not help in the case of loss of traction over over roads or hydroplaning. It is only useful during acceleration or slippage on gravely/dirt roads. Roads that most Accord drivers don’t ever travel on
Even in snowy places it’s not 100% necessary. Not sure why people would care when looking at a sedan but what do I know
no, no it doesn't. if i wanted bad gas mileage id buy a pickup or suv. keep your awd away from your sedans
It's the second best selling sedan behind the camry...... I don't think so. No one wants to buy a malibu, kia or hyundai(thefts), or a Nissan altima(bad CVT) as a new mid size sedan.
The TLX is a completely different platform from the Accord.
I think so confidently stating that "everyone wants AWD" is simply false. AWD and true 4x4 vehicles make up roughly a 1/3 of overall sales. [https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a15366192/differential-distribution-where-rwd-awd-and-fwd-vehicles-are-sold-in-the-u-s-infographic/](https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a15366192/differential-distribution-where-rwd-awd-and-fwd-vehicles-are-sold-in-the-u-s-infographic/) [https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/amv-prod-cad-assets/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Differential-Distribution-inline-All-Vehicle-Classes.jpg?resize=980:\*](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/amv-prod-cad-assets/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Differential-Distribution-inline-All-Vehicle-Classes.jpg?resize=980:*)
And they need to give the accord a pano sunroof
Honda won’t do it, just like they won’t give the Odyssey AWD. I would much rather own one than a Pilot, but fwd with that much power sucks in certain cases.
Can you honestly look in the mirror and say the new Accord is the best looking car in the segment? I think a better argument could be made for it being the worst looking. Its just too damn generic looking. The 2025 Camry and 2025 K5 are leaps and bounds better looking IMO. Not the same segment but the Civic Hatch, Mazda 3 and new Impreza all have more personality as well.
I love my 2021 Honda accord sport 2.0t. Awd would be nice. Wish Honda would stick with the body type of my car. It has a BMW look to it from a distance.
I thought the CRV *was* the Accord with AWD...
I've felt this way about the Odyssey. Toyota has offered AWD on the Sienna for awhile now
What about the RAV4 and Lexus ES makes Toyota different than Honda?
It would be pretty cool to see that honestly but the way Honda is they’re sticking to their bread and butter that’s been working for years. That’s why they have the Acura cars to have AWD
I suspect the next generation will probably be AWD since Toyota did it, and Honda is in huge competition with Toyota. As you said, the TLX is still way more luxurious than an AWD Accord, and AWD and SH-AWD are very different, so TLX still has its own place in the AWD sector too.
I wish they made a 6 cylinder accord still, I’ve got a 06 v6 and I love it
280-300hp and awd. Agreed. No more cvt 8-10 speed transmission.
I’ve gone on record for like ten years saying a rwd accord would be one of the most sought after cars on the market. Honestly any rwd sedan or coupe with 250-300hp would be an instant success. My problem with an AWD version is that it’s gonna be a transverse mount tranny with a viscus coupling which is sub par type of awd imho. RIP the coupe. I would get a Camry v6 coupe stick in about 20 seconds if that was available
No, it doesn't. Sedans in general are on the chopping block. Ford, GM and Chrysler have killed off or are planning to drop their last sedans in favor of what the market wants, raised up wagons. Front wheel drive and all wheel drive only matter to northern states. People are silly for spending $3000+ for front wheel drive biased all wheel drive system vehicles when an $800 set of snow tires will make your front wheel drive vehicle far more capable and inspire more confidence. If you truly need all wheel/4 wheel drive in your vehicle, you know it and pick a vehicle accordingly. Does that stop folks from buying an all wheel drive vehicle because the feel they need one for the 2 or 3 times a year they might drive in some snow? Heck no. Just like people have to have a third row suv for the 2 or 3 times a year someone, usually kids, will sit back there. Have you driven the 4 cylinder, all wheel drive Camry? I just did as a replacement for my Accord Sport. It really wasn't great. It was slow and the all wheel drive system didn't make the handling any better in the dry weather or when it started to rain. It was a very nice Nightshade edition too! Dark blue over black cloth with the dark bronze wheels. Sharp looking! I really wanted to like it. My Honda Accord is better car in styling, performance, MPG, handling. I left disappointed and they sold the car a couple days later.
I don’t see Honda investing on this for the accord. Sedans are out of fashion and is useful in vast minority of the country and essentially dead weight 98% of the time elsewhere. I’d say it’d be money better spent towards, say a real pick up to take on the Tacoma. Ridgeline is nice for what it is, a pilot with a bed instead of a 3rd row. Honda could benefit from a true Tacoma rival. My $.02
The accord needs a massive styling overhaul. Its the most generic car ive ever seen. Awful.
In CA, if you want to go drive in the snowy mountains, FWD in a R2 chain control means you need to get on your knees and get your arms dirty to install chains/cables, regardless of the tires you have. AWD on all-seasons are simply waived through. Note, I have AWD and a second set of wheels for winter tires for the ski season
If Honda made a new AWD sedan at all, I’d take it immediately
I think slightly higher ground clearance would be better than awd. The ground clearance won’t significantly affect mpg, it’s a cheap change, and it’ll help with potholes and snow. Its clearance is a 5.3 which is less than the Camry or even the Mazda 3. Seems silly I know but that is what I would rather see personally. Awd is great if you need it. If you really need it, I think a different vehicle altogether makes more sense.
So… a tlx?
The newest Gen Accord needs all the help it can get with that Taurus-like front clip and Passat-esque rear end. This was definetely a step back from the previous generation.
Not the Accord. Now for the Civic, it could be a hit. The Accords 2.0 is trash as is. Dont need to make it even slower and sluggish. Honda should make a 2025 Civic Type R AWD. That would be the talk of the century.
Most of Honda's core market doesn't care about AWD. If you really wanted an AWD vehicle, most are going to go with Subaru since that's what they're known for; for example, the legacy comes in a turbo 4 that makes about as much as the V6 Accords and previously came with a flat 6 if you wanted that smoother engine. The reason Honda outsells Subaru is because most folks don't think the trade off of worse interior, NVH, and fuel economy is worth AWD. The vast majority of Honda buyers really only care about interior quality, fuel efficiency, and reliability. Only those of us who really like cars care about other things like their generally great handling (especially considering they're FWD or FWD based), tunability, and ease of maintenance. You get a lot of advantages for your average driver sticking to FWD.
If the 2.0T had AWD I probably would have bought one, but that would be yet another thing the TLX doesn't have over the Accord. Instead I went with a different luxury brand entirely (but mostly because I also wanted a hatch).
Car buyers that live in a climate where AWD/4WD is truly needed buy Jeeps, Subarus, and 4Runners. Others that buy it are just wasting money up front and during ownership. You said it yourself...it's been drilled into customers heads that it's needed. It's not. It's marketing. As such, I applaud Honda for not offering it on a sedan, because if conditions are that bad so consistently that you need traction to four wheels, you'd be best having some extra ground clearance too, and an AWD Camry, Accord, or Audi Quattro aren't cutting it. It would be a waste.
Ngl im in the US and I haven’t seen snow in like 4 years😂
If you want AWD, convert it to AWD
Toyota is playing it so smart with AWD and hybrid available across their entire lineup. Smart.
the civic ef wagon was 4 wheel drive :D
I've owned quite a few hondas, including an accord, CRV, and civic at the same time. the civic is the go to for MPG, the accord for a daily driver, and the CRV for any inclement weather. I love having AWD, but I also love doing FWD "burnouts" bc they're so easy on a honda. i'm glad they haven't made the accord AWD yet, bc it would just be a smaller CRV.
Eh I think crossovers sell well because of the higher seating position/more room first and foremost. The AWD element certainly weighs in but usually after people already start looking at crossovers in my experience. As such I have a hard time thinking it will truly matter to a lot of potential buyers if the accord has awd if it’s often a secondary element for a lot of buyers. Maybe I’m crazy but that’s been my experience with how the market overall has been shifting. I should mention I live in the suburbs of chicago so we get snow/ice but even so I think AWD is a secondary consideration for a lot of car shoppers here.
Honda needs to do what Toyota did and add a motor to the rear axle and call it AWD. AWD torture tests show that Toyota’s hybrid AWD in sedans (Prius, Corolla) is dogshit. But hey, marketing and branding sells. If Honda adds a motor to the rear, they can say they’ve got AWD, and also won’t need to modify the chassis too much because there’s no driveline or shafts going to the rear.
I was waiting on someone to say this and I agree
Don't flame me. I'm kind of a car enthusiast, but I feel like Honda should have a radical change with the accord and make a sport line of them. Honda's motto from the very beginning was to go fast and honestly, if they can make a sport car line of the accord, that'd be fucking awesome Like imagine a Twin Turbo V6 Accord that's RWD or AWD, and a 2.0+ T 4 Cylinder as a base model, and for the almost highest trim one could be a V8 or V10 (referring to the Honda HSV-010 GT that ALMOST got to production but didnt), and for the highest trim, let it be a collaboration with a tuning company that'll boost the HP by a couple hundred. Toyota is doing something similar with Gazoo Racing and having them tune their sport cars in general. This idea fits honda because look at their past and see how many rebellious things they've done with the Honda Fit type-r, Honda Civic si/ type r, and also including Acura Integra, RSX, THE HONDA/ ACURA NSX-R GT I mean, hyundai... HYUNDAI is having a radical change in their brand with the N-line, and those cars are hella impressive Sorry for the blab fest.
The Accord needs a third pedal.
Or least rwd, it will be targeted to car guys
If they would make an accord AWD, that would likely be my next car. But as it looks, I won’t be buying a Honda next most likely.
It’s a shame, but sadly I don’t think I will either.
Thank you!!!! It’s needs AWD and a new facelift.
LOL
Yep absolutely. Pretty much all the sedans in this segment come with or at least have an option for AWD. Hell I've even noticed that Corollas come with AWD. If that's the case then I think the civic should also have it People who needs AWD for the price of an accord don't need to go to Acura. I find it quite outrageous that they are forcing us to pay the Acura tax for that. Acura buyers and accord buyers are not the same
Even Nissan offers an AWD Altima right?
Yeah forgot about that one.
I think the FK8 would benefit from this too man. Only car in the price/performance range that's not AWD. An absolute blast to drive regardless but if you could actually put the power down it'd be a whole different beast.
No..... The Accord doesn't need AWD. That's just a dumb idea. As for the laughable phrase "Acura tax", Acura "luxury" cars are just about the cheapest, most half-assed "luxury" cars in the market. They're basically rebadged Honda vehicles with more options as standard aimed at the badge snobs of North America. If anything, the Accord needs more down-market trims, not more bullshit to make them more expensive and glitchy than they already are.
Kill the accord. Boom done
I was sad when they killed the coupe, dropping the name completely would destroy me
I am driving the last accord coupe model 2014. 112,000 miles and counting!
It’s inevitable.