Did you know that the 2013 Honda Accord recently took home the top prize at the 2012 Midsize Sedan Showdown? Well, this is nothing new actually, as this is the fifth time a Honda car has managed to take home such an award at such an 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’s It All About?
Before we get into 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 engine week which aims to compare the best-selling dog tags against each other to see which one offers the best features for a given price range. For this year, 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 day of consumer test drives of the cars, a 185-mile round-trip mixed city and highway fuel economy test, and a fixed course test by the five experts. from USA Today, Cars.com and engine Week, the jury returned with its verdict. After tallying up all the judges’ points, the all-new 2013 Honda Accord scored higher than its competitors, paving the way for it to be named the 2012 Best Midsize Sedan.
The 2013 Accord was also ranked #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 contenders 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? Here are the features that contributed to its success:
Undeniable power. The Accord’s continuously variable transmission delivers undeniable power the moment you hit the throttle.
Top handling. The judges found the Accord “athletic and light” and were quite impressed with its well-weighted handling.
Impressive high-end standard features. The Accord’s impressive array of standard features added valuable points to its credit. The judges specifically noted the lower waistline, rearview camera, and dash controls as some of the finer things added to the new Accord.
The 2013 Honda Accord is a true testament that a midsize sedan can pack superior handling ability, 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.