2018 10th Gen Accord Details Drop: V6 Gone, Turbo-4 Instead
10th gen Accord powertrain announced, say goodbye to the J-series V6.
The Accord V6 has long been the underappreciated sleeper of the Honda family. It was a quick, comfortable and quietly stylish ride that had enough guts to scare some unsuspecting sports cars. The quiet reign of the J35, however, is coming to an end.
Honda has juts announced powertrain details for the new 10th gen Accord. For 2018 we are seeing a drastic change. In addition to the car being lower, wider and generally sportier, the engines and transmissions are all-new.
Gone is the K24 engine in the base car. In it’s stead is the L15 turbo engine, as seen in the new Honda Civic Sport, Si and the CRV. Power figures were not quoted for the 1.5T, but we are guessing it will slot between the Sport and the Si. Expect around 190 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque. The 1.5T engine is a solid performer, and I’d wager that most consumers will be hard pressed to feel the difference between the outgoing K24 engine.
That’s all well and good, but the big news for enthusiasts is that the venerable J35 V6 is gone from the top of the line Accords. The J-series V6 was long in the tooth, having been around in some variation for almost 20 years. In it’s place is a 2 liter, turbocharged four cylinder engine, derived the Civic Type R. A bit of poking and prodding reveals that the Accord will use a different turbocharger and state of tune from the Type R. Again, power output was unspecified, but a small bump over the outgoing car’s 278 horsepower is expected. Considering the CTR makes 306 horsepower, a fair estimate is around 285hp.
Jeff Conrad, senior vice president and general manager of America Honda Motor Co., Inc. was quoted as saying:
“With these three advanced new powertrains, the tenth-generation Accord will be the most fun-to-drive, refined and fuel-efficient Accord yet. Just as the new Honda Civic injected new energy into the compact car segment, we expect this all-new 2018 Accord will make people rethink the midsize sedan.”
Transmission choices have changed as well. Fortunately for the diehards out there, of which I am one, 6-speed manual transmissions are available with either engine choice. The 1.5T engine has an optional continuously-variable automatic transmission (CVT). For the brawnier 2.0T, Honda is pairing it with an optional 10-speed automatic transmission, an industry first.
Honda has made note that it is offering the first production, front-wheel drive car with a 10-speed auto. However, there is more innovation to the latest Accord than this. The hybrid Accord is back, with some new tricks as well. The car uses Honda’s next gen two-motor hybrid system and eschews a conventional transmission. Details were not specified beyond that, but it may work similar to a direct-drive, “single gear” system like some electric cars. This is TBD.
Seeing as we are already midway through June, we can expect 2018 models to start hitting dealers’ lots in the next few months. Are the turbocharged powertrains a good thing or a bad thing for the 10th gen? Fuel economy figures weren’t mentioned, but I’m sure both the 1.5T and 2.0T cars will see a small bump in MPG. Will you miss the V6, or are you ready to accept the new direct-fuel injected, turbocharged Hondas?
