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2016 Honda Accord First Drive [w/video]

For the 2016 Accord, Honda abandoned its one-size-fits-most approach to the family sedan and midsize coupe. The goal was to improve on the proven formula while creating a little more differentiation between trim levels. The attention is certainly warranted, since the Accord makes up almost a quarter of Honda's sales in the US. The 2016 refresh brings the usual visual tweaks as well as some new safety and connectivity tech. The trim hierarchy carries over from earlier ninth-generation Accords. Sedans start at LX and progress through Sport, EX, EX-L, and Touring, while coupes are available in LX-S, EX, EX-L, and, for the first time, Touring. A 278-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 is available on EX-L models and standard on Tourings, while the rest of the lineup uses a 2.4-liter four-cylinder making 185 hp, or 189 hp in Sport trim. Honda mostly left the engines alone, and they continue with the same transmission menu: six-speed manuals are available with both engines on certain trim levels, while most four-cylinders are mated to a continuously variable transmission and the V6 uses a six-speed auto. While they're no more powerful than before, Sport models get upgraded Active Sound Control programming that makes the engine a bit more vocal in the cockpit. The 2016 refresh brings the usual visual tweaks as well as some new safety and connectivity tech. The numbers that matter to most shoppers do get a boost, but only on some models. To improve efficiency, engineers managed friction reduction in the engines as well as the hub bearings. Sedans switch to an aluminum hood, which saves 18 pounds compared to the previous steel piece. The four-doors also got some aero massaging in the form of new closeout panels underneath, a chin spoiler, reshaped bumpers, and an air curtain slot ahead of the front wheels. Those changes don't amount to big needle movement in EPA testing, however; many ratings are unchanged, while the rest net a one-mpg improvement in either the EPA city or highway figure. The more noticeable fiddling concerns the styling. No drastic moves here either, and it's not as though the 2013–2015 models were looking dated, but next to the new car the previous version appears a little soft. The front fasciae, again distinct between sedan and coupe, have a more aggressive look for 2016, but one that's thankfully more restrained than what Toyota visited upon the latest Camry.

2019 Hyundai Veloster N vs. hot hatch rivals: How they compare on paper

The highly anticipated top-rung of the Veloster line, the 2019 Hyundai Veloster N, is on the verge of hitting dealers. And the company has finally dropped all the specifications, and perhaps most importantly, the car's official pricing that starts at $27,785. So you know what that means: it's time to see how it stacks up to the competition. The Veloster N falls into an interesting niche in the hot hatch world. It's the most potent of its model line, but it's not as powerful as vehicles such as the Civic Type R, Focus RS and Golf R. But it also doesn't have the price of those cars. As such, we decided to compare it with other sub-$30,000 sport compacts. We examined each car's power, fuel economy, size and pricing. You can see all the vital statistics in the chart below, as well as additional photos and analysis after that. As always, specifications only tell so much, so be sure to check out our detailed reviews of these cars. Also be sure to check out our comparison tool if you want to compare these with other models. Engines, transmissions and performance Three of these cars are impressively close in output, and one is, well, not. The Veloster N Performance Pack is the clear horsepower champion with 275 ponies. Second place for power is almost tied, with the Focus ST's 252 horses edging out the standard Veloster N's 250. The Focus ST also boasts the most torque at 270 pound-feet. The GTI nearly matches both Velosters with its 258 pound-feet, but its 228 horsepower is far behind the Korean and American entries. The Civic Si lags far behind with just 205 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque from the only 1.5-liter engine here. The rest use 2.0-liter engines. 2019 Hyundai Veloster N View 47 Photos Every vehicle here sends its power to the front wheels, and three of the four do so exclusively with 6-speed manual transmissions. That means that if you don't want to work a clutch, your only option is the VW GTI. It offers a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, which, like all VW Group dual-clutch units, is really smooth and fast. While the Civic Si is at the back of the pack in terms of power, it does make up for it somewhat with excellent fuel economy. It's capable of hitting 38 mpg on the highway, and city mileage is rated at a solid 28 mpg. The Veloster N is at the back of the pack here, with its highway mileage the same as the Civic's city economy. Its city fuel economy is just 22 mpg.

Honda Accord Hybrid sales capacity constrained

Honda might be selling more hybrids if it could just get them to dealers. While the second-generation Insight never lived up to sales expectations and production is ending, the Japanese automaker is seeing strong demand for the Accord Hybrid here and abroad. However, there is so much global consumer desire that it can't keep them in US showrooms.
The problem limiting the sales of the Accord Hybrid is its battery pack and its popularity in Japan. "There's a waiting list for the product," said Jeff Conrad, Honda general manager, to Ward's Auto about the sedan's US popularity. While the American Accord is built in Marysville, OH, the batteries are imported from Japan, where the model is quite popular. According to Ward's data, the automaker sold 2,414 examples of the hybrid version from October 2013 to February 2014 in the US, but it shifted 6,000 units in Japan in its first three months on sale. Conrad also admitted that the constrained supply is limiting the amount of marketing the automaker can do for the hybrid.
Honda spokesperson Chris Martin told Autoblog the company is working on a solution to increase production for the near future. "We are going to resolve the battery issue," he said.