[98CamryLE]

Honestly, the 2.0t motor was the best part of the 10th Generation Accord. I've driven the 1.5t and the hybrid powertrains too- but the 2.0t engine is what really makes the Accord a great car. The 1.5t is pretty lackluster and rough sounding (not that the target demographic generally cares). The hybrid is a bit better- but I just don't have faith in Honda's hybrid system being reliable long-term.

I think that styling was one of the major downsides of the 10th Generation Accord... and one of the reasons why customers seemed to prefer the Camry by a large margin. The front-end styling (with the chrome unibrow) wasn't to everyone's liking and the C-shaped taillights weren't everyone's cup of tea. The Camry is much more attractive by comparison. Inside, the Accord seemed significantly better than the current Camry- both in terms of quality and ease of use. The problem though- if the car isn't attractive enough on the outside- buyers aren't ever going to see the inside.

I was extremely disappointed when they announced that the 11th Gen Accord would be dropping the 2.0t engine option. The styling is pretty rough too- but sometimes it's hard to tell from images/videos. Sometimes a car looks very different in person... so I'll reserve my final judgement until I see one in person. Right now though- the new Accord looks like one of those bland cars that they use for insurance advertisements. Although the 10th Generation Accord's design wasn't everyone's cup of tea... at least it wasn't bland.

Lastly, I think that it's pretty ridiculous for MotorTrend (or anyone else) to do a comparison between a brand-new design of the Accord and the Camry- which is likely going to be getting quite the overhaul very soon. The current generation is going on six years... and will almost certainly be overhauled for 2024. The last time I checked, Toyota didn't have any trouble selling Camrys these days... even with a six year-old design.

 

[98CamryLE]

Historically, Toyota has discounted the Camry more than Honda did the Accord, which is some of the reason why the Camry has been #1, besides its quality reputation. The Accord put sales pressure on Toyota, especially for the last generation one that was decried for being beige. I've always felt that Accord drove better than the Camry in terms of driving dynamics (Stuff that only car enthusiasts care about), which is what made Akio Toyoda force Toyota engineers to make the current Camry not appliance-like (or boring, according to the concept Wakudoki or "No more boring cars").

Manufacturer incentives might be one thing- but I've always found that the local Honda dealers near me are always willing to discount Accords significantly more than the Toyota dealers are willing to discount Camrys... current market being the exception- where both are sticking to MSRP or higher.

The whole reason why I ended up getting a 2016 Accord rather than a Camry was because the local Toyota dealers weren't willing to negotiate much on a 2016 Camry... but my local Honda dealer was willing to sell an Accord for roughly $4500 under MSRP. Similar story in 2019... I was able to get an Accord Sport 2.0t for $4500 under MSRP... and again in 2021 for a Touring 2.0t for a similar discount before the market went nuts.

And you can tell it worked as soon as you turn the steering wheel. It definitely doesn't drive like Toyota of old with uncommunicative loose steering and sloppy suspension. Its also nice you actually get a different suspension with the SE/XSE compared with just some wheels and body add ons with the Sport Honda.

The 10th Generation Accord (2018-2022) is a very good car in terms of handling... at least for a midsize mainstream sedan. It's much more entertaining to drive compared to the current Camry... although the current Camry is lightyears ahead of previous generations in terms of handling. It's all about priorities... The Accord handles better- but the compromise is ride quality and noise. The Camry is a much quieter car and it rides much softer... even in XSE trim with 19" wheels. I'll also say that quality is sometimes a mixed bag with modern Hondas. My 2016 and 2019 Accords were mostly fine. My 2021 Accord was a letdown in terms of quality (which is why I got rid of it after a year) and my wife's Passport is pretty rough too.

 

[98CamryLE]

Its definitely a regional thing. Honda dealers in Southern California are known to be price gougers, while Toyota dealers were often the better place to get a deal. Honda dealers were marking their vehicles up long before many Toyota dealers did during the shortage. Accord has always been the #2 seller just behind the Camry, and has outsold it before in some years give or take one or two when Nissan firesaled the Altima.

This. The Accord 2.0T, especially equipped with the 6 speed manual, was a sleeper because it was the detuned Civic Type R motor

Yep- that 2.0t was a hoot to drive. If only Honda focused as much attention on quality as they did engine performance, I'd probably still be driving my 2021 Accord with that 2.0t engine.