The Honda Accord has been given a thourough update for 2021, and included among the tweaks is the addition of a new Sport Special Edition grade.
The new grade builds on the existing Sport grade by adding extra luxury features as standard. Some of these include leather seat trim, heating for the mirrors and front seats, keyless entry, and remote engine start.
2021 Honda Accord
It also features all of the Sport grade goodies including leather trim on the steering wheel and shift lever, additional USB ports, 19-inch wheels, a dark chrome finish on the grille and exhaust tips, and a subtle trunk lid spoiler.
The Sport and Sport Special Edition grades don't really bring any genuine performance. In each case the base setup is a 192-horsepower 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 mated to a CVT, and front-wheel drive. We'd recommend upgrading to the Accord's 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 which brings 252 hp and a 10-speed automatic. Sadly, an available manual transmission on the Sport grade was dropped earlier in 2020.
2021 Honda Accord
Updates across the 2021 Accord range includes revised styling, an 8.0-inch touchscreen for the infotainment, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Honda said the car's braking system was also tweaked to deliver smoother stops at low speeds. Higher grades also receive an automatic braking system for low-speed situations that relies on the car's parking sensors.
2021 Honda Accord
A final change worth mentioning are the tweaks made to the Accord Hybrid model so that it delivers improved throttle response. The car also features new “Hybrid” badges, a blue accent on the front Honda “H” logo, and standard 19-inch wheels for the Accord Hybrid's Touring grade. The car's two-motor hybrid powertrain remains unchanged and still delivers a peak 212 hp.
The 2021 Accord starts sales Tuesday and is priced from $25,725. Pricing starts at $29,675 for the Sport Special Edition and at 27,325 for the Accord Hybrid. All figures include destination.
2021 Honda Accord
Production for North America will take place at Honda's plant in Marysville, Ohio.
For more on the Honda Accord, read the in-depth reviews at The Car Connection.
