Compare the2022 Honda AccordVS 2022 Toyota Avalon

Safety
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Accord deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Accord’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Avalon’s airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The Accord’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Avalon doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Accord and the Avalon have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Honda Accord is safer than the Toyota Avalon:

	Accord	Avalon
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	23%	35%
Neck Stress	184 lbs.	220 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	231/338 lbs.	499/567 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	266	302
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.8 inches
Neck Stress	140 lbs.	180 lbs.
Neck Compression	54 lbs.	64 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	378/216 lbs.	447/453 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Honda Accord is safer than the Toyota Avalon:

	Accord	Avalon
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	140	163
Chest Movement	.8 inches	.8 inches
Abdominal Force	152 G’s	156 G’s
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	428 lbs.	686 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	242	267
Spine Acceleration	34 G’s	38 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Accord, with its five-star roll-over rating, is 1.2% less likely to roll over than the Avalon, which received a four-star rating.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Accord its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 74 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Avalon has not been fully tested, yet.

Engine

The Accord’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 6 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 267) than the Avalon’s 3.5 DOHC V6.

As tested in Car and Driver the Honda Accord 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Toyota Avalon:

	Accord	Avalon
Zero to 60 MPH	5.5 sec	6.1 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	13.6 sec	15.3 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	6.1 sec	6.7 sec
Quarter Mile	14.1 sec	14.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	102 MPH	98 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Accord gets better mileage than the Avalon:

		MPG
Accord
	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	30 city/38 hwy
	Touring 1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	29 city/35 hwy
	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/32 hwy
Avalon
	XLE 3.5 DOHC V6	22 city/32 hwy
	3.5 DOHC V6	22 city/31 hwy

In heavy traffic or at stop lights the Accord 1.5T’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Avalon doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Accord has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Avalon doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda Accord higher (7 out of 10) than the Toyota Avalon (5). This means the Accord produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Avalon every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Honda Accord 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Avalon.

The Accord has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Avalon doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Accord Sport/Touring’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Avalon:

	Accord Sport/Touring	Avalon
Front Rotors	12.3 inches	11.7 inches
Rear Rotors	11.1 inches	11 inches

The Accord stops much shorter than the Avalon:

	Accord	Avalon
70 to 0 MPH	162 feet	171 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	109 feet	122 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Accord has larger standard tires than the Avalon (225/50R17 vs. 215/55R17).

The Accord’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Avalon XLE’s standard 55 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

The Accord’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Avalon doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The Accord Touring handles at .89 G’s, while the Avalon Touring pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Accord Sport executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Avalon Touring (26.4 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 26.8 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

Chassis

The Honda Accord may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 400 pounds less than the Toyota Avalon.

The front grille of the Accord Sport SE/EX-L uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Avalon doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Accord a Large car, while the Avalon is rated a Mid-size.

The Accord has 2.1 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more rear legroom and .2 inches more rear hip room than the Avalon.

Cargo Capacity

The Accord has a larger trunk than the Avalon (16.7 vs. 16.1 cubic feet).

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the Accord offers cargo security. The Avalon’s non-lockable remote release defeats cargo security.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Accord (except LX). The Avalon doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Towing

The Accord 2.0L Turbo offers up to a 1000 lbs. towing capacity. The Avalon has no towing capacity.

Ergonomics

The Accord (except LX/Sport 1.5T) has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Avalon doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Accord Touring’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Avalon’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Economic Advantages

The Accord will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Accord will retain 49.19% to 52.23% of its original price after five years, while the Avalon only retains 46.36% to 47.7%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Accord is less expensive to operate than the Avalon because it costs $364 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Accord than the Avalon, including $84 less for a water pump, $46 less for front brake pads, $11 less for a starter, $96 less for front struts and $1139 less for a timing belt/chain.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Honda Accord will be $4113 to $9095 less than for the Toyota Avalon.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda Accord and the Toyota Avalon, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Accord was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 25 of the last 27 years. The Avalon has never been a Car and Driver “Top Ten” pick.

The Accord 2.0T Sport was chosen as one of Automobile Magazine’s “All Stars” in 2018. The Avalon has never been an “All Star.”

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Accord as the 2018 North American Car of the Year. The Avalon has never been chosen.

The Honda Accord outsold the Toyota Avalon by almost 10 to one during the 2021 model year.