Compare the2022 Honda AccordVS 2021 Nissan Maxima

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 Maxima’s airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Both the Accord and the Maxima 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, driver alert monitors, 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 Nissan Maxima:

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 Nissan Maxima:

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

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 8 places higher in reliability than Nissan.

The Accord’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 12 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 261) than the Maxima’s 3.5 DOHC V6.

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

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

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 Maxima doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda Accord uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Maxima requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

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 Maxima doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda Accord higher (7 out of 10) than the Nissan Maxima (3). This means the Accord produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Maxima every 15,000 miles.

The Accord stops much shorter than the Maxima:

The Accord offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The Maxima’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

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 Maxima doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Accord’s wheelbase is 2.1 inches longer than on the Maxima (111.4 inches vs. 109.3 inches).

The Accord Touring handles at .89 G’s, while the Maxima Platinum pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Accord Sport executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Maxima Platinum (26.4 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 27 seconds @ .67 average G’s).

The Honda Accord may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 450 pounds less than the Nissan Maxima.

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 Maxima doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

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

The Accord has 7.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Maxima (105.6 vs. 98.5).

The Accord has .1 inches more front headroom, 1.1 inches more front hip room, 1.6 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear headroom, 6.2 inches more rear legroom, 1.5 inches more rear hip room and .8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Maxima.

The Accord has a much larger trunk than the Maxima (16.7 vs. 14.3 cubic feet).

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the Accord easier. The Accord’s trunk lift-over height is 26.5 inches, while the Maxima’s liftover is 28.8 inches.

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

The Accord Touring has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Maxima doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Accord’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Maxima’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Accord’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Maxima’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Honda Accord EX-L/Sport 2.0T/Touring has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Maxima doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Insurance will cost less for the Accord owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Accord will cost $1795 to $7730 less than the Maxima over a five-year period.

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 Maxima only retains 42.74% to 43.12%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Accord is less expensive to operate than the Maxima because it costs $327 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Accord than the Maxima, including $93 less for a water pump, $217 less for a muffler, $16 less for front brake pads and $476 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 $15939 to $19179 less than for the Nissan Maxima.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda Accord and the Nissan Maxima, 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 Maxima 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 Maxima 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 Maxima has never been chosen.

The Honda Accord outsold the Nissan Maxima by almost 13 to one during the 2021 model year.