Compare the2023 Lexus ISVS 2022 Honda Accord

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Lexus IS have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Honda Accord doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The IS’ optional pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Accord doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The IS has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Accord doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The IS offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Accord doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The IS offers an optional Panoramic View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Accord only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The IS has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the Accord Sport 2.0T/EX/EX-L/Touring offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the IS has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Accord Sport 2.0T/EX-L/Touring has a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the IS and the Accord have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and rearview cameras.

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 Lexus IS is safer than the Honda Accord:

	IS	Accord
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	406 lbs.	431 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	162	386
Spine Acceleration	28 G’s	62 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	34 G’s	34 G’s
Hip Force	650 lbs.	756 lbs.

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

Warranty

The IS comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Accord’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the IS 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Honda covers the Accord. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Accord ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The IS’ corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Accord’s (6 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the IS first among compact premium cars in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Accord isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in initial quality. With 26 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in long-term dependability. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Honda is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus third in overall reliability. Honda is ranked fifth.

Engine

The IS has more powerful engines than the Accord:

	Horsepower	Torque
IS 300 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder	241 HP	258 lbs.-ft.
IS 300 AWD 3.5 DOHC V6	260 HP	236 lbs.-ft.
IS 350 F Sport 3.5 DOHC V6	311 HP	280 lbs.-ft.
IS 500 5.0 DOHC V8	472 HP	395 lbs.-ft.
Accord 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder	192 HP	192 lbs.-ft.
Accord 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder	252 HP	273 lbs.-ft.

As tested in Motor Trend the IS 300 AWD 3.5 DOHC V6 is faster than the Honda Accord 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder:

	IS	Accord
Zero to 60 MPH	5.7 sec	5.8 sec
Quarter Mile	14.3 sec	14.4 sec

Fuel Economy and Range

The IS has 2.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Accord (17.4 vs. 14.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the IS’ brake rotors are larger than those on the Accord:

	IS	IS 500 Performance	Accord	Accord Sport/Touring
Front Rotors	13.1 inches	14 inches	11.5 inches	12.3 inches
Rear Rotors	11.7 inches	12.7 inches	11.1 inches	11.1 inches

The IS’ standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Accord are solid, not vented.

The IS stops much shorter than the Accord:

	IS	Accord
70 to 0 MPH	159 feet	176 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	110 feet	135 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	141 feet	142 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the IS has larger standard tires than the Accord (235/45R18 vs. 225/50R17).

The IS 300’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Accord’s standard 50 series tires. The F Sport Design’s tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Accord Sport/Touring’s 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the IS 300 has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Accord.

Suspension and Handling

The IS’ front to rear weight distribution is more even (54% to 46%) than the Accord’s (59.8% to 40.2%). This gives the IS more stable handling and braking.

The IS 350 F Sport handles at .93 G’s, while the Accord pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The IS 500 Performance executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.5 seconds quicker than the Accord (25.2 seconds @ .74 average G’s vs. 27.7 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the IS’ turning circle is 4 feet tighter than the Accord LX/EX-L’s (34.2 feet vs. 38.2 feet). The IS AWD’s turning circle is 4.2 feet tighter than the Accord 2.0T’s (35.4 feet vs. 39.6 feet).

Chassis

The IS is 10.7 inches shorter than the Accord, making the IS easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Cargo Capacity

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the IS’ trunk lid uses concealed beam hinges that don’t intrude into the trunk. The Accord’s useful trunk space is reduced by its intrusive beam hinge.

The IS’ standard folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. The Accord LX’s standard single piece folding rear seat is not as flexible; long cargo and a passenger can’t share the rear seat.

Servicing Ease

The IS uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Accord uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The engine in the IS is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Accord. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Honda. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 62% lower rating, Honda is ranked 25th.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Accord EX-L/Touring, the IS offers an optional driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The IS’ instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Accord does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The IS’ front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Accord’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The IS’ power window, power lock and power mirror switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Accord’s power window (except driver window), power lock and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the IS offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Accord doesn’t offer cornering lights.

A power rear sunshade is optional in the IS to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Accord doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

The IS’ standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Honda only offers heated mirrors on the Accord Sport 2.0T/Sport SE/EX-L/Touring.

The IS’ optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Accord offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

On extremely cold winter days, the IS’ optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Accord doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

Both the IS and the Accord offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the IS has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Accord doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the IS owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the IS with a number “5” insurance rate while the Accord is rated higher at a number “8” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the IS is less expensive to operate than the Accord because typical repairs cost less on the IS than the Accord, including $7 less for a muffler, $4 less for front brake pads and $124 less for a fuel pump.

Recommendations

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

J.D. Power and Associates rated the IS first among compact premium cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Accord isn’t in the top three in its category.

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