2012 Honda Accord Coupe 2.4L i-VTEC CVT (185 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Honda introduced the ninth generation of the Accord for the North American market in late 2012 for the 2013 model year, and besides the sedan version, it also unveiled the Coupe.

After more than four decades and 11 million units sold, the Japanese automaker knew what its customers asked from its cars. It also knew that many empty nesters and even younger people were craving a sporty-looking coupe with a proven reliability record behind it, and the 2013 Honda Accord Coupe targeted precisely that audience. Unsurprisingly, even if the two cars shared the same underpinnings, they didn’t have the same design. The two-door Accord was made as a daily driver vehicle that could swallow hundreds of miles in a day without breaking the bank or exhausting the one behind the wheel. In addition, while it wasn’t a top performer, neither was the vehicle that blocked the left lane desperately trying to overtake an eighteen-wheeler.

Honda introduced new LED headlights with pearl-like daytime running lights at their bottom featuring the same light-emitting diode technology. They flanked a grille that sported a U-shaped chromed trim while the brand’s badge took center stage. The car still resembled its four-door stablemate, but it was different. On the lower side of the bumper, the automaker added a broad, trapezoidal-shaped air intake adorned by a honeycomb-pattern mesh and flanked it with round LED fog lamps.

With its low-slung profile and the ascending sculptured lines on the bodywork, the 2013 Honda Accord Coupe offered a sporty appearance. Furthermore, depending on the grade, it was available with 17- or 18-inch alloy wheels that nicely filled the wheel arches. Unlike its four-door sibling, which sported body-colored door handles, the Coupe was available with chromed ones. However, the door mirrors looked identical, including the integrated turn signal lamps and the camera that covered the blind spot on the passenger’s side. Unlike its stablemate, the greenhouse of the two-door Accord started with a raked windshield. It was followed by an arched roof and ended by a sloped rear window. At the back, the short deck was available with a tiny lip spoiler.

Inside, the 2013 Honda Accord Coupe featured a pair of bucket seats that promised to keep their occupants in place during hard cornering. Fronting the driver was an instrument panel where the speedometer took center stage, with the tachometer on the left and the gauges for the fuel level and coolant temperature on the right. The dashboard was carried over from the Sedan and had an eight-inch infotainment screen above the center stack. At the same time, a touchscreen was available between the center vents. Between the front seats, the automaker placed a narrow center console that housed the gear selector (or the gear stick), an armrest, and the handbrake. In the back, thanks to the longer wheelbase than on its predecessor, it was enough legroom for grown-up adults. However, the sloped rear window limited headroom.

Under the hood, Honda used the same 2.4-liter engine as on the previous generation of the Accord, although with slightly less power. Surprisingly, despite that, acceleration times and fuel efficiency were increased. For the top trim level, the automaker installed a reworked 3.5-liter V6 featuring VTEC (variable valve timing). The lower-displacement powerplant was paired with a six-speed manual or a CVT, while the most potent one was offered as standard with a five-speed automatic with an available six-speed manual gearbox.