Although the 2018 Honda Accord may cost a little more than the 2018 Toyota Camry at the point of sale, it’s crucial to look at how your vehicle will depreciate over the long haul. According to ALG forecasts for April of 2018, the 2018 Honda Accord LX retains an impressive 58% of its residual value after 36 months and 39% after 60 months. Conversely, the 2018 Toyota Camry LE only holds 52% and 34% after the same periods of time.†
Now, consider this: Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com determined the 2018 Honda Accord had the lowest 5-year cost to own in the midsize sedan segment* when factoring in depreciation and out of pocket expenses. Whether it’s value retention or long-term cost to own, the 2018 Honda Accord bests the 2018 Toyota Camry.
The starting price will always be a determining factor during the car shopping process, but sometimes that MSRP can be a bit deceiving. Unless you want a no frills, bare-bones vehicle, the addition of certain features can inflate the starting price tag significantly.
When comparing the Honda Accord LX to the Toyota Camry LE, only the Honda sedan comes standard equipped with adaptive cruise control* across the entire lineup—even the base level LX. Other features such as stereo anti-theft and Traffic Sign Recognition* are simply not available on the Camry. Toyota even charges an extra $129 for floor mats.
Perhaps the biggest disappointment for Toyota Camry fans can be found in this upgraded comparison of the Accord Sport and Camry SE. Not only are Apple CarPlay* and Android Auto* missing on the Camry SE, but they aren’t available on any trim level. Additionally, fog lights are noticeably absent across the entire Camry lineup, and features such as stereo anti-theft and Honda’s Traffic Sign Recognition technology are still not available.
As the trim levels shift to EX-L and XSE for Accord and Camry, respectively, the gap between features continues to widen. While remote engine start and navigation* come standard equipped on the Accord EX-L, this technology is a costly upgrade on the Camry XSE. From basic amenities to useful extras, every trim in the 2018 Camry lineup will end up costing car shoppers more money.
Whether you’re comparing overall passenger volume, front and rear legroom, front and rear shoulder room, head room, or maximum cargo area, the 2018 Honda Accord has more interior space than the 2018 Toyota Camry. The Accord even boasts more trunk space than the lengthy 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Sedan.
Both of these midsize sedans provide Western Michigan drivers with outstanding fuel economy. While the 2018 Camry will achieve slightly better gas mileage on the highway, the 2018 Accord manages better city and combined city/highway mpg when comparing Honda’s LX and Sport trims to Toyota’s LE and SE models. Turning our attention to power, however, only the Accord will generate more torque than the Camry—no matter which trim level is being compared.
Honda Accord and Toyota Camry are well known within the midsize sedan class for outstanding safety, as was demonstrated by their 5-Star Overall Safety Ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2018.* However, Toyota demands extra for driver assistive technologies like adaptive cruise control, a feature that comes standard on every Accord model—even the base LX trim. (And don’t forget Traffic Sign Recognition, another technology you can’t get on any 2018 Camry trim.) In addition, Accord’s second-row head restraints and available LED fog lights set it apart even further from the Camry when it comes to helpful safety equipment.
The midsize sedan segment is an extremely competitive class, which makes the 2018 Honda Accord’s awards even more impressive. Not only was Accord named the 2018 North American Car of the Year, but it was also named Car and Driver’s 10Best* and America’s Best Sedan*, MotorWeek’s Best Family Sedan, and 2018 KBB.com Best Resale Value*, 2018 KBB.com Best Buy Award: Overall Winner*, and 2018 KBB.com Best Buy: Midsize Car*. Continue reading to see how other automotive experts think the 2018 Honda Accord and 2018 Toyota Camry match up.
“The Honda Accord, however, just seems to be smarter, sharper, more user-friendly, and as a whole, offers a more complete and cohesive package. Add in the fact that the style will age more gracefully, and it’s easily the best car in this segment. The Camry is a really good car, but the Accord is just that much better.”
“But the Accord isn’t just better than the Camry. This is a mass-market car selling at a keen price—and a better-driving one than many more expensive and pretentious performance cars. It’s the unquestioned victor here and everywhere else mid-size, mid-price vehicles may roam.”
“Holistically, though, there’s no comparison. The Accord is more comfortable, spacious, and luxurious than the Camry. It’s quieter, rides and handles better, and drives more elegantly. It offers superior technology with a more user-friendly interface. Simply put, Toyota built a better Camry, but Honda built a better car.”