Honda Accord vs. Toyota Camry: Comparing Mid-Size Sedans

When you think of a mid-size sedan, the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry are probably the first cars that come to mind. These two models have been bestsellers for many decades now and have persisted even as many automakers have dropped their sedan offerings in recent years. The Accord was redesigned for 2023 and is now in its eleventh generation, while the current eighth-generation Camry is near the end of its life cycle and will likely be replaced by a redesigned version next year.

Here we’re comparing the Accord and Camry in terms of engine specifications, features, performance, and price. If you’re considering these two vehicles, you should also look at our recent comparison test of mid-size sedans that also included the Hyundai Sonata and Subaru Legacy.

Engine Choices and Hybrid Options

The Honda Accord offers two powertrain options: a 192-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder and a 204-hp hybrid. The Camry’s engine lineup is more wide-ranging, as it offers a base 203-hp 2.5-liter inline-four, a 208-hp hybrid, and a powerful 301-hp V-6. Both the Honda and the Toyota come only with automatic transmission and are front-wheel drive as standard, but the Camry also offers an option for all-wheel drive.

Camry AWD

Brian Rozar|Car and Driver

The Accord’s lineup is also arranged differently than the Camry’s. The base trim levels, LX and EX, come with the nonhybrid turbo engine, while the higher trims—Sport, Sport L, EX-L, and Sport Touring—come only as hybrids. The Camry offers more combinations. The base engine and the hybrid come in LE, SE, XLE, and XSE trims and the V-6 comes in XLE, XSE, and TRD trims.

MPG Comparison

Looking at fuel economy for nonhybrid models, the Accord and Camry are in a dead heat. Both are EPA-rated at up to 32 mpg combined, with that number applying to the Accord LX and EX and the Camry’s front-wheel-drive LE and SE trims. The Toyota’s numbers go down somewhat if you opt for either all-wheel drive or the XLE and XSE trim levels. In our real-world 75-mph highway fuel economy test, a 2023 Accord EX achieved 40 mpg and a 2022 Camry SE AWD achieved 36 mpg.

Accord EX

Michael Simari|Car and Driver

The Camry holds the advantage when comparing hybrids. The Camry LE hybrid has an impressive EPA rating of 52 mpg combined, while the Accord hybrid is rated at up to 48 mpg combined. The higher trim levels of the hybrids are rated lower, with the Camry hybrid SE, XSE, and XLE rated at 46 mpg combined and Accord hybrid’s Sport and Touring trims rated at 44 mpg combined.

Size and Dimensions

The Accord and Camry have always been roughly the same size, as both are mid-size sedans, but there are some differences in terms of interior space. The Honda offers slightly more passenger space, with a few more inches of rear-seat legroom, but the Camry offers more rear-seat headroom. Front-seat dimensions are extremely close between the two.

Michael Simari|Car and Driver

Michael Simari|Car and Driver

The Accord also has a bigger trunk, with a 17 cubic foot capacity versus the Camry’s 15 cubic foot trunk. In our testing, the Accord held 7 carryon suitcases in the trunk and the Camry held 6.

Trim Levels and Features

Both the Accord and Camry are available in a wide range of trim levels, with the lower-end trims meant for budget-minded buyers and the more expensive higher-end versions offering extra style, luxurious features, and sportier trim.

The Accord starts off with the LX and EX trims, both of which come with a decent level of standard features including automatic climate control, smartphone mirroring, remote start, and driver-assistance features. These are roughly equivalent to the Camry’s LE and SE models. To get nicer features such as leather seats, upgraded audio systems, you’ll have to shell out for the higher trims. For the Accord, this means EX-L, Sport-L, and Touring, and for the Camry this means XLE and XSE. The Camry offers many option packages within the trim-level structure, while the Accord doesn’t.

The Camry also offers a performance-oriented TRD trim level, and there’s no equivalent to this within the Accord lineup. The TRD comes standard with the V-6 engine, along with with stiffer suspension tuning, a big rear spoiler, and red interior accents.

Price

Honda hasn’t yet released pricing for the 2024 Accord, but 2023 pricing is as follows:

Accord LX: $28,390Accord EX: $30,705Accord Sport Hybrid: $32,990Accord EX-L Hybrid: $34,635Accord Sport-L Hybrid: $34,970Accord Touring Hybrid: $38,985

Pricing for the 2024 Camry is:

Camry LE: $27,515Camry SE: $29,055Camry LE Hybrid: $29,950Camry SE Hybrid: $31,485Camry XLE: $32,265Camry XSE: $32,815Camry TRD: $34,580Camry XLE Hybrid: $34,840Camry XSE Hybrid: $35,390Camry XLE V-6: $37,390Camry XSE V-6: $37,940