Honda Accord vs Volkswagen Passat - The better pick

Honda Accord vs Volkswagen Passat - The better pick

In the automotive industry, the mid-size sedan segment has become oversaturated nowadays; nearly every brand offers a mid-size sedan, if not multiple. Synonymous with suburban living and commuting, capable performance and technology, the mid-size sedans are too good to pass up. So when a ton of incredible sedans is available in the market, it is hard to find the best one if you are looking for a new ride.

Two of the most competitive ones are the Honda Accord and the Volkswagen Passat. The two icons have been competing against one another for decades, and it seems that they are at the top of their game in 2020.

Volkswagen launched the all-new Passat for 2020 with styling tweaks and slight modifications at heart, whereas Honda also revamped the old Accord in terms of design and equipment recently.

Let’s explore the spec to spec comparison of the 2020 Honda Accord and 2020 Volkswagen Passat.

Honda Accord vs Volkswagen Passat

Dimensions

Measurements

Honda Accord

Volkswagen Passat

Difference

Length

4901 mm

4775 mm

Accord is 126 mm longer

Width

1862 mm

1832 mm

Accord is 30 mm wider

Height

1450 mm

1462 mm

Passat is 12 mm taller

Wheelbase

2830 mm

2786 mm

Accord has 44 mm longer wheelbase

Boot space

570 litres

586 litres

Passat has 16 litres more boot space

Both sedans fit neatly into the mid-size sedan segment, but the Accord is slightly larger and wider than Passat, which means more legroom and shoulder room inside the cabin. The Passat is a bit taller than the Accord, but this size difference is not significant enough to make a noticeable impact on maneuverability. Moreover, Passat also has a larger boot space, which is quite surprising.

Exterior

Honda Accord is no longer a traditional sedan. Instead, it became a fastback with a significant design overhaul, which looks similar to the latest Civic. At the front, there is a large chrome wing flanked by narrow LED headlights and a larger grille that goes all the way down to the sharper bumper; housing slim LED fog lamps. The new Accord gets a sloping roofline just like a coupe with a neat kinked window line. There are wrap-around tail lights with integrated twin exhausts garnished in chrome for a premium look at the rear. Accord comes with 17- and 18-inch alloy wheels options.

Honda Accord vs Volkswagen Passat

Volkswagen Passat features a redesigned dual-slat grille edged by IQ Light Matrix LED headlights system having LED DRL. The system houses dynamic cornering light and dynamic range control. The air intakes also have a new design, and under the front fog lights, the ‘wing’ design is present with a body-colored strip. The side profile is elongated thanks to the sloping roofline. The sedan rides on 18-inch ‘Liverpool’ alloys.

Interior

Specifications

Honda Accord

Volkswagen Passat

Infotainment display

8-inch Advanced Display Audio

9.2-inch Discover Pro Navigation

Instrument cluster

7-inch TFT display

11.7-inch Digital Cockpit

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

Yes

Wireless

Speakers

10 with subwoofer

8

Climate control

Dual-zone

Tri-zone

Front seat control

Driver- 8 -way powered with memory function and lumbar support

Passenger- 4-way powered with shoulder switch

Driver- 12 -way powered with memory and lumbar support

Passenger- 12-way powered 

Rear Air vents

Yes

Yes

USB ports

2 front, 2 rear

Type C - 2 front, 1 centre console

Upholstery

Leather, Black

Combination leather, black

Honda Accord cabin vs Volkswagen Passat cabin

The Accord’s cabin is precisely what one expects from a luxury Japanese sedan. It has throne-style plush leather-trimmed seats, a broad symmetrical dash look, and familiar Honda touchpoints throughout. While the cabin of the new Passat is much like the outgoing model, business class all the way. It looks premium, but the broad flat dash features restrained styling, housing modern media system.

More importantly, the difference lies in terms of features where we see that the Passat is slightly better-equipped.

Engine

Specifications

Honda Accord

Volkswagen Passat

Engine

1.5-litre VTEC turbo-petrol 

2.0TSI turbocharged direct injection petrol

Maximum power

201 PS @ 5,500 rpm

190 PS @ 4,180 - 6000 rpm

Peak torque

260 Nm @ 1,600 and 5,000 rpm

320 Nm @ 1500 - 4180 rpm

Transmission

Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT)

DSG 7-speed direct shift 

Fuel economy

6.3 litres per 100 km

6.5 litres per 100 km

From the above table, it is pretty clear that Volkswagen Passant wins the race against Honda Accord on the mechanical front. Accord is powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 201 PS and 260 Nm, which is not that bad compared to other players in the segment, while Passat holds a segment-leading 320 Nm of torque.

Although the smaller capacity engine also has an advantage, Accord claims to have a fuel consumption of 15.8, whereas Passat scores 15.3 on this front, still a good one.

Safety

VW Passat vs Honda Accord safety

Specifications

Honda Accord

Volkswagen Passat

Airbags

6

6

Anti‑Lock Braking System (ABS)

Yes

Yes

Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD)

Yes

Yes

Hill Start Assist (HSA)

Yes

No

Brake Assist (BA)

Yes

Yes

Security Alarm With Immobiliser

Yes

Yes

Collision Mitigation Braking System

Yes

No

Forward Collision Warning

Yes

No

Lane Keep Assist System

Yes

No

Lane Departure Warning

Yes

No

Honda has paid special attention to safety; the sedan is well-packed with an array of safety bits. In addition to the standard ones, the top-spec Accord TC-P also gets the Honda Sensing Safety suite. On the other side of the pool, Volkswagen Passat Elegance stands neck to neck against the standard 1.5TC Honda Accord, as the standard safety features are pretty much the same.

Price

Here is a look at the Honda Accord price and Volkswagen Passat price:

Model 

Price

Model

Price

Honda Accord 1.5 TC

RM 177,863

Volkswagen Passat 2.0 TSI Elegance

RM 182,878

Honda Accord 1.5 TC-P

RM 187,050

   

Verdict

The sedan is part of Honda’s DNA that holds a dedicated fanbase who won’t buy anything else. So, if you are one of those, then the new Accord is just right for you. It is elegant inside and out, more spacious, equips better safety equipment list, and has more horsepower. While the new Passat sneaks with a more luxurious feeling, better driveability, and a remarkable checklist of features. So, it all boils down to what really matters to you.

Also read: Volkswagen launched Passat UNITED and Tiguan UNITED models

Sippi Vig

Sippi Vig

Sippi is a versatile writer and specializes in crafting both blog articles and site content for the automotive industry. Her strong analytical skills help in curating articles backed with stong number analysis for our audience. She enjoys reviewing the latest cars/models and describing new technologies. She holds a master of business administration degree in finance and marketing. When she’s not working, she enjoys travel, adventure, reading, and gardening.

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