Honda Accord coupe concept previews 9th generation model

2013 Honda Accord When the 2013 Honda Accord goes on sale this fall, it will pack one of three available powertrains, target class-leading fuel economy and sportier proportions. Honda previewed the ninth-generation model by taking the wraps off the 2013 Accord coupe concept at the Detroit auto show on Tuesday. If history holds true, the concept is more or less the production car wearing a little more jewelry than the car destined for showrooms. A revised four-sided honeycomb grille and sweeping taillights are probably true to production, but the fog lights surrounded by crystallized chrome inlays and 20-inch five-spoke wheels probably won't.
While the Accord coupe concept isn't a dramatic departure in the styling department from the current model, Honda is making some changes to the sedan and revealed that the four-door will have a smaller footprint. With a shortened wheelbase and less weight, Honda promises improvements in handling response and drive dynamics. However, Honda says the sedan and coupe will retain the cabin space of the current car.
Under the hood, a new 2.4-liter, direct-injection four-cylinder will pack at least 181 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque with improved fuel economy over its predecessor, which achieved an EPA rating of 23 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway when paired with the five-speed automatic transmission. Replacing the torque-converter automatic is a new continuously variable transmission that will help deliver class-leading fuel economy, according to Honda.
A revised 3.5-liter V6 remains on the option sheet for both the sedan and coupe, mated to a new six-speed automatic or an available six-speed manual transmission. Auto-equipped vehicles will have cylinder deactivation in a bid to achieve class-leading fuel economy. The 2012 Accord V6 sedan sports an EPA rating of 20 mpg city and 30 mpg highway.
Hybrid propulsion will also return to the lineup in 2013, with a new two-motor plug-in hybrid system in the sedan. Combined with a 2.0-liter, Atkinson cycle four-cylinder and a CVT, the Accord plug-in hybrid can operate on all-electric, a combo of gasoline and electric and all-gasoline propulsion. In all-electric mode, the lithium-ion battery is good for roughly 10 to 15 miles of city driving with a top speed of 62 mph. Fully recharging the 6-kilowatt-hour battery takes less than four hours on a 120-volt outlet and less than 1.5 hours with 240-volt service. Sales of the plug-in hybrid begin in winter.
In addition to all of the drivetrain news, the 2013 Accord will offer safety features such as lane-departure warning, forward crash warning and a Honda-exclusive LaneWatch blind-spot display that uses a camera mounted on the passenger mirror for an improved view of the passenger side.