Facelifted Honda Accord revealed; 11hi-res images

Three days back we showed you the pictures of a facelifted Accord undergoing testing and today Honda have officially revealed the same. The new model shows improvements in two key aspects – styling and economy. Abroad, the new Accord will hit dealerships in the middle of August while Honda might bring the new model to India sometime during September or October.

Hit the jump for more information 11 high resolution images.

The facelifted Accord gets refreshed styling like the presence of a prominent ‘V’ cut in the front bumper (everybody is doing it these days, from Maruti to Mercedes), new radiator grille and redesigned rear bumper and deck lid. Also new are the alloy wheels as well as the addition of a special variant called SE that comes equipped with leather interiors. Honda has upped the features list with the addition of powered drivers seat with memory function, rear view camera and an USB based audio system. One point of complaint in the Accord were the array of buttons in the centre console which have now been repositioned – the climate-control buttons are now positioned on the right side of the control stack, closer to the driver for ease-of-use, and less-frequently used buttons are now positioned on the left side.

The 2.4L i-Vtec engine is available in two states of tune – 177bhp and 190bhp while the 3.5L V6 engine now produces 271bhp. The V6, as we know comes with Variable Cylinder Management that shuts off 3 cylinders when cruising to improve economy. Transmission options remain the same with 5-speed manual and automatic gearboxes doing duty. Honda claim an improvement of 0.5km/l in the fuel efficiency of the V6 while the 4-cylinder model sees a little above 1km/l rise.

In the safety aspect, Honda have got you covered with something called Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) which represents an exclusive body design that enhances occupant protection and crash compatibility in frontal crashes. Back here in India, we are expecting Honda to launch the Accord with a 2.2L i-CTDi diesel to take on the Superb and Passat. Expect marginal hike in prices when the new Accord goes on sale.