Dick Hannah Honda 3321 NE Auto Mall Dr. Vancouver, WA
January 5, 2017
Comparable in base price and overall fuel economy, the 2017 Honda Accord and the 2017 Mazda 6 will likely both be on your shortlist of sedan options as you’re shopping. But which option will give you the most for your money?
The Mazda 6 comes in a four-door sedan option, with three trim levels: the Sport, the Touring, and the Grand Touring. You’ll find the standard sedan design in the Mazda 6 (halogen headlights, rear window antenna, chrome dual exhaust, 17-inch wheels) with upgrades like rain-sensing windshield wipers and integrated turn signals available on higher trim levels. The interior offers 99.7 cubic feet of passenger room and 14.8 cubic feet of cargo room. With aerodynamic angles and attention to design, the Mazda 6 is a sedan that is trying to set itself apart from the pack.
The Honda Accord looks like a Honda Accord, which is why it remains one of the most popular vehicles on the market. Recognizable and impressive, the Accord doesn’t just offer the standard options-it, overall, offers more to the buyer than the Mazda 6. First comes the body style-the Accord comes in both a two-door coupe and a four-door sedan model. The coupe design is a sporty combination of curves and angles with a cockpit that looks like a plane and not a car, and the sedan offers a luxury look at a budget price. With the Accord, you’re not locked into a sedan if you don’t want to be. The Accord sedan is roomier and more comfortable for passengers than the Mazda 6 as well, with 103.2 cubic feet of passenger space, and offers more cargo room (with 15.8 cubic feet available).
If you’re looking for the bells and whistles of safety packages, you will probably find them on the upgraded Mazda 6 trims. The standard Mazda safety package, though, is fairly basic: front and side airbags, anti-lock brakes, stability and traction control, and a rearview camera. They add a few extras, like brake assist and hill launch assist, and they must be doing something right because they have achieved a 5-star crash rating for their 2017 model.
The Honda Accord layers its safety features, beginning with Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) on the construction of the body. ACE helps to diffuse the impact of front crashes, minimizing the forces not only on the Honda but also on the other vehicle involved. On top of this feature, they add the standards-airbags, anti-lock brakes, variable assisted steering, traction control-along with a multi-angle rearview camera with guidelines. Upgraded trims can also have the extra features of the Honda Sensing package, which offers swerve and crash warnings, as well as collision mitigation braking to minimize the impact of a crash. The layered levels of safety features helps put the Accord ahead in safety.
The Accord is built to make your entertainment package work better, with active noise cancellation and speed sensitive volume, but the entertainment package isn’t really anything to particularly sing about. The sedan’s base model offers a 4-speaker stereo, while the coupe boasts a 6-speaker option, with the features that drivers have come to expect: AM/FM/CD/MP3 along with Bluetooth hands-free capability and text message reading as well. Upgraded trims offer upgraded options, but the Accord’s entertainment system is exactly what you would expect from a sedan of this size and price.
The Mazda6 offers a higher level of entertainment in its standard package, with a 6-speaker stereo that features a 7-inch color full touch screen display. In addition to the AM/FM/CD/MP3 playback features and Bluetooth connectivity, the Mazda offers Mazda CONNECT, an entertainment package that offers voice commands, HD radio, text message reading, and Pandora, among others. Mazda’s basic entertainment package simply outshines the standard Honda package in the Mazda6.
In terms of features that help keep driving life convenient, the Mazda6 and the Honda Accord are, for the most part, well-matched. The Mazda6 offers remote keyless entry, two 12-volt power outlets, a variety of storage areas, a six-way manual driver’s seat, power windows and doors, and steering wheel-mounted controls for both the cruise control and the stereo.
In terms of features that help keep driving life convenient, the Mazda6 and the Honda Accord are, for the most part, well-matched. The Mazda6 offers remote keyless entry, two 12-volt power outlets, a variety of storage areas, a six-way manual driver’s seat, power windows and doors, and steering wheel-mounted controls for both the cruise control and the stereo. The Honda Accord offers about the same and adds a few extras like a dual-zone climate control system. Really, these features go toe-to-toe, but if you’re keeping score, the Honda squeaks out a win here.
Both the Mazda6 and the Honda Accord make a safe, reliable sedan. But if you’re looking for more options overall, the Honda Accord is the way to go. With a comparable base price, the Honda offers more passenger room, a few extra features, and real choices in terms of body style.
*Any MPG listed is based on model year EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary, depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions, battery-pack age/condition (hybrid only), and other factors. For additional information about EPA ratings, visit https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/label/learn-more-PHEV-label.shtml.
** Government 5-Star Safety Ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA’s) New Car Assessment Program. Model tested with standard side airbags (SABs). For additional information on the 5-Star Safety Ratings program, please visit www.nhtsa.gov.