Battle of the traditionally staid sedans
You know which vehicle won our recent Accord vs. Camry comparison test, but now it’s time to take a look at the design differences between the two midsizers. Fresh off redesigns for the 2018 model year, both vehicles now feature bolder sheetmetal, making it clear they are jockeying for sedan buyers’ attention. So which one wins the styling crown?
When it comes to the front end design, the Accord features a structured look dominated by horizontal lines. The grille is flat and consists of rectangular shapes, while the Toyota features a more layered look. Some trim levels of the Camry have silver grille slats that wrap across from one end of the front fascia to the other, while others have a grille dominated by trapezoid and rhombus shapes. Meanwhile, the Honda features fog lights slotted below the headlights, unlike the Toyota. Overall, we’d say the Toyota looks a bit more three dimensional, which perhaps makes it more visually interesting up front. And we might dock a few points from the Honda because of its silver bar that cuts into the top of the headlights, creating a furrowed eyebrow look.
The Accord shares the same overall length as the Camry, except SE and XSE Camrys are longer by just a hair. While you won’t notice any differences in length, the two cars appear quite distinct in shape when examining them from their side profiles. The Toyota appears to have a rounded snout while the Accord’s nose comes down sharply into an almost 90-degree angle. Compared to the Camry, the Accord features more structured character lines that run across the side. One consistent line on top of the doors runs from the hood to the rear, compared to the Camry that has a more fluid line in the same area. Harsh lines run across the lower portion of the doors on the Accord, while the Camry features a softer indentation.
In the rear, the Accord dons the same C-shaped taillights as the Civic. However, the Camry has more typical taillights. Both cars feature small rear decklid spoilers and sculpted rear bumpers. The Toyota gets “Camry” badging between the taillights.
Just like much of the exterior, the Camry features more fluid lines in its interior compared to the Accord. The Camry’s infotainment screen sits on a curved upper center console that melds into the lower area near the cupholders. The dashboard also features swoopy, dramatic lines. Meanwhile, the Accord is once again dominated by boxier shapes. A rectangular infotainment screen sits on top of the dashboard, while the Camry’s screen is embedded in. Both feature 8-inch infotainment screens and 7-inch digital instrument cluster displays.
Which sedan wins the styling showdown?