Is the 2021 Toyota Camry faster than the 2021 Honda Accord?
While most consumers are shifting away towards SUVs and Crossovers as their go-to choice for daily commuting. Brands like Toyota, Honda, Kia, and Mazda still have faith in their family sedans. And taking a closer look at these offerings really helps you understand why they ruled the market for so long. They’re quite practical, more comfortable, and even more refined than their jacked-up counterparts.
Today, we’ll be assessing two titans of the mid-size sedan segment, the 2021 Honda Accord, and the 2021 Toyota Camry. The Accord has received a light styling refresh for the 2021 model year that includes a tweaked grille design, optional LED headlamps, new alloy wheels, and a new paint scheme called Sonic Gray Pearl. On the inside, there are quite a few changes as well including the previously optional 8.0-inch touchscreen now being offered as standard. For the 2021 Model Year, the Camry comes with minuscule changes in the exterior, interior, and trim levels. The slightly revised front end, new paint schemes, and new wheel designs are noticeable on the outside. On the inside, there’s a new tablet-like infotainment system that measures 7.0 inches. And the base level L trim has been discarded, making the LE the cheapest Camry.
How do the 2021 Toyota Camry and 2021 Honda Accord compare on paper?
For this comparison, we will be choosing the ‘performance’ oriented trims of both cars. Admittedly, the Honda Accord Touring 2.0T isn’t exactly the performance trim but it does get Civic Type R’s 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, however, the similarities end there and it does not get Type R’s adaptive suspension or the limited-slip differential. The engine is good for 252 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. It is mated to the same muted and smooth-shifting 10-speed automatic transmission, unlike the hot hatch’s manual.
On the other hand the top of the line, Toyota TRD boasts a 3.5 L V6 engine that puts out 301 hp and 267 lb-ft of torque. The engine is mated to the same rather sluggish 8-speed automatic transmission Apart from the larger engine, the TRD also gets quite a few modifications over the base Camry. The TRD Camry has a lowered ride height, stiffer shocks with TRD-specific valving, new springs and bump-stops, and stiffer stabilizer bars. The hot sedan also boasts chassis braces, a cat-back exhaust, a retuned steering rack, larger brakes, and lighter wheels wrapped in Bridgestone Potenza summer tires. And all of this is on top of the rear spoiler, front splitter, and a body kit. So comparatively, there is a lot more going on with the top-of-the-line Camry than the Honda Touring.
However, do all of these changes really amount to real-life performance?
The 2021 Camry TRD will do the zero to 60 MPH run in about 5.8 seconds which is actually the same time as the Camry XSE variant. This might be due to the TRD weighing 170 pounds more than its other counterparts. On the other hand, the Honda Accord Touring manages to hit 60 miles from a dead stop in about 6.0 seconds flat. The Camry TRD will do the standing quarter-mile in about 14.4 seconds. And the Accord Touring will do the same in about 14.8 seconds. So, the Camry TRD is definitely faster but not by a lot.
However, this slight edge in straight-line speed quickly becomes a drastic lead when it comes to going around a track with tricky corners. The Accord Touring has no suspension upgrade and is meant to serve as a luxury trim for the entire lineup. As a result, the soft suspension setup along with a regular set of tires means that the Accord has a hard time catching up to the jacked-up Toyota Camry TRD.
Verdict:
Both sedans are the best in their lineup and frankly the most fun. Both of them deliver similar EPA fuel economy and braking performance. For more details on that check out our in-depth review. The Toyota Camry TRD is the clear winner when it comes to straight-line speed as well as going around the track. Compared to the Camry TRD, the Honda Accord Touring feels like an opportunity missed. Moreover, the Toyota Camry TRD is over 5 grand cheaper than the Honda Accord Touring. However, the Honda Accord Touring is certainly more luxurious, has more passengers, has more cargo space, and a larger touchscreen.
