Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Honda Accord vs Toyota Camry

1…2930323435…55

Comments

  • talon95talon95 Member Posts: 1,110
    "The Camry can be ordered with side air bags and curtains. Also, the SE actually out handles and Accord in test magazines. However, the Accord has slightly better crash scores."

    Numbers tell only part of the story when discussing handling. While the Camry SE got slightly higher handling numbers, Car and Driver found its handling uninspiring. The Accord, on the other hand, got several paragraphs praising its accurate steering with excellent feedback and its responsive handling.

    Similarly, in testing the Camry LE and Accord LX, Motor Trend got slightly higher numbers with the Camry, but they greatly preferred the Accord's handling. On the Camry, they said:

    "However, frustratingly long brake-pedal stroke, less-than-communicative steering, and floppy body motions in high-g stopping or avoidance maneuvers give one pause--which is surprising because the Camry LE didn't do badly in our at-the-limit performance testing. It isn't that the Camry can't do what it's told to do, it just feels out of its element when asked to work up a sweat. Lacking the verve that comes with precise control, the Camry LE doesn't engage the driver who looks forward to a challenging piece of road."

    Their comments on the Accord:

    "The Accord is fast on its feet, agile and responsive dashing around town, and stable and predictable on the highway.... The car feels premium without giving away any communication with the road. Although the Accord's ultimate braking and handling numbers aren't reflective of the positive everyday driving experience, we cite the hard compound and low-rolling-resistance mileage orientation on the standard-fitment Michelin MXV4 tires as the culprit."

    http://motortrend.com/roadtests/sedan/112_0304_fam/index.html

    These testers have the necessary skills to push a car to its limits, regardless of how confident the car feels when it gets there, skills that your average driver lacks. So you have to look beyond the numbers to get the whole story. When you factor in the subjective side of handling, which speaks to the feeling of precision and control, the Accord has the edge over the Camry.
  • lmacmillmacmil Member Posts: 1,758
    "When you factor in the subjective side of handling, which speaks to the feeling of precision and control, the Accord has the edge over the Camry."

    This is no doubt true but most people, in most driving situations, won't notice the handling difference. They will notice the ride difference. Still a very personal decision.
  • talon95talon95 Member Posts: 1,110
    I fully agree that it's a personal decision, but I strongly disagree that most people won't notice the handling difference. The Accord's superbly precise steering and excellent steering feel are things that I and many other Accord owners appreciate every day, in the city, on the highway, everywhere we drive.

    As for the ride, sure, you'll notice, but don't assume that the Camry's softer ride is a slam dunk in the ride category. There are plenty of people out there who prefer the greater feel of stability and control provided by a firmer ride.
  • liuhaisliuhais Member Posts: 5
    thanks for your reply !
    but i think i have to stick to my budget, c$31000, so, i can only choose Camry SE or Accord LX. I can't afford VSC or Traction control... because if I add some options to Camry, I can also add good ones to Accord... while only Camry XLE v6 has VCS option and Traction control.
    Can anyone else give me more suggestion about this two model: 2005 Camry SE or 2005 Accord LX.
    I have to make the offer this weekend because I just made the deal to sell my car.
    Thanks once again !
  • liuhaisliuhais Member Posts: 5
    I still wonder why in Canada Camry has better sale than Accord, while I found most reports said Accord has better score...
    confusing...
    thanks!
  • bd21bd21 Member Posts: 437
    Camrys must be set up differently up there. You can buy every Camry sold in the US, except the Standard Model with the GU Package, which includes stability control, traction control, brake assist, and side airbags & curtains for under $1,100 as an option. A power driver's seat is standard on all Camry's except the Standard version. When you compare the actual price people pay at the dealer between a Honda Accord LX and a Camry SE with Package GU, it's almost a wash. Look at Edmund's TMV price and I have always paid at least $500 less than they list for TMV. Also, Toyota regularly offers a $1,000/$1,500 factory rebate in the states. Again, compare the price you will actually pay, not retail. I own two Honda's, and I like them. But with your concerns I would go with the Camry, if you like the way it drives. Again, they are both good cars, but they feel distinctly differently on the road!
  • hmurphyhmurphy Member Posts: 278
    Having owned both, I wouldn't say that the Accord really stood out as handling better. It was a little firmer than the Camry, but I liked the ride of both about equally. I never felt like the Accord was any more "glued to the road" than the Camry.

    My husband always found the Accord a bit too firm, and preferred the Camry's cushiness, which was more like that of his Lexus.

    I guess there are just "cush" people and "firm" people. I liked both cars about equally, but I never felt that the Accord's handling blew the Camry away.
  • talon95talon95 Member Posts: 1,110
    "I guess there are just "cush" people and "firm" people. I liked both cars about equally, but I never felt that the Accord's handling blew the Camry away."

    All of this is subjective and each of us will have our own take on it. From my perspective, the Accord's advantage in handling and steering are quite evident. And not that they supersede anyone's personal opinion, but clearly the experts at the auto mags agree.
  • carzzzcarzzz Member Posts: 282
    Just wondering why dont you go for V6 LE instead, the 4 cyc sux... even with the SE suspension, still does not corner that better! btw camry sucks! (maybe better than some other american brand)
    Many of the predecessor has problem down the road esp the 4th gen (1997-2001), even the "toyota dealer" said it "stinks" + "doesnt last for too long" + "doesnt find much on the road", just wondering will it apply to the 5th gen?
    I also heard about price is very "sticky" in Ontario (i live there too you cannot get much of a discount/under MSRP! I also dont know why it is "overpopular" with "TOYOTA RELIABILITY", maybe people did not have "bad" experience with "Toyota" like Camry (but i do)! Nowadays, i am not sure how will good is the 5th gen of Camry (down the road)? If I am you, i would go for accord!
  • hmurphyhmurphy Member Posts: 278
    "All of this is subjective and each of us will have our own take on it."

    Quite true. That was just my take.

    Expert and owner opinions aside, there's no substitute for a thorough test drive. That will settle it for most people.
  • camrysev6ownercamrysev6owner Member Posts: 66
    I used to own a 97 Camry LE 4 Cylinder. At the end of 2002 I wanted to trade in that car. I had to decide between a Camry, Accord, and Altima. I thought the 97 Camry was a relatively good car. No major problems for the 5 years that I've driven it. Minor problems included suspension noise, weak brakes, unstable idling when at a traffic light occassionally. The suspension noise was fixed under warranty.

    I found that the Camry LE's suspension setup was a bit too soft for my taste, especially for cornering. It was great on the bumpy city roads in downtown Toronto, however. I also found the looks too bland, as everyone would agree.

    I've test driven the Altima, Accord and Camry SE. However, I chose the Camry over the others. Why?

    ALTIMA: I found that the materials used in the Altima's interior couldn't match those even in my 97 Camry. So it didn't make sense for me to trade my Camry in for the Altima. That doesn't mean that the Altima isn't a good car. It has a more sporty look than the Camry, firmer suspension which I liked, and a powerful 4 cylinder engine.

    ACCORD: I swore that I would trade in my Camry for an Accord at the time when I still owned my 97 Camry. The 2003 Accord was definitely a great car. It's suspension is soft enough to be comfy, but firm enough to be sporty. The engine was relatively powerful and the interior materials bettered those in the 97 Camry. So why didn't I go for the Accord? ITS LOOKS! I liked its front, it's side, but the TAILIGHTS just threw me off! I couldn't stand those awkwardly shaped tailights that ran across its trunklid. If it wasn't for that, I would've chosen the Accord, DEFINITELY.

    Camry: So I went to trade in my 97 Camry for a 03 Camry SE V6 without leather. I prefered its looks over the Altima or the Accord. Some would find the looks, even the SE, more conservative than the other two. But I don't think so. It looks aggressive in an elegant way, in my opinion. I found that the price of my Camry SE V6 was lower than the Altima or Accord V6. The Altima and Accord's V6 had to be fully loaded at the time I was shopping for a new car. So if I wanted a V6 I had to go with some options I didn't want but that could save me a bundle if I opt out on. My Camry SE V6 only has front driver and passenger airbags, no leather seats, no VSC, no CD Changer. I really wanted the leather seats, but I didn't want to get the package. So, just need to live with the lint attracting upholstery which does have a high grade feel to it. It does have everything else I want in a car though. Moonroof, foglights, spoiler, good-looking dash, 4 wheel discs, heated rearview mirrors and more.

    MY ADVICE: Don't listen to others. Camry and Accord are both good cars. Do what your heart tells you. Choose the car that can satisfy YOUR needs and not the needs of someone else.
  • carzzzcarzzz Member Posts: 282
    "MY ADVICE: Don't listen to others. Camry and Accord are both good cars. Do what your heart tells you. Choose the car that can satisfy YOUR needs and not the needs of someone else."
    I agree with you

    But, i would think that the 4th gen camry is very crappy... also think that the 5th gen will not too much better. Yes, the suspension is extremely soft on regular LE model (both gen), the interior is full of cheap toy plastic, just like the predecessor (easily to see scratch mark) when i sit inside a 2005 model, it feeling almost the same, is just a little bigger and have a 2nd row middle-head-rest.

    ALso, dont know why you think/make you like camry so much... maybe you did not find as much fault as I did!

    Noise: quit noisy outside, but the inside is okay... try to drive parallel with another camry (NOT V6), OPEN the window and listen, the noise level is comparable with a windstar, but they got good sound insulation inside which make many people think is a quite car

    Alignment: Hands can never not leave off the steering, it cannot travel in a straight-line, with 3 different sets of tires + proper pressure, 2 different dealer repairing...

    Poor traction: easy to slip, when acceleration and braking, (even with new tire/snowtire), when a trailer is beside you on hwy, it drags you towards it... only travelling about 100km/hr

    Oversoft steering, oversoft suspension, etc...

    And alot of consumer report/ comparison test put Accord ahead of Camry! just think about why it happens!
  • lmacmillmacmil Member Posts: 1,758
    Clearly your opinion and Camry experience differs from that of others. That doesn't make either opinion less valid. You have different requirements and different perceptions. Question for my own curiosity: what is your native language?
  • richards38richards38 Member Posts: 606
    My '04 Accord EX-L sedan's ride seems to have smoothed out a bit after tires, etc. were broken in.

    There was some harshness when brand new, but the Accord is very comfortable now. I keep tires inflated a bit over pressures recommended and the car still rides well......Richard
  • camrysev6ownercamrysev6owner Member Posts: 66
    Thanks for your response regarding my opinion. In response to your question about why I like the Camry so much, you are right! I didn't find as many defects as you did in the Camry!

    My Camry was assembled in Japan back when I bought it in 2002 (It's actually a 2003 model). Don't know if that would make a difference when it comes to finishing. Minor rattles aside, it is a well built car. I'm actually very pleased with its top-notch plastic. Almost all the plastic that I come into contact with while driving has a soft touch to it. Even the semi-gloss plastic on the pillars look nice (it almost looks like fabric!)

    I agree that a lot of car mags rank the Accord higher than the Camry. I would too, if it weren't for its looks. My opinion still stands, however, that the tailights are not so appealing. Frankly, they are too ugly for my taste.

    My conclusion is that the Camrys that you looked at were not from Canada (where I bought mine from) or that you just simply hate the Camry! It's not surprising because I know a lot of people hate the Camry, I respect their opinions despite the fact that I own one! Afterall, everybody has different tastes.
  • carzzzcarzzz Member Posts: 282
    Alright, maybe i was a little too furious about this car + over estimate about its reliability... anywayz, have fun with your camry V6 SE...

    Just buy what you want/need! Different people have different thoughts!
  • autoguy1autoguy1 Member Posts: 87
    Maybe this is due to my lack of other cars but shouldn't the car be noisy when the windows are opened? Is the Accord quiet with the windows opened? I just don't understand why Carzzz saids that.
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    You should re-read carzzz postings. There are plenty of words, but not much said is substantial. Sure that comment doesnt make much sense.... quite a few dont.

    One note: Honda deserves tons of credit for making side airbags and curtains standard on the Accord this year. Hopefully other automakers will follow suit.

    ~alpha
  • carzzzcarzzz Member Posts: 282
    Yes, the accord is quietter with the windows opened! When you are driving beside a Camry, it is very noisy (loud) with opened windows! One thing a admire about toyota is the sound-insulation! That's why people say it is a quite car!
    Warm up the I4 engine and open the hood, listen and compare top brands like accord, altima, camry, etc and see which is the quietest of all!
  • carzzzcarzzz Member Posts: 282
    I dont care about spelling! I did not have time to do spell check, no "brain-storming" ideas, is not an essay writing who cares!
  • carzzzcarzzz Member Posts: 282
    Here is the side-by-side comparison from toyota.ca

    Camry VS Accord

      Capacities
      it has more legroom in the rear (960mm vs 935mm)
      it has more rear hiproom (1 374mm versus 1 359mm)
      it has more front shoulderroom (1 461mm versus 1 445mm)
      it has more rear shoulderroom (1 440mm versus 1 425mm)
      there is more interior cargo volume (473L versus 396L)
      it has a greater interior maximum cargo volume (473L versus 396L)
      the exterior height is greater (1 490mm versus 1 449mm)
      it has a larger fuel tank (70 L versus 65 L)
     
      Convenience
      it has more speakers (6 versus 4)
      it has steering wheel controls for the radio
      it has a power trunk/hatch/door release
      it has more 12V DC power outlet(s) (3 versus 2)
      it has an auto locking feature
      it has the PRNDL in the instrument panel
      it has variable intermittent front wipers
     
      Driveability
      it has a smaller turning radius (5.3m versus 5.9m)
      it has a rear anti-roll bar
     
      Exterior
      features a power left hand door mirror
      it includes a heated driver mirror
      features a power remote right hand door mirror
      it includes a heated passenger mirror
      it has body-coloured door handles
      it has fully automatic headlamps
     
      Interior
      it has front reading lights
      it has ignition switch lights
      it has a mini overhead console
      it has overhead console storage
      it has a rear cupholder
      it utilizes a carpet trim on the trunk lid
      it has carpet cargo mats
     
      Powertrain
      its engine has more torque (163 lb.-ft. @ 4 000 rpm vs 161 lb.-ft. @ 4 500 rpm)
      it includes a battery with run down protection
      it has an automatic transmission
      its transmission includes lock-up
      its transmission includes electronic control
      it has a transmission oil cooler
     
      Seating
      it has lumbar support for the driver seat
      it has more rear head restraints (3 versus 2)
      it has a centre rear armrest
     
      Warranty
      it has a greater accessories warranty period (unlimited distance versus 60 000 km)
     
      Wheels & Tires
      it has wider tires (205mm versus 195mm)
      it has a full-size spare tire
  • richards38richards38 Member Posts: 606
    I tested the Camry last year and liked the engine and transmission (4 cyl. LE) but the ride was too soft and interior too bland for me.

    The Mazda 6i handled and braked the best, but it's drive train was crude--slow on initial acceleration and clunky automatic trans that hunted for the proper gear on hills, etc.

    The Accord had the Camry's mechanical smoothness and power with much of the tight riding qualities of the Mazda, so had the best features of both cars IMO.

    The Accord's interior is very classy--looks like a "near luxury" car.

    I think the average age of Camry drivers is 58 and the Accord average age is 53--a bit more youthful. I really don't care about that, but I don't want a car that's too geezerish--I'm 66 and enough of a geezer without driving something to prove it ;-)

    My Accord is now 14 months old and I like it better every time I drive it.........Richard
  • lmacmillmacmil Member Posts: 1,758
    You should care about spelling and grammar too. Posts that are full of spelling and grammatical errors are quite often dismissed because the reader perceives the writer to be illiterate. I suspect many readers of this forum skip your posts because they are difficult to read and understand.
  • mcgirl0730mcgirl0730 Member Posts: 78
    I love driving my Camry everytime, too. I don't even mind driving in traffic! I have never driven an Accord, so I can't really say that the Camry is better or the Accord is better. I've always had Toyotas. My first 2 cars were Corollas, and the Camry is my third.
  • carguy58carguy58 Member Posts: 2,303
    "I think the average age of Camry Drivers is 58 and the Accord average age is 53-a bit more youthful."

    I read somewhere the average age of Camry buyers is 51 and the average age of Accord buyer is 44. I wonder why my info is different than yours.
  • carzzzcarzzz Member Posts: 282
    lol... where you get those info from?
  • hmurphyhmurphy Member Posts: 278
    I heard something like that, too. There are always exceptions, of course. I bought a Camry when I was 24 and an Accord when I was 31, and a lot of my friends bought Accords in their 20's.

    Maybe we were a little wiser than our peers :-)
  • richards38richards38 Member Posts: 606
    The Camry is an excellent car if you prefer a soft ride. The Accord's ride is much firmer and not for everybody. Both cars are well manufactured and have excellent service records, too....Richard
  • anonymouspostsanonymousposts Member Posts: 3,802
    I bought my first new Accord at 19. I also bought a new Accord at 21, 23, 24, and 25.
  • 307web307web Member Posts: 1,033
    So, according to Toyota, the Honda Accord is worse in every way.
  • lmacmillmacmil Member Posts: 1,758
    "I bought my first new Accord at 19. I also bought a new Accord at 21, 23, 24, and 25."

    Sounds like you're a candidate for leasing (unless you're driving >15K miles/year).
  • mcgirl0730mcgirl0730 Member Posts: 78
    If anonymousposts is Honda girl, I am Toyota girl. I've only had Toyotas. 94 Corolla, 99 Corolla, and 04 Camry.
  • peter panpeter pan Member Posts: 75
    People preferring the tough seats, firm ride and light feels of Honda's Accords can buy Toyota's Corollas for about $5,000 less.

    Corollas don't have as much power or features as the Accords, but the ride and the feels are very similar....
  • richards38richards38 Member Posts: 606
    I like the Corolla but didn't consider it because it didn't offer side curtain airbags which were standard on the Accord EX-L........Richard
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    Then you'll be happy (or at least interested) to know that side curtains are now available on all Corollas. Quite a few LEs that Ive seen on the lots, additionally, have had them, so its not a brochure-only option.

    VSC, however, is another story. Good luck finding a Corolla or a 4 cylinder Camry with that incredibly valuable safety feature.

    ~alpha
  • richards38richards38 Member Posts: 606
    Thanks, but it's too late because I did my car buying in Aug.,'03 and picked the '04 Accord EX-L 4 cyl. AT sedan that has standard curtain airbags. It's a great car! Drives beautifully and I feel safe in it.

    Yes, it's more costly than the Corolla, but it's one size up and I favored the Accord over the Camry because of the Accord's tighter ride and classier interior styling.

    For a small car, the Toyota Corolla is more appealing to me than the Honda Civic; however, the new class leader in that segment appears to be the Mazda 3 that's said to be REALLY good for a compact. I wanted to move up to a mid-sized car and the Accord is ideal for my purposes...Richard
  • talon95talon95 Member Posts: 1,110
    "People preferring the tough seats, firm ride and light feels of Honda's Accords can buy Toyota's Corollas for about $5,000 less.

    Corollas don't have as much power or features as the Accords, but the ride and the feels are very similar..."

    This is actually a better money-saving tip for someone considering a Camry SE. Both the Corolla and the Camry SE will give you a firmer riding car that still steers and handles like a Camry.

    If you want a car with an Accord-style firm ride that also handles like an Accord, the Corolla, as fine a car as it is, isn't that car.
  • anonymouspostsanonymousposts Member Posts: 3,802
    We drive too much to lease. Although the latest Accord is leased along with a leased Ody. We get a total of 27,000 per year between them and we will probably use most of those plus another 20,000 or so on our Si.
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,148
    An Edmunds.com reporter wants your opinion: “What are the coolest cars for soccer moms?” Please email jhelperin@edmunds.com with which vehicles you like and why. Please respond by this Monday, 11/8, with “soccer moms” in the subject line.

    MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
    Need help navigating? kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
    Share your vehicle reviews

  • mcgirl0730mcgirl0730 Member Posts: 78
    Which one has faster acceleration from 0 to 60? The Accord LX V6 or the Camry SE V6?
  • carzzzcarzzz Member Posts: 282
    about the same 7.0 sec for both... from auto.consumerguide.com
  • rueshanrueshan Member Posts: 32
    ... you should keep in mind that the Accord is doing this with regular fuel, while the Camry needs premium fuel to achieve this 0-60 time. You can use regular fuel and go against Toyota's recommendation, however you will take a performance hit on acceleration times. On the other hand, the Accord will improve on that figure with premium fuel.
  • lmacmillmacmil Member Posts: 1,758
    On what do you base the statement that the Accord will perform better on premium? Although an engine that needs premium will operate with reduced performance on regular, the converse is generally not true.
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    The owners manual of the Camry does not require premium for ANY model, but it recommends it for best performance. Sound familiar?

    And the 3.3L Camry will trump the Accord in passing manuevers...

    ~alpha
  • rueshanrueshan Member Posts: 32
    ... but only to the V6 Accord, this does not apply to the 4 cyl Accord or to cars in general. When the 2003 Accord was first released this technical detail was noted in many reviews, and since then it has been proven on the dyno... but Honda uses knock sensors that allow the V6 to use lower octane fuel. This should not be very difficult to accept, since Toyota makes the same claim for the Camry, saying that you can run regular fuel and still operate normally with reduced performance. It just isn't reasonable for a Camry owner to use regular fuel and drive around thinking that he or she still has a performance advantage over an Accord with the same type of fuel, because whatever small advantage was there (only a slight bump in passing time) is wiped out by the cheaper fuel.
  • talon95talon95 Member Posts: 1,110
    "And the 3.3L Camry will trump the Accord in passing manuevers..."

    Not by everyone's measure... CR shows the ES330 with the 3.3L V6 as turning 45-65 at 5.5 seconds, while the Accord V6 turns 4.2 seconds.

    And there's less than 100 lbs. difference in curb weight between the Camry and the ES, so I believe it's a pretty accurate comparison.
  • peter panpeter pan Member Posts: 75
    I just find out from the link below that all Honda's engines are interference, i.e. if the timing belt breaks, the pistons could intefere and thereby damaging the valves, cam shafts etc... which could be very expensive to repair. Recommended belt replacement is each 60K miles.

    http://www.gates.com/downloads/download_common.cfm?file=GatesTBR.- pdf&folder=brochure

    Toyota's engines OTH are all non-interference. Nothing happens to the engine when the timing belt breaks.

    The timing belt in the 93 Camry was replaced at about 120K as a preventive maintenance. The one in my '89 Camry LE broke at about 140K. The engine just stopped firing. I coasted the car and parked it on the street then called a tow truck. $150 belt job later, it ran just like before.

    I was considering the Accord for its standard side and curtain airbags, but the interference engine is a big issue.

    Anyone has any more info?
  • bd21bd21 Member Posts: 437
    O.K., this is not new information and it is not a big deal. First of all the current vision of the Accord 4-cylinder uses a chain, not a belt. The six cylinder model does have a belt and it is supposed be changed at 105,000 miles or 7 years, whichever comes first, which is clearly stated in the owner's manual. The cost to change it is about $300 to $500, which includes the water pump replacement, depending on who does the work. You will not have an issue, if you follow the recommended maintenance in your owner's manual. The timing belt will not break early. Gates is giving a generic 4-year replacement recommendation, which is a good basic rule of thumb. However, in this case it does not apply.
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    I dont really put much credo in CR acceleration numbers. But since there's no better comparison that I can think of at the present, I'll stand corrected.

    :)

    ~alpha

    PS- It seems to me that CR's 0-60 numbers are most closely aligned with Car and Driver's Street Start. However... Car and Driver can run the Solara SLE Convertible to 60 in 7.7.. the Street Start, and yet... the lighter ES330 is tested by CR at 7.9....

    PPS- Im really waiting for the following C/D comparo:

    Honda Accord EX V6
    Nissan Altima 3.5SE
    Toyota Camry SE V6
    Mitsubishi Galant GTS
    Mazda 6s
    Pontiac G6 GT

    All equipped similarly, leather, moonroof, applicable safety features (traction, stability, side curtains, etc.) Thus equipped, all range from $27,200 to $28,500.
  • maxamillion1maxamillion1 Member Posts: 1,467
    I want one with the

    Accord EXV6
    Camry XLEV6
    LaCrosse CXS
    Altima 3.5SL
    Galant LS
    Pontiac G6 GT
    Mazda6 S
Sign In or Register to comment.

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles