Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois — Midwest Automotive Media Association members were among the first to get a glimpse of the all-new 2018 Honda Accord last week during MAMA’s August meeting and press preview, led by Steve Kinkade, head of national media relations for Honda and Acura brands.

Kinkade stated that, despite the fact that SUVs continue to gain market share, the midsize segment is strong and the sedan isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. According to Kinkade, the current Honda Accord is actually outselling all but two SUVs. In fact, it’s on pace to sell 300,000 units in 2017. In terms of in-segment competition, he believes the 2018 Accord will compete very well against the all-new Toyota Camry.

There are several noteworthy features that make up the tenth-generation Accord:

·         Aggressive new styling is stately and conservative with a swept-back four-door design that hides a traditional trunk.

·         Longer wheelbase and a wider body.

·         Passenger volume increases by 2.5 cubic feet.

·         Cargo volume also increases to 16.7 cubic feet.

·         Honda Sensing will be standard on all trim levels, which includes high-tech safety features such as lane departure warning, lane keep assist, road departure mitigation, adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking.

·         V-6 engine will not return; instead, 2.0-liter turbo engine will deliver 252 hp and 273 lb.-ft. of torque.

The trim strategy for Accord will remain the same with LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, EX-L Navi and Touring levels. Plus, there will be two engine options: the aforementioned 2.0-liter turbo and a 1.5-liter turbo – both of which are four-cylinders. The 1.5-liter will deliver 192 hp and 192 lb.-ft. of torque. A hybrid will also be available and will be powered by Honda’s third-generation two-motor hybrid technology and a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle engine.

Combined fuel economy for the current 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine ranges between 26 mpg for the manual and 30 mpg for the automatic.

Neither pricing nor fuel economy details have been released. However, the current-generation Accord starts at $22,455, for reference.

The all-new 2018 Accord is expected to hit dealerships this fall.