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2016 Honda Accord Sport: latest, greatest innovations in industry

Published 11:35 am Tuesday, February 2, 2016

The calendar and years predictably change, but some things remain the same.

For more than four decades, the Honda Accord has set a benchmark for vehicles in the midsize sedan class and been a favorite of American car-buyers.

Accord was the first Honda model and first vehicle from a Japanese automaker to be manufactured in America and has been in continuous production at the company’s Marysville, Ohio, auto plant using domestic and globally sourced parts since November 1982.

I’m confident in saying my 2016 Accord four-door Sport test drive was no exception.

Sport provides consumers a lower entry point into the Accord family ($25,965), yet still includes some of the latest and greatest innovations in the industry.

The Sport includes a “Honda Sensing Package” as standard equipment, providing adaptive cruise control, collision-mitigation braking, lane-keeping assist system, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning and road-departure mitigation.

What does all that mean? It means Honda engineers are making it harder and harder for you to screw up. You can set a predetermined following distance, push the cruise button, and the Accord Sport will slow or increase speed to maintain that margin.

If you’re distracted, the Accord will alert you and automatically brake when the car in front of you slows or stops. It also lets you know if you’re veering into another lane, and self-correct if needed.

Accord Sport seats five adults in comfort with a trunk that was built for my golf clubs and push cart. And despite its healthy dimensions, still manages to deliver 35 miles per gallon fuel economy down the highway as rated by the EPA.

Now into the fourth year of it’s ninth generation, the Accord Sport was powered by a 2.4-liter, DOHC, 16-valve, i-VTEC four-cylinder direct inject engine mated to a continuously variable transmission with paddle shifters. The combination generates 189-horsepower, with an ECO-Assist system that can be activated if you have no control over your lead foot.

Additional new available features for 2016, depending on model and trim, include remote engine start, front- and rear-parking sensors, rain-sensing wipers, rear-seat heaters, and a 60/40 split and folding rear seat.

The Sport handles like a sports sedan thanks to front and rear stabilizer bars, electric, power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering, and a front MacPherson strut and rear Multi-Link suspensions.

The exterior receives a major facelift. In place of the previous wrap-around front bumper is a more sharply creased and intricately structured front fascia, the lower portion of which tucks into large intake-like meshed areas that house new LED fog lights. Nineteen-inch alloy wheels catch the eye along with a rear deck-lid spoiler.

Creature comforts are highlighted by an AM/FM/CD audio system with four speakers, dual-zone climate control with air filtration, Bluetooth, Pandora Internet radio interface, USB port, SMS text messaging functionality and security system.

2016 HONDA ACCORD SPORT

BASE PRICE: $25,965

AS TESTED: $26,785

Base price includes destination charge. Vehicles are provided by the manufacturer. Prices may vary at local dealerships.