Two popular sedans go head-to-head.
A midsize sedan can be an ideal all-around vehicle. Many of these cars combine space, a powerful engine, and modern technology to handle everything from your daily commute to family road trips.
The Honda Accord and Toyota Camry are both excellent choices for your next midsize sedan. Each has its own take on interior cabin design, functional space, and technology. In this comparison, we've put them side by side to help you find the right sedan for you.
Side-by-Side Comparison
2020 Honda Accord | 2020 Toyota Camry | |
|---|---|---|
Average Price | $23,000 | 26,000 |
Performance | ||
Base Engine | 1.4L turbocharged four-cylinder | 2.5L four-cylinder |
Horsepower | 192 hp | 203 hp |
MPG | 33 mpg combined | 34 mpg combined |
Interior | ||
Seating | 5 | 5 |
Cargo Space | 16.7 cu ft | Up to 15.1 cu ft |
Front-seat Legroom | 42.3 inches | 42.1 inches |
Rear-seat Legroom | 40.4 inches | 38 inches |
Overall Interior Space | 105.6 cu ft | 100.4 cu ft |
Ratings | ||
Tailpipe Emissions | 266 g/mile | 264 g/mile |
NHTSA Safety Rating | 5/5 | 5/5 |
Certain vehicles may have unrepaired safety recalls. Click here to look up a specific vehicle.
Features and Trim Options
Both the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry boast excellent driver aids and streaming technology in a loaded roster of features. But while the 2020 Toyota Camry has two naturally aspirated engines, the 2020 Honda Accord takes the turbocharged route.
Modern styling with a hint of sport, the fun-to-drive 2017-2020 Honda Accord has a spacious interior with room for up to five. A standard CVT (continuously variable transmission) is designed to keep acceleration smooth around town. Honda Sensing® technology, which includes popular driving aids, is standard on all 2019 and later models.
Other standard equipment on the 2017-2020 Honda Accord includes:
Rearview camera
Dual-zone automatic climate control
Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ capability (2019+)
The stylish Toyota Camry boasts a lot of standard features and tech, even on the base trim. For improved grip on wet or snowy roads, look for AWD, which is available on most trims across all years. Feed your need for speed with the TRD or XSE trim on 2019-2020 models, with a powerful V6 engine and eight-speed automatic transmission.
Standard equipment on 2019 and later Toyota Camry models includes:
Bi-LED headlights with automatic on/off
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability
Rearview camera
Suite of driver aids, including pre-collision braking, lane-departure warning, and automatic cruise control
Engine Options
Two engine options are available for both the 2020 Honda Accord and 2020 Toyota Camry. The standard engine on each car is ideal for daily commuting or road trips. Or, if you want to add some spirited driving to your trip, powerful upgrades should get your heart pumping.
The 2020 Honda Accord's two engines are:
Standard 1.5L turbocharged four-cylinder engine making 192 hp
Available 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine making 252 hp
In the 2020 Toyota Camry, you'll find:
Standard 203-hp, 2.5L four-cylinder engine
Available 301-hp, 3.5L V6 engine
Available hybrid powertrain with a 2.5L four-cylinder engine, making a combined 208 hp
Fuel Economy
The entry-level 1.5L turbocharged four-cylinder engine and CVT combine to get the 2020 FWD Honda Accord an EPA-estimated 38 mpg highway and 30 mpg city.1 When you opt for the 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine and 10-speed automatic transmission, you can expect an EPA-estimated 23 mpg city and 34 mpg highway.1
Just because it has the most power doesn't mean the 3.5L V6 engine in the 2020 Toyota Camry will make you spend more time at the pump. At a respectable EPA-estimated 22 mpg city and 33 mpg highway, the 2020 FWD Toyota Camry V6 is a highway cruiser.1 To get the most out of a tank of gas, opt for the 2020 Toyota Camry Hybrid, which gets an EPA-estimated 51 mpg city and 53 mpg highway.1 The base-model 2020 FWD Toyota Camry with the 2.5L four-cylinder engine gets an EPA-estimated 46 combined mpg.1
Tech Features
Technology has become an integral part of our daily lives. The 2020 Honda Accord and 2020 Toyota Camry have the connected tech you're looking for, many of which is included on all models. Active and passive driver aids are standard, including adaptive cruise control and forward pre-collision braking. Here's how the tech features compare for each vehicle:
2020 Honda Accord
Honda Sensing technology (forward pre-collision braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning)
Available 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot (Touring)2
Head-up display (Touring)
Available Wi-Fi tethering (all models)
2020 Toyota Camry
Wireless charging for compatible devices (LE with Audio Upgrade Package; standard on XLE and higher)
Nine-speaker JBL® Clari-Fi® audio system (XLE and higher)
10-inch full-color head-up display (XLE V6 and higher)
Seven-inch touchscreen with navigation (XLE and higher)
Cargo Space
When taking the whole crew with you, you'll need space for all their luggage. The 2020 Honda Accord and 2020 Toyota Camry both have 60/40 split-folding rear seats, which offer flexible cargo storage.
The Accord boasts an impressive 16.7 cu ft of cargo space behind the second-row seats. The Camry has 14.1 cu ft of storage in the L trim and 15.1 cu ft of storage in LE and higher trims.
Pricing
See below for average CarMax prices for several model years of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.3
Honda Accord
2016 – Average prices less than $17,5003
2017 – Average prices less than $19,0003
2018 – Average prices less than $23,0003
2019 – Average prices less than $24,0003
2020 – Average prices less than $26,0003
Toyota Camry
2016 – Average prices less than $15,5003
2017 – Average prices less than $17,0003
2018 – Average prices less than $20,5003
2019 – Average prices less than $21,5003
2020 – Average prices less than $23,0003
Safety Ratings
The 2020 Toyota Camry received an overall five-star safety rating by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The 2020 Honda Accord also achieved an overall five-star safety rating. Certain vehicles may have unrepaired safety recalls. Click here to look up a specific vehicle.
Honda Accord
Frontal Barrier Crash Rating Test: A head-on collision between two similar vehicles traveling at 35 mph.
Overall: 5/5
Side Barrier Crash Rating Test: A vehicle standing in an intersection sustains driver-side impact from a vehicle moving at 38.5 mph.
Overall: 5/5
Side Pole Crash Rating Test: A vehicle slides sideways at 20 mph and impacts a tree or telephone pole.
Overall: 5/5
Toyota Camry
Frontal Barrier Crash Rating Test: A head-on collision between two similar vehicles traveling at 35 mph.
Overall: 5/5
Side Barrier Crash Rating Test: A vehicle standing in an intersection sustains driver-side impact from a vehicle moving at 38.5 mph.
Overall: 5/5
Side Pole Crash Rating Test: A vehicle slides sideways at 20 mph and impacts a tree or telephone pole.
Overall: 5/5
Reliability
Both the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry have above average or better RepairPal Reliability Ratings. They have fewer average repair trips per year and lower average repair trip costs than other midsize sedans. Read on for more details.
Honda Accord
RepairPal gave the Honda Accord an overall reliability rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, which RepairPal describes as excellent.
Cost: RepairPal reports that the average total annual cost for repairs and maintenance on a Honda Accord is $400, compared to an average of $526 for midsize cars and $652 for all the vehicles RepairPal considered in its dataset.
Frequency: According to RepairPal, Honda Accord owners bring their vehicles into a repair shop for unscheduled repairs an average of 0.3 times per year, compared to an average of 0.3 times for midsize cars and 0.4 times for all the vehicle models RepairPal considered in its dataset.
Severity: RepairPal reported that the probability of a repair being a severe or major issue is 9% for the Honda Accord, compared to an average of 12% for midsize cars and 12% for all the vehicles RepairPal considered in its dataset.
Toyota Camry
RepairPal gave the Toyota Camry an overall reliability rating of 4 out of 5 stars, which RepairPal describes as above average.
Cost: RepairPal reports that the average total annual cost for repairs and maintenance on a Toyota Camry is $388, compared to an average of $526 for midsize cars and $652 for all the vehicles RepairPal considered in its dataset.
Frequency: According to RepairPal, Toyota Camry owners bring their vehicles into a repair shop for unscheduled repairs an average of 0.3 times per year, compared to an average of 0.3 times for midsize cars and 0.4 times for all the vehicle models RepairPal considered in its dataset.
Severity: RepairPal reported that the probability of a repair being a severe or major issue is 11% for the Toyota Camry, compared to an average of 12% for midsize cars and 12% for all the vehicles RepairPal considered in its dataset.
RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2010-2019 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.
*RepairPal Reliability Ratings are provided by RepairPal and CarMax is not responsible for their accuracy. These ratings are based on RepairPal Reliability data as of 12/31/2018. Learn more.
Performance
A peppy 252-hp, 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine and 10-speed automatic transmission power the 2020 Honda Accord 2.0T Sport sedan from zero to 60 mph in only 5.4 seconds (according to the manufacturer, when new). The Sport trim offers a great blend of traction and performance that's designed to handle spirited driving.
To get the most out of the Toyota Camry, look for the TRD trim. 2019 models are powered by a 301-hp, 3.5L V6 engine and eight-speed automatic transmission. While the base 2018-2019 Camry can go from zero to 60 mph in 7.3 seconds, the Toyota Camry TRD from the same years does it in just 5.6 seconds (according to the manufacturer, when new).
Emissions
According to EPA estimates, the 2020 Honda Accord has the following tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions:
266 grams per mile (1.5L turbocharged four-cylinder engine)
330 grams per mile (2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine)
According to EPA estimates, the 2020 Toyota Camry has the following tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions:
264 grams per mile (2.5L four-cylinder engine with FWD)
309 grams per mile (2.5L four-cylinder engine with AWD)
338 grams per mile (3.5L V6 engine with AWD)
170 grams per mile (2.5L hybrid engine with FWD)
195 grams per mile (2.5L hybrid engine with AWD)
These estimates are based on a brand-new model. Visit fueleconomy.gov for more details.
The Bottom Line
With plenty of interior space, legroom, cargo volume, and tech features, a midsize sedan can make an ideal commuter or family vehicle. Both the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry have a lot of offer, with modern driving aids, a selection of peppy engine options, and space for your whole crew.
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