Honda and Toyota made significant changes to their midsize sedans with redesigns for the Accord and Crown. While the Crown is generating some buzz as it returns to America, it’s topped by the Accord in a crucial way. The 2023 Honda Accord had a giant advantage over the 2023 Toyota Crown: better driving dynamics. 

2023 Honda Accord has better driving dynamics than the 2023 Toyota Crown

There are various factors to consider when choosing which sedan to get, such as styling, safety, interior space, and available features. While the 2023 Honda Accord is strong in all of these areas, its biggest strength over the 2023 Toyota Crown is its driving dynamics. This is exemplified by it winning a Car and Driver 10Best award. And a primary reason why the automotive site honored the Accord is that it’s fun to drive.

Car and Driver states that the Accord has “driver-friendly road manners” — with confident handling, precise steering, a “compliant ride,” and “well-controlled body motions.” It’s a mainstream midsize sedan — but provides the driving characteristics of a more expensive luxury car. 

In comparison, the SUV-like design of the Crown limits its driving dynamics. It provides a more conservative driving experience and is less maneuverable than the Accord. As Car and Driver states, “Don’t expect cornering heroics from the Crown.”

2023 Accord Hybrid has higher fuel economy than the 2023 Crown

Hybrids, with their high fuel economy, are most closely associated with Toyota and its large lineup of hybrid vehicles. However, with the 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid, Honda beats Toyota at its own game. 

For the redesign, the 2023 Accord places a greater emphasis on the new hybrid model, which is very efficient. Combining power from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder and two electric motors, it gets an estimated gas mileage of up to 48 combined mpg.

The 2023 Toyota Crown offers two hybrid powertrain variants, but both of them are less efficient than the Accord Hybrid. The Hybrid Max setup gets an estimated fuel economy of up to 30 combined mpg, which is even lower than the fully gas-powered Accord (33 combined), while the base-level hybrid powertrain gets up to 41 mpg. 

With the higher gas mileage, midsize sedan shoppers that choose the Accord Hybrid over the Crown can enjoy greater savings at the fuel pump.

Other advantages of the 2023 Accord over the 2023 Crown

The 2023 Accord has some other advantages over the 2023 Crown. This includes more interior space. Both midsize sedans can seat up to five people, but the Accord has a total passenger volume of 106 cu-ft, compared to 100 cu-ft for the Crown. Also, the extra space makes the biggest difference for the rear seats — with 40.8 inches of rear legroom for the Accord and 38.9 inches for the Crown. 

Plus, the Accord features a larger trunk, which provides more storage space. It has a cargo capacity of 16.7 cu-ft, compared to 15.2 cu-ft for the Crown.

Furthermore, the Accord is more affordable. It has a starting price of $27,295 MSRP, while the Crown starts at $39,950 MSRP.

With its better driving dynamics, the 2023 Honda Accord has a giant advantage over the 2023 Toyota Crown. The fun-to-drive nature of the Accord is an important consideration when deciding which midsize sedan to get.