With an engine (sort of) borrowed from the Civic Type R, the Honda Accord 2.0T is a surprisingly quick sedan. While it’s not quite as fast as the actual Type R, it’s fleeter than the Toyota Camry TRD. But what happens when it faces an actual sports car, like the Ford Mustang EcoBoost? YouTube team Throttle House decided to find out.

Is the 2020 Honda Accord 2.0T vs. 2020 Ford Mustang EcoBoost comparison a mismatch?

At first glance, putting the 2020 Accord 2.0T against the Ford Mustang EcoBoost seems like a one-sided fight. One that, on paper, the Accord stands to lose.

While Throttle House didn’t test the HPP-equipped Ford Mustang EcoBoost, the standard car has plenty of power. Its 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine makes 310 hp and 350 lb-ft. That’s sent to the rear wheels via either a 6-speed manual or 10-speed automatic.

While the automatic adds 194 pounds to the Mustang’s curb weight, it’s the faster option, Car and Driver reports. With it, the Ford Mustang EcoBoost goes 0-60 mph in 5 seconds; the manual is 0.1 seconds slower. The 10-speed model also has a faster 5-60 mph time: 5.6 seconds vs the manual’s 6-second time.

The 2020 Honda Accord 2.0T doesn’t have all of the Civic Type R’s power. But its 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine is still good for 252 hp and 273 lb-ft. That’s sent to the rear wheels via a 10-speed automatic; the 6-speed manual is no longer available.

Still, as with the Mustang, the automatic is the swifter choice, Car and Driver reports. But even so, it doesn’t appear like the Honda Accord 2.0T can out-speed the Mustang. The 10-speed model is about 330 pounds lighter than the automatic Mustang. But its 0-60 mph time is ‘just’ 5.5 seconds and its 5-60 mph time is 6.1 seconds.

But, as Throttle House explains, the numbers aren’t necessarily the whole story.

Throttle House’s testing methods

Throttle House’s comparison consisted of three ¼-mile drag races. The first two were from a standing start. As the comparison test included other cars, the first was with launch control, and the second without. Neither the Ford Mustang EcoBoost nor the Honda Accord 2.0T has dedicated launch control, though the former has a drag-strip mode. The last race was from a rolling start.

The initial races are as much about traction as they are about determining outright performance. The final race, though, focuses mostly on the cars’ engine and transmission.

Interestingly, on paper, the 2020 Ford Mustang EcoBoost still seemingly holds the advantage. It runs the ¼-mile in 13.5 seconds, while the Honda Accord 2.0T needs 14.1 seconds, Car and Driver reports. However, the Accord has a higher trap speed at the end: 102 mph vs. the Mustang’s 99 mph.

Additionally, Throttle House notes that the Mustang EcoBoost’s transmission can be a bit finicky to deal with, even in drag-strip mode. The hosts have reported no such issues with the Accord’s transmission. Plus, all of these numbers—for the Mustang and the Accord—are typically ‘best of’ or averaged results. A poor launch or slightly too-cold tires could tilt the races in the Accord’s favor.

Can a 2020 Honda Accord 2.0T keep up with a 2020 Ford Mustang EcoBoost?

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. Despite the Honda Accord 2.0T’s best efforts, the Ford Mustang EcoBoost won all three races.

The results, though, came with some interesting caveats. In the first race, the Accord finished right on the Mustang’s trunk. And in the last race, the Honda was actually beating the Ford for part of the distance. As a result, the Accord was basically a bumper-length behind the Mustang.

Still, though the races were close, the 2020 Honda Accord 2.0T isn’t as fast as the 2020 Ford Mustang EcoBoost.

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