Turbocharging an engine was first used in airplanes; however, it’s also very useful in vehicles. The turbo in a plane engine compressed the thinner air to improve performance at higher altitudes. Turbochargers are two fans in an internal combustion engine that redirect unused power from the back of the engine to add more air to the cylinders in the front of the engine. They let the engine burn fuel faster and create more power.

Turbochargers first started to appear in cars in the 1950s. They became more popular, especially in sports cars and motorsports, as their reliability improved. Today, turbochargers are pretty common in many cars to improve both fuel efficiency as well as power while keeping engines smaller. The popular Honda Accord is an affordable turbocharged option. Here’s a look at the 2020 Honda Accord and its turbocharged engine, which tops the list of affordable turbocharged 2020 cars, according to U.S. News & World Report.

The 2020 Honda Accord’s engines

The 2020 Honda Accord has two engine options and a hybrid option as well. The standard engine in the 2020 Accord is a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, which produces 192 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque. It’s available on most of the trim levels but not on the top Touring trim. This engine can be matched with a CVT or a manual transmission. There are five total trims: LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, and Touring.

The 2020 Accord also has a second engine option. This one is a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, producing 252 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. It’s available on the Sport, EX-L, and Touring trims and can be paired with a 10-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission.

As noted by Torque News, the 2018 model year saw the arrival of these two new turbocharged engines for the Accord, replacing two naturally-aspirated engines that had been available in previous model years. The larger one of those had been a V6.

The 2020 Honda Accord has a lot to offer

While not the cheapest car out there, the 2020 Honda Accord is affordable, with a starting price of $24,270. There are only seven cars on the U.S. News & World Report list of turbocharged vehicles that are more affordable than the Accord. Most of those are much smaller cars too.

In addition to the affordable price, the 2020 Honda Accord has a lot to offer. Car and Driver says it is “perennially the most impressive family sedan on sale.” U.S. News & World Report describes the 2020 Accord as a “comfortable sedan with a large trunk and a roomy, upscale cabin.” The trunk is spacious, with 17 cubic feet of cargo room.

The Accord benefits from the updated version of Honda’s infotainment system. The version in other Honda vehicles can be confusing, according to U.S. News & World Report. The Accord’s system is compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the touchscreen is either a 7.0-inch or an 8.0-inch display.

The Accord comes standard with automated emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. Blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and parking sensors are available.

The 2020 Honda Accord has a good overall rating

The 2020 Accord has scored well with multiple reviewers and received several awards. It got a strong score of 8.3 out of 10 from U.S. News & World Report. Consumer Reports also gave the 2020 Accord good ratings, with an overall score of 82 out of 100. That placed it fourth out of 12 in midsize cars. The 2020 Accord won the Edmunds Top Rated Sedan award and the Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Award as well.

The 2020 Honda Accord has plenty to offer buyers looking for a midsize family sedan. Its affordable price and two turbocharged engines are just two of those great features.