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2016 Honda Accord revealed with new looks, new tech: Apple Carplay, Android Auto on-board – UPDATE

The 2016 Honda Accord update has been revealed at a Silicon Valley event this week, debuting with lightly refreshed styling, new safety features and an upgraded infotainment suite.


This midlife makeover follows the 2012 unveiling of the current Accord, which debuted on the Australian market in 2013.

Local details for the updated Accord are still to be confirmed, although we might expect an Australian launch to occur later this year or early in 2016.

Headlining the Accord’s styling changes are revised headlights with a new LED design, along with a new shield-style grille garnish and a resculpted front bumper.

At the rear, there’s subtly re-shaped tail lamps with new LED internals, along with a broad chrome garnish that stretches across the top of the braking lights.

As for that Silicon Valley debut, Honda has used this 2016 model-year update to introduce the latest in mobile technology to its line-up.

Debuting as an upgrade to Honda’s Display Audio system, the 2016 Accord is now armed with Apple Carplay and Android Auto, offering an enhanced level of connectivity with compatible mobile devices through a new 7.0-inch screen.

In Australia, the new platforms have begun to roll out across models in the Volkswagen and Skoda lines, and Hyundai’s all-new Tucson will also introduce both systems to the Hyundai range.

Honda Sensing, which includes autonomous pre-collision braking, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control and lane-departure warning, will also be offered as an optional extra in US-market models. Australian details for this system are still to be confirmed, although versions of these features are already available with the local model as part of the Advanced Driver Assist System.

Powertrains remain unchanged, which means that Australian models will again be driven by Honda’s 129kW/225Nm 2.4 litre and 206kW/339Nm 3.5 litre petrol engines. The Accord Hybrid has also recently launched in Australia, driven by a 146kW/307Nm petrol-electric system.

Australia sales for the Accord range, which begins at $33,990, sit at 576 year-to-date (end of June), which marks a 41.5 percent drop on sales for the same period in 2014.

Although the Accord leads the likes of Holden’s Malibu (433 YTD) and the Kia Optima (452), it is bettered by the Ford Mondeo (658), Hyundai Sonata (696), Skoda Octavia (986), Nissan Altima (987) and Hyundai’s other midsizer, the i40 (1045).

The segment is comfortably led by Toyota’s Camry with a huge 10,426 sales year-to-date, while the Mazda6 (2857) and Subaru Liberty (2105) hold down a distant second and third.

Update:

Honda Australia has confirmed with CarAdvice today that it is looking to offer Apple Carplay and Android Auto "in the next year or so", but there is currently no word on when the Accord's styling update will hit Australia.

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