For those in the market for a reliable and stylish sedan, the 2018 Honda Accord Sport often tops the list. Beyond its sporty aesthetics and driving dynamics, a crucial factor for any car buyer is safety. This article delves into the safety performance of the 2018 Honda Accord Sport, analyzing data from rigorous crash tests to provide a comprehensive understanding of its safety strengths and weaknesses. Understanding these ratings is vital for making an informed decision about whether the 2018 Honda Accord Sport is the right vehicle for you and your family.
2018 Honda Accord Crash Test Performance Overview
The 2018 Honda Accord, including the Sport trim, underwent extensive testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). These tests simulate various real-world crash scenarios to evaluate a vehicle’s ability to protect its occupants. The Accord performed admirably in many of these evaluations, earning top marks in several key areas. However, like any vehicle, there are areas where the Accord’s performance is more moderate. Let’s break down the results across different crash test categories.
Small Overlap Frontal Tests: Driver and Passenger Side
The small overlap frontal crash test is particularly challenging, as it involves only a small portion of the vehicle’s front end hitting a barrier. This test is designed to assess how well the car’s structure holds up when impact forces are not distributed across the entire front.
Driver-Side Small Overlap Front
Alt text: 2018 Honda Accord driver-side small overlap crash test result: excellent structural integrity.
In the driver-side small overlap test, the 2018 Honda Accord demonstrated “Good” performance across the board. This top rating applies to:
- Overall Evaluation: The general performance in this challenging crash scenario.
- Structure and Safety Cage: Crucially, the vehicle’s structural integrity was rated “Good,” meaning the safety cage effectively resisted deformation, maintaining survival space for the driver.
- Driver Injury Measures: All injury measures for the driver were rated “Good,” indicating a low risk of significant injuries to the head/neck, chest, hip/thigh, and lower leg/foot in this type of crash.
- Driver Restraints and Dummy Kinematics: The restraint systems, including airbags and seatbelts, functioned effectively to control the dummy’s movement during the crash, minimizing potential injuries.
Technical measurements from this test further illustrate the Accord’s robust performance. Intrusion into the occupant compartment was minimal, with measurements ranging from only 0 to 5 cm in various lower and upper compartment areas. Similarly, driver injury measures were low, such as a Head Injury Criterion (HIC-15) of 186 and chest maximum compression of 23mm, both well within safe limits.
Passenger-Side Small Overlap Front
Alt text: 2018 Honda Accord passenger-side small overlap crash test: good occupant protection.
The passenger-side small overlap test mirrors the driver-side test but assesses protection for the front passenger. The 2018 Honda Accord again achieved an overall “Good” rating. Similar to the driver-side test, the Accord showed “Good” ratings for:
- Overall Evaluation
- Structure and Safety Cage
- Passenger Injury Measures: All passenger injury measures (head/neck, chest, hip/thigh, lower leg/foot) were rated “Good.”
- Passenger Restraints and Dummy Kinematics
- Driver Injury Measures & Restraints: Interestingly, the test also evaluates driver injury measures in the passenger-side test, and these were also rated “Good,” indicating consistent safety performance across the front seating positions.
Technical data for the passenger-side test also showed minimal occupant compartment intrusion and low injury measures for both passenger and driver dummies, reinforcing the strong safety performance in this scenario.
Moderate Overlap Frontal Test: Original Test
Alt text: 2018 Honda Accord moderate overlap crash test: top safety performance.
The moderate overlap frontal test simulates a more common type of frontal collision, where a significant portion of the vehicle’s front strikes a barrier. In this test, the 2018 Honda Accord once again earned the highest rating of “Good”.
- Overall Evaluation: “Good”
- Structure and Safety Cage: “Good”
- Driver Injury Measures: All driver injury measures (head/neck, chest, leg/foot – left and right) were rated “Good”.
- Driver Restraints and Dummy Kinematics: “Good”
The technical measurements confirmed the “Good” ratings, with minimal footwell intrusion and instrument panel movement. Driver injury measures remained low, indicating excellent protection in a moderate frontal collision.
Side Impact Tests: Original and Updated
Side impact crashes pose unique challenges due to the reduced crush zone compared to frontal collisions. The IIHS conducts two types of side impact tests: the original side test and an updated, more severe side test introduced to better reflect real-world, higher-speed side impacts with larger vehicles like SUVs.
Side: Original Test
Alt text: 2018 Honda Accord original side crash test: good protection in standard side impact.
In the original side impact test, the 2018 Honda Accord achieved an overall “Good” rating.
- Overall Evaluation: “Good”
- Structure and Safety Cage: “Good”
- Driver Injury Measures: All driver injury measures (head/neck, torso, pelvis/leg, driver head protection) were rated “Good.”
- Rear Passenger Injury Measures: Similarly, all rear passenger injury measures (head/neck, torso, pelvis/leg, rear passenger head protection) were “Good.”
This indicates that in the standard side impact scenario, the 2018 Honda Accord provides excellent protection for both front and rear occupants.
Side: Updated Test
Alt text: 2018-2022 Honda Accord updated side crash test: vehicle damage after impact.
Alt text: 2018-2022 Honda Accord side crash test interior: airbag deployment and structural damage.
Alt text: Driver dummy head contact in 2018-2022 Honda Accord updated side crash test: head protection concern.
Alt text: Rear passenger head protection in 2018-2022 Honda Accord updated side crash test: effective airbag deployment.
The updated side impact test presents a more demanding scenario. In this test, the 2018-2022 Honda Accord received an overall rating of “Marginal”.
- Overall Evaluation: “Marginal”
- Structure and Safety Cage: “Marginal”
- Driver Injury Measures:
- Head/Neck: “Good”
- Torso: “Acceptable”
- Pelvis: “Marginal”
- Driver Head Protection: “Marginal”: The critical issue in this test was driver head protection. The dummy’s head moved downwards past the side curtain airbag and struck the window sill, indicating inadequate head protection in this more severe side impact scenario.
- Rear Passenger Injury Measures:
- Head/Neck: “Good”
- Torso: “Good”
- Pelvis: “Acceptable”
- Rear Passenger Head Protection: “Good”
While rear passenger protection remained good, the “Marginal” rating, particularly for driver head protection, is a point of concern in the updated side impact scenario.
Roof Strength
Alt text: 2018 Honda Accord roof strength test: excellent structural integrity.
Roof strength is crucial in rollover accidents. The 2018 Honda Accord earned a “Good” rating for roof strength. Its strength-to-weight ratio of 5.51 significantly exceeds the minimum requirement, indicating a strong roof capable of withstanding rollover forces.
Head Restraints & Seats
Alt text: 2018 Honda Accord head restraint and seat evaluation: good whiplash protection.
Whiplash is a common injury in rear-end collisions. The 2018 Honda Accord’s head restraints and seats were evaluated and received a “Good” overall rating for dynamic performance and seat/head restraint geometry, suggesting good protection against whiplash injuries in rear impacts.
Headlights
Headlight performance is a critical safety feature for nighttime driving. The 2018 Honda Accord has different headlight variations depending on the trim level.
For the LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, Sport 2.0, EX-L 2.0T, Hybrid, EX Hybrid, and EX-L Hybrid trims, which includes the Sport trim, the headlight system received an “Acceptable” overall rating. This system uses LED low beams and Halogen high beams. While “Acceptable” is not the highest rating, it indicates a reasonably good performance. Low beam visibility was rated as good on straightaways and gradual right curves, but only fair on sharper curves. High beam assist is included, which helps compensate for some low beam limitations.
For the Touring, Touring 2.0T, and Touring Hybrid trims, the headlight system received a “Marginal” rating. This system uses LED for both low and high beams. Low beam visibility was good on straightaways and right curves, but inadequate on gradual left curves. High beam performance was also rated as inadequate in several scenarios.
It’s important to note that the 2018 Honda Accord Sport utilizes the “Acceptable” rated headlight system.
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle
Alt text: 2018 Honda Accord front crash prevention system: superior collision avoidance.
Front crash prevention systems are designed to mitigate or prevent frontal collisions. The 2018 Honda Accord, equipped with its standard Collision Mitigation Braking System and Honda Sensing package, earned a “Superior” rating in vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention. The system successfully avoided collisions in both 12 mph and 25 mph tests, demonstrating its effectiveness in preventing or reducing the severity of frontal impacts.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
Alt text: 2018 Honda Accord LATCH system: good and extra positions for child seats.
For families with young children, the ease of use and effectiveness of child seat anchors are important. The 2018 Honda Accord received a “Good+” rating for its LATCH system, which includes extra LATCH positions. It has two rear seating positions with complete LATCH hardware and an additional position where lower anchors can be borrowed. The system was rated as generally easy to use.
Conclusion: 2018 Honda Accord Sport Safety – A Balanced Perspective
The 2018 Honda Accord Sport stands out as a generally safe vehicle, earning “Good” ratings in most IIHS crash tests. Its performance in frontal and roof strength tests is particularly commendable, and the “Superior” rating for front crash prevention is a significant safety benefit. The “Acceptable” headlight rating for the Sport trim is reasonable, and the LATCH system is well-designed for child seat installation.
However, the “Marginal” rating in the updated side impact test, specifically concerning driver head protection, is an important consideration. While the Accord performs well in the original side impact test, the more stringent updated test reveals a potential weakness.
Overall, the 2018 Honda Accord Sport offers a strong level of safety for occupants. Prospective buyers should weigh the excellent performance in most tests against the “Marginal” rating in the updated side impact test to determine if it meets their specific safety priorities. Understanding these safety ratings empowers you to make a well-informed decision when considering the 2018 Honda Accord Sport.
