2020 Honda Accord vs 2020 Toyota Prius

The 2020 Toyota Prius had maintained its iconic shape, which was largely influenced by aerodynamics. Since its second generation, the car's jellybean-like design had remained relatively intact to optimize drag coefficient. Toyota’s design tweaks over the years aimed to make the Prius appear somewhat more like a sedan while preserving its hatchback functionality.

The Prius flaunted a distinctly futuristic aesthetic. Although other automakers had adopted similar futuristic design elements, the Prius retained a contemporary look. The most revolutionary part of its design was the cabin, which featured a centrally located instrument panel. This unorthodox design had been a staple of the Prius for over two decades.

The 2020 Toyota Prius was offered in four main trims: L Eco, LE, XLE, and Limited. The base L Eco came equipped with 15-inch alloy wheels, automatic climate control, cloth upholstery, push-button start, and an infotainment system with a 7-inch touchscreen. It also had three USB ports, Bluetooth connectivity, and compatibility with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. The LE trim added features like a rear windshield wiper and parking sensors, while the XLE trim ramped up the offerings with 17-inch wheels, synthetic leather upholstery, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and wireless charging. The Limited trim stood out with adaptive, self-leveling headlights, a head-up display (HUD), and an 11.6-inch infotainment screen.

Comparatively, the 2020 Honda Accord emerged as one of the most stylish models in its lineup’s history. With its mainstream family sedan layout juxtaposed against a sleek and upscale appearance, the Accord turned heads. The car’s stylishness was accentuated when equipped with 19-inch wheels, which were standard on Sport and Touring trims. The other trims sported 17-inch wheels in various designs, which although more practical, lacked the visual impact of the larger wheels.

Honda offered the 2020 Accord in five trims: LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, and Touring. Additionally, a hybrid version was available based on the LX trim. Prices started at $24,270 and soared up to $36,400. The Accord Touring test car, priced at $37,355, showcased a luxurious interior, notably enhanced by Radiant Red paint and an Ivory leather cabin. The cabin featured soft-touch materials and matte-finish simulated wood. The thickly padded armrests, supportive 12-way power driver’s seat, and ventilated seating affirmed the Accord’s luxurious feel.

The 2020 Toyota Prius utilized a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor and battery, combining to deliver 121 horsepower and 105 pound-feet of torque. Buyers could choose between front-wheel drive (FWD) and the AWD-e variant. The AWD-e incorporated a second electric motor for the rear wheels, operational up to 43 mph.

The Prius featured smooth and confident acceleration, particularly noticeable at lower speeds. The transition between electric and conventional power was seamless. Its driving modes included EV, Eco, and Power. EV mode operated solely on battery power, Power mode offered quicker acceleration with increased engine noise, and Eco mode provided an optimal balance of performance, efficiency, and quietness.

One of the unique aspects of the Prius was its shifter design. The shifter’s unconventional layout required some adaptation for first-time Prius owners. Additionally, the Prius provided a manual Engine Braking mode (B), beneficial in mountainous areas for easing the load on brakes.

The Prius demonstrated commendable handling, considering its primary focus on efficiency. Although not a sports car, its low center of gravity offered surprisingly sharp handling. The ride quality was smooth, effectively absorbing road imperfections and making it a suitable choice for commutes.

The 2020 Honda Accord came with a standard turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine generating 192 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 192 lb-ft of torque between 1,600 rpm and 5,000 rpm. This engine was mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with FWD. An optional 6-speed manual gearbox was available with the Sport trim.

For those prioritizing fuel economy, the Accord offered a 212-horsepower hybrid powertrain, averaging an impressive 42.6 mpg. Speed enthusiasts could opt for the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, paired with a ten-speed automatic transmission, producing 252 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 273 lb-ft of torque from 1,500 to 4,000 rpm. Paddle shifters and Economy and Sport driving modes allowed customization of the powertrain’s performance.

The Accord 2.0T made a significant impact with its exhilarating acceleration, although its powerful front-wheel-drive setup sometimes struggled with power delivery. The adaptive dampers on the Touring trim enhanced handling by expertly controlling body roll, dive, and squat. Despite its athletic prowess, the Accord maintained a compliant ride, making it a versatile performer for various driving conditions.

The 2020 Toyota Prius excelled in interior space utilization. Toyota's designers maximized every inch of its compact platform. The interior featured deep door pockets and sub-trays around the center console, providing ample storage for small items. The front seats were spacious and offered excellent headroom and legroom, while rear seats, although a bit tricky to access for taller individuals, were also accommodating.

Cargo space was a strong suit for the Prius. With the rear seats folded, it offered 50.7 cubic feet of storage. With the seats up, cargo capacity varied between 24.6 cubic feet in LE and AWD-e models, and 27.4 cubic feet in the rest of the lineup. This made the Prius one of the most spacious options in the hybrid and electric vehicle segment. Despite its sedan-like design elements, the hatchback layout facilitated easy loading of large items.

In contrast, the 2020 Honda Accord offered impressive interior space, rivaling some full-size sedans. It provided substantial rear-seat legroom and cargo capacity, making it a strong contender in its class. The Accord’s 12-way power driver’s seat was highly comfortable, with ample thigh support and both heating and ventilation. However, the front passenger seat lacked a height adjuster, which could be a drawback for some buyers.

The rear seats of the Accord were exceptionally comfortable, with wide doors ensuring easy entry and exit. Thigh support was generous, and with the Touring trim, heated outboard positions added to the comfort. The rear also featured air conditioning vents and optional quick-charge USB ports.

Trunk space in the Accord measured 16.7 cubic feet, enough to store full-size suitcases on their sides, perfect for long family trips. One minor grievance was the absence of a handle or grip to close the trunk lid.

Overall, the Accord’s cabin was designed with user-friendly ergonomics. The dashboard layout, clear instrumentation, and well-placed controls contributed to a comfortable and intuitive driving experience.

The 2020 Toyota Prius featured a 7-inch touchscreen as standard, with an easy-to-navigate menu layout. It supported Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth connectivity, a WiFi hotspot, and three USB ports. The Limited trim upgraded the infotainment system to an 11.6-inch screen, arranged in a portrait orientation with customizable split-screen functions. However, this larger screen lacked Android Auto compatibility. Additional tech features included satellite radio, HD Radio, a head-up display (HUD), and a 10-speaker JBL premium audio system.

A defining component of the Prius interior was the centrally located instrument panel, which displayed hybrid drivetrain status and other critical readouts. This high placement on the dashboard, coupled with the HUD option, facilitated better driver visibility, though it might require some adjustment initially.

The 2020 Honda Accord boasted an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, regarded as one of Honda’s best. It featured volume and tuning knobs, shortcut buttons, and clear graphics, with user-friendly steering wheel controls. The system supported Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and text messaging. Starting with the EX-L trim, a ten-speaker premium sound system was standard. Touring trim brought additional tech like HondaLink subscription services, a WiFi hotspot, navigation system, and wireless device charging.

However, the Accord’s system did not include natural voice recognition, requiring specific prompts for accurate responses. Despite this, the head-up display remained clear even with polarized sunglasses, and the car’s good visibility was further aided by a reversing camera with multiple viewing angles.

The 2020 Toyota Prius came equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, a suite of advanced safety features including automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Optional features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, and active park assist.

The Prius earned a five-star rating from the NHTSA and a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the IIHS. However, it did not achieve the highest "Top Safety Pick+" rating due to "average" scores in passenger-side small overlap front crash tests and headlight testing.

The 2020 Honda Accord, with top-tier safety credentials, was named a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS and earned a five-star rating from the NHTSA. Honda Sensing, the automaker’s suite of ADAS, came standard across all trims. It included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, and traffic sign recognition.

Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert was available starting from the Sport 2.0T and EX trims, underscoring its consumer-friendly design. However, Honda Sensing needed refinement, as the adaptive cruise control could be smoother, and the forward collision warning and lane departure warning systems occasionally issued false alerts.