The Honda Accord, a perennial favorite in the midsize sedan segment, has been redesigned for the 2023 model year and continues to set benchmarks for safety in its 2025 iteration. For prospective buyers prioritizing safety, understanding the 2025 Accord’s performance in rigorous crash tests is crucial. This detailed analysis, based on evaluations from leading safety organizations, breaks down the Accord’s safety ratings across various frontal, side, and headlight tests, as well as front crash prevention and child seat anchor assessments.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Driver and Passenger Side Performance
The small overlap front crash test simulates a collision where only a small portion of the vehicle’s front end impacts a barrier. This is a particularly challenging test that assesses how well the car’s structure holds up in off-center frontal impacts. The 2025 Honda Accord has undergone both driver-side and passenger-side small overlap front tests, with ratings applicable to 2023-2025 models.
Driver-Side Small Overlap Front Test
The driver-side evaluation of the 2025 Accord resulted in a Good overall rating. This top rating signifies excellent performance in protecting the driver in this type of severe frontal crash.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall driver-side evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/thigh | G |
| Lower leg/foot | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | A |
The structural performance and safety cage integrity of the 2025 Accord in the driver-side small overlap test were also rated Good. Crucially, injury measures for the driver’s head/neck, chest, hip/thigh, and lower leg/foot were all assessed as Good, indicating a low risk of significant injuries in these areas during a real-world crash of similar severity. Driver restraints and dummy kinematics were rated as Acceptable, suggesting effective but not perfect control of the dummy’s movement during the crash.
Technical measurements from the driver-side test provide a more granular view of the Accord’s performance:
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | VTN2304 |
| Lower occupant compartment | |
| Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 2 |
| Footrest (cm) | 5 |
| Left toepan (cm) | 5 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 9 |
| Parking brake (cm) | |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 1 |
| Upper occupant compartment | |
| Steering column | 0 |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 2 |
| Upper dash (cm) | 2 |
| Lower instrument panel (cm) | 2 |
These measurements detail the extent of intrusion into the occupant compartment. Lower numbers indicate less intrusion and better structural integrity. For example, minimal intrusion at the steering column (0 cm) and upper hinge pillar (2 cm) demonstrates a strong safety cage.
Driver injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | VTN2304 |
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 147 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.8 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 28 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.29 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 25 |
| Femur (kN) | |
| Left | 0.2 |
| Right | 0.3 |
| Knee displacement (mm) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 1 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index | |
| Left | 0.47 |
| Right | 0.70 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | |
| Left | 1.7 |
| Right | 2.8 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 57 |
| Right | 56 |
Injury measures like HIC-15 for head injury, neck tension and bending moment, chest compression, femur force, and tibia index are all within safe margins, further supporting the “Good” ratings.
Passenger-Side Small Overlap Front Test
Similar to the driver-side, the 2025 Honda Accord also achieved a Good overall rating in the passenger-side small overlap front test.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall passenger-side evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/thigh | G |
| Lower leg/foot | G |
| Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/thigh | G |
| Lower leg/foot | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
The structure and safety cage again earned a Good rating. Passenger injury measures for head/neck, chest, hip/thigh, and lower leg/foot were all Good. Notably, passenger restraints and dummy kinematics also received a Good rating, an improvement over the driver-side’s “Acceptable” rating. Even driver injury measures (likely measured by sensors on the passenger-side dummy to assess potential cross-side impact) were rated Good across the board.
Technical measurements for the passenger-side test are detailed below:
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on passenger side
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | VTP2305 |
| Lower occupant compartment | |
| Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 4 |
| Footrest (cm) | 7 |
| Right toepan (cm) | 9 |
| Center toepan (cm) | 10 |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 3 |
| Upper occupant compartment | |
| Center dash (cm) | 2 |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 2 |
| Upper dash (cm) | 4 |
| Right lower dash (cm) | 2 |
Occupant compartment intrusion measurements are slightly higher on the passenger side compared to the driver side, but still indicate robust structural performance.
Passenger injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | VTP2305 |
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 137 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.7 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 14 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.16 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 20 |
| Femur (kN) | |
| Left | 1.2 |
| Right | 1.3 |
| Knee displacement (mm) | |
| Left | 2 |
| Right | 3 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index | |
| Left | 0.37 |
| Right | 0.35 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | |
| Left | 2.6 |
| Right | 2.5 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 46 |
| Right | 75 |
Passenger injury measures are again within safe parameters, reinforcing the “Good” safety rating for front-seat passengers in a small overlap frontal crash.
Driver injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | VTP2305 |
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 66 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.8 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 7 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.16 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 17 |
| Femur (kN) | |
| Left | 0.1 |
| Right | 0.1 |
| Knee displacement (mm) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 0 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index | |
| Left | 0.31 |
| Right | 0.24 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | |
| Left | 0.9 |
| Right | 1.1 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 31 |
| Right | 38 |
Driver injury measures recorded on the passenger side test are also low, suggesting a well-designed and robust front structure that mitigates cross-side injuries in offset frontal crashes.
Moderate Overlap Front Crash Test: Updated Evaluation
The moderate overlap front crash test assesses vehicle safety in a frontal collision involving a larger portion of the car’s front end. The 2025 Honda Accord also excelled in this updated test, receiving a Good overall rating applicable to 2023-2025 models.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Thigh/hip | G |
| Leg/foot | A |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Thigh | G |
| Rear passenger restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
The structure and safety cage again achieved a Good rating. Driver injury measures for head/neck, chest, and thigh/hip were all Good, with leg/foot injury measures rated as Acceptable. Driver restraints and dummy kinematics were rated Good. Critically, the updated moderate overlap test also evaluates rear passenger safety, and the 2025 Accord performed admirably, with Good ratings for rear passenger head/neck, chest, and thigh injury measures, as well as rear passenger restraints and dummy kinematics.
Post-crash view of the 2025 Honda Accord, highlighting airbag deployment and occupant compartment integrity after a moderate overlap front crash test.
The rear passenger dummy in the 2025 Honda Accord maintains a safe distance from the front seatback during the moderate overlap front crash test, indicating good occupant protection.
Injury readings from the rear passenger dummy in the 2025 Honda Accord’s moderate overlap front crash test demonstrate a low risk of head, neck, and chest injuries.
The lap belt remains correctly positioned on the rear passenger dummy’s pelvis in the 2025 Honda Accord during the moderate overlap front crash test, ensuring effective restraint.
Technical measurements for the moderate overlap front test are as follows:
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | CEF2313 |
| Footwell intrusion | |
| Footrest (cm) | 11 |
| Left (cm) | 11 |
| Center (cm) | 11 |
| Right (cm) | 12 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 13 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement | |
| Left (cm) | 0 |
| Right (cm) | 0 |
| Steering column movement | |
| Upward (cm) | 0 |
| Rearward (cm) | -2 |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 0 |
These intrusion measurements indicate more significant footwell intrusion compared to the small overlap test, but minimal movement in the instrument panel, steering column, and A-pillar, suggesting the primary impact forces were effectively managed.
Driver injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | CEF2313 |
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 111 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.1 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 16 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.22 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 21 |
| Femur (kN) | |
| Left | 0.4 |
| Right | 0.5 |
| Knee displacement (mm) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 0 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index | |
| Left | 0.22 |
| Right | 0.82 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | |
| Left | 1.5 |
| Right | 1.7 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 55 |
| Right | 40 |
Driver injury metrics remain low in the moderate overlap test, consistent with the “Good” ratings for most body regions.
Rear passenger injury measures
| Test ID | CEF2313 |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 for head contact during forward excursion | no contact |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.6 |
| Compression (kN) | 1.7 |
| Maximum Nij for head contact during forward excursion | no contact |
| Chest | |
| Chest index | 26 |
| Shoulder belt tension (kN) | 3.6 |
| Thigh (kN) | |
| Left femur compression | 0.1 |
| Right femur compression | 0.1 |
Rear passenger injury measures are also very low, confirming the excellent rear passenger protection offered by the 2025 Honda Accord in a moderate overlap frontal crash.
Side Crash Test: Updated Side 2.0 Evaluation
The side crash test has also been updated to the Side 2.0 test, which is more demanding and better reflects real-world side impact scenarios. The 2025 Honda Accord achieved a Good overall rating in this updated side crash test, applicable to 2023-2025 models.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis | A |
| Driver head protection | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis | G |
| Rear passenger head protection | G |
The 2025 Accord’s structure and safety cage again earned a Good rating in the side crash. Driver injury measures for head/neck and torso were Good, with pelvis injury measures rated as Acceptable. Driver head protection was rated Good. Importantly, rear passenger protection in the side crash was excellent, with Good ratings across the board for head/neck, torso, and pelvis injury measures, as well as rear passenger head protection.
Technical measurements for the side crash test:
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | VTS2311 |
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver’s seat (cm) | -23.5 |
| Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline. |
This measurement indicates that the B-pillar was pushed inwards by 23.5 cm, but importantly, the negative value signifies that the crush stopped short of the driver’s seat centerline, indicating good occupant space preservation.
Driver injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | VTS2311 |
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 216 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.8 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.3 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 29 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 1.1 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 32 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 27 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 4.40 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.64 |
| Pelvis | |
| Combined force (kN) | 4.6 |
Driver injury measures in the side crash are generally low, although the pelvis rating was “Acceptable,” the measured combined force is still within reasonable limits.
Passenger injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | VTS2311 |
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 150 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.5 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.3 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 33 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 1.3 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 37 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 23 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 1.87 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.34 |
| Pelvis | |
| Combined force (kN) | 3.0 |
Passenger injury measures in the side crash are even lower than driver-side measures, highlighting excellent side impact protection for rear occupants in the 2025 Honda Accord.
Headlight Performance: Ensuring Visibility
Good headlights are critical for accident prevention, especially at night. The 2025 Honda Accord’s headlight system has been evaluated and received a Good overall rating across all trim levels.
Headlight Ratings and Features
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
| Overall rating | G |
The 2025 Accord utilizes LED reflector headlights for both low and high beams. While not curve-adaptive, it does feature high-beam assist, which automatically switches between high and low beams depending on traffic conditions, optimizing visibility without causing glare for other drivers.
Low beam performance: Low beams provide good visibility on straight roads and gradual right curves, and fair visibility on sharper curves. Glare limits are never exceeded.
High beam performance: High beams offer good visibility on straightaways and gradual right curves, and fair visibility on sharper curves. High-beam assist effectively compensates for some limitations of the low beams.
Technical measurements for headlight performance:
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Trim level(s) | – All trims |
| Low-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
| Overall rating Applies to 2023-25 models | G |
| LOW BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) | Amount glare exceeded threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 95.3 m | None |
| Straightaway left edge | 60.8 m | None |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 67.5 m | None |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 63.3 m | None |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 51.9 m | None |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 48.9 m | None |
| HIGH BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 167.0 m |
| Straightaway left edge | 148.9 m |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 79.8 m |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 74.7 m |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 60.8 m |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 56.8 m |
These measurements quantify the illumination distance provided by both low and high beams in various driving scenarios, confirming the “Good” rating for headlight performance.
Front Crash Prevention: Pedestrian Detection System
Beyond occupant protection in crashes, the 2025 Honda Accord also features advanced systems to prevent accidents from happening in the first place. Its front crash prevention system with pedestrian detection is rated Advanced, applicable to all 2024-2025 models.
Pedestrian Front Crash Prevention Ratings
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | A |
| Includes high-beam assist credit |
The standard Collision Mitigation Braking System in the 2025 Accord demonstrates effective pedestrian crash prevention capabilities in various scenarios.
Daytime scenarios:
- Crossing child (12 mph): Collision avoided.
- Crossing child (25 mph): Impact speed reduced by 23 mph.
Nighttime scenarios:
- Crossing adult (12 mph, high beams): Collision avoided.
- Crossing adult (12 mph, low beams): Impact speed reduced by 3 mph.
- Crossing adult (25 mph, high beams): Collision avoided.
- Crossing adult (25 mph, low beams): Failed to slow.
- Parallel adult (25 mph, high beams): Collision avoided.
- Parallel adult (25 mph, low beams): Impact speed reduced by 19 mph.
- Parallel adult (37 mph, high beams): Collision avoided, warning issued 2.5 seconds before impact.
- Parallel adult (37 mph, low beams): Failed to slow, warning issued 0 seconds before impact.
These results indicate that the 2025 Accord’s pedestrian front crash prevention system is highly effective in daylight and when using high beams at night. Performance is reduced with low beams at night, particularly in higher-speed scenarios.
Seat Belt Reminders: Ensuring Occupant Safety
Seat belt reminders are a simple yet effective safety feature. The 2025 Honda Accord earns a Good rating for its seat belt reminder system, applicable to 2023-2025 models.
Seat Belt Reminder Evaluation
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Front row | |
| Unbelted occupant alert (audible & visual) | |
| Initiation time | |
| Duration | Long enough (90+ seconds) |
| Volume | |
| Audio frequency | |
| Second row | |
| Startup status alert (visual) | |
| Initiation time | |
| Duration at least 60 seconds | |
| Belt disengaged alert (audible & visual) | |
| Initiation time | |
| Duration at least 30 seconds | |
| Volume | |
| Audio frequency |
The 2025 Accord provides both audible and visual alerts for unbelted front occupants. The duration of the front row alert is long enough (over 90 seconds). For the second row, there is a startup visual alert and audible/visual alerts when belts are disengaged, meeting duration requirements.
Technical measurements for seat belt reminders:
| Background cabin sound pressure level at 24 km/h | 51 dB |
|---|---|
| Audible signal sound pressure level at 24 km/h | 58 dB |
| Difference between background and signal | 6.5 dB |
| Background cabin sound pressure level at 40 km/h | 55 dB |
| Audible signal sound pressure level at 40 km/h | 63 dB |
| Difference between background and signal | 8.4 dB |
| Dominant audio frequency | 739 Hz |
These measurements confirm that the audible seat belt reminder is sufficiently loud and distinct from background noise at typical driving speeds.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH): Ease of Use
For families, child seat anchors (LATCH – Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) are essential. The 2025 Honda Accord achieves a Good + Extra LATCH positions rating for its LATCH system, applicable to 2023-2025 models, specifically for the EX trim with cloth seats.
LATCH System Evaluation
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G + extra LATCH positions |
| Vehicle trim | EX |
| Seat type | cloth |
The 2025 Accord offers two rear seating positions with complete LATCH hardware and an additional position with a tether anchor and the ability to borrow lower anchors from adjacent positions, providing flexibility for child seat installation.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G + extra LATCH positions |
| Vehicle trim | EX |
| Seat type | cloth |
1 2 3 | Rating icon | Rating ||—|—|
| G | Good |
| A | Acceptable |
| M | Marginal |
| P | Poor |
| | Seating positions that rely on borrowed lower anchors or have only a tether anchor available are not rated. |
| thether anchor symbol | Tether anchor |
| lower anchor symbol | Lower anchors |
| shared lower achors symbol | Lower anchor(s) can be borrowed from adjacent positions(s) |
| | No hardware available |
Details by seating position:
| Position | Rating |
|---|---|
| 1 | |
| Tether anchor | |
| easy-to-find location | |
| no other hardware could be confused for anchor | |
| Lower anchors | |
| not too deep in seat | |
| not too much force needed to attach | |
| easy to maneuver around anchors | |
| 2 | |
| Tether anchor | |
| easy-to-find location | |
| no other hardware could be confused for anchor | |
| Lower anchors | |
| Can be borrowed from 1 and 3 | |
| 3 | |
| Tether anchor | |
| easy-to-find location | |
| no other hardware could be confused for anchor | |
| Lower anchors | |
| not too deep in seat | |
| not too much force needed to attach | |
| easy to maneuver around anchors |
The tether anchors are easy to find and not confused with other hardware. Lower anchors are also well-positioned, not too deep in the seat, requiring reasonable force to attach, and easy to maneuver around.
Technical measurements for LATCH system:
Seat position 21
3
| Lower anchor A |
|---|
| Open access rated |
| Depth (cm) |
| Force (lbs) |
| Clearance angle (degrees) |
| Lower anchor B |
| Open access rated |
| Depth (cm) |
| Force (lbs) |
| Clearance angle (degrees) |
| Tether anchor |
| Location |
| Confusing hardware present |
| Has contrasting label within 3 inches of tether anchor |
| Tether anchors can be accessed while seatback is properly positioned for use of LATCH |
Seat position 22
2
| Lower anchor A |
|---|
| Lower latch is shared for this seat position |
| Lower anchor B |
| Lower latch is shared for this seat position |
| Tether anchor |
| Location |
| Confusing hardware present |
| Has contrasting label within 3 inches of tether anchor |
| Tether anchors can be accessed while seatback is properly positioned for use of LATCH |
Seat position 23
1
| Lower anchor A |
|---|
| Open access rated |
| Depth (cm) |
| Force (lbs) |
| Clearance angle (degrees) |
| Lower anchor B |
| Open access rated |
| Depth (cm) |
| Force (lbs) |
| Clearance angle (degrees) |
| Tether anchor |
| Location |
| Confusing hardware present |
| Has contrasting label within 3 inches of tether anchor |
| Tether anchors can be accessed while seatback is properly positioned for use of LATCH |
These measurements confirm the ease of use and accessibility of the LATCH system in the 2025 Honda Accord, making it convenient for parents to install child seats correctly and securely.
Conclusion: The 2025 Honda Accord – A Top Safety Pick
The 2025 Honda Accord demonstrates exceptional safety performance across a comprehensive range of crash tests and preventative safety evaluations. Earning top Good ratings in small overlap front, moderate overlap front, and updated side crash tests, along with a Good rating for headlights, an Advanced rating for pedestrian front crash prevention, and a Good+ rating for child seat anchors, the 2025 Accord stands out as a top safety pick in its class. For drivers and families prioritizing safety, the 2025 Honda Accord offers peace of mind with its robust safety features and excellent crashworthiness.
