In this week's Ratings test, we're analysing the 2020 Honda Accord 1.5 TC-P by evaluating all aspects from driving performance to purchase and cost.

Driving Performance – 35/50 pts, relaxing driving experience

Power delivery is rather linear for a turbocharged engine and the CVT pulls the car along in such a smooth manner. It’s a relaxing driving experience that doesn’t encourage spirited driving.

Steering is light and has a variable ratio that progressively gets quicker as you apply more steering input. This aids manoeuvrability at city speeds but can feel a tad unusual at first.

Body roll is well contained in corners and it goes around bends in a rather flat and calm manner, which is something the bosses at the rear can appreciate. But  driver engagement is minimal.

Ride Comfort – 39/50 pts, well-tuned suspension

The suspension strikes a fine balance between pliancy and firmness. The same can be said about the Volkswagen Passat, but the Accord does it in a Japanese way without the nuggety feeling ride.

Front seats are fairly comfortable, although not quite as plush or soft as in the Toyota Camry. The cushions are just a tad firmer and provides decent lumber and thigh support.

Cabin noise is where it gets baffling. Objectively, the sound level meter recorded an average of 69 dB at 110 km/h, which is 2 dB higher compared to the Camry. But subjectively, the Accord felt quieter than the number suggests.

This could only point to the Active Noise Cancellation doing its thing by cancelling out frequencies our ears are sensitive to, thus making the cabin feel quieter.

Quality and Features – 40/50 pts, full score for safety features

Panel gaps deviated by no more than 1.0 mm from opposite sides, which indicates average build quality. Paint thickness consistency averaged in the 110s of µm.

Build and material quality are par for the money, with good quality touch points. No squeaking or odd noises in our test car either.

Apple CarPlay/Android Auto integration is one of the best out there. Map directions (Android Auto only) are displayed on the LCD portion of the instrument cluster. And the 10-speaker audio system is rather decent.

The Honda Sensing suite of ADAS works quite well on our roads. It’s not intrusive and operates smoothly. Plus, it’s the only one in its segment with Low Speed Follow that helps drivers creep along in traffic.

Space and Practicality – 39/50 pts, class-leading rear legroom

As with all modern Hondas, space and practicality are its forte. When seated at the rear, the amount of legroom is unrivalled with about 4 tennis balls of kneeroom and 1 tennis ball of headroom for a 175 cm adult.

Door bins are large enough to git 1.5-litre bottles and the centre armrest storage is massive. Boot space is rated at 570 litres.

Fuel consumption – 15/20 pts, acceptable for its power

After completing a 88.3 km journey broken down to 60% highway and 40% city driving, the amount of fuel required to fill to the brim is 7.75 litres.

Which gives a calculated figure of 8.8-litre/100 km. In comparison, the Toyota Camry returned 10.5-litre/100 km while the Volkswagen Passat achieved an impressive 6.5-litre/100 km.

Purchase and Cost – 24/30 pts, relatively good value

The locally-assembled Honda Accord 1.5 TC-P is priced at RM 195,900 (with SST). Price without SST is RM 187,390, valid until 31 December 2020.

Considering the features it offers, it's relatively good value compared to its rivals. Maintenance and fuel cost are reasonable as well.

Conclusion – 192/250 pts overall

The 2020 Honda Accord 1.5 TC-P scored well in most areas and excelled in quality and features for its impressive suite of safety features. The only aspect where the Accord fell short slightly compared to its rivals is driving performance.

But if driving engagement does not rank high in your priorities, the Honda Accord should be right at the top of your shortlist of D-segment sedans.