The ninth-generation Accord has been well praised for its dependability, reliability, and superb quality finish, and with the right upgrades, you can make a fantastic car.The vehicle boasts a tight chassis, an efficient drivetrain, a roomy interior, and a sleek new design for the outside.  

This generation entered the market in 2013, and manufacturing lasted until 2017 in the United States and 2019 in Asia.

Check out our video introduction to Honda Tuning, all you need to know about mods and upgrades on your Honda.

The sedans and coupes both use front-wheel drive and front-engine layouts, with the latter offering a choice of four different engine sizes (2.0L R20A3 I4, 2.4L K24W I4, 3.0L J30A5, and 3.5L J35Y1/2 V6). The 3.0L V6 engine in the top-tier Chinese variant delivers 257 horsepower.

If you own a Honda Accord from the 9^th generation or are looking to upgrade one, here are the best modifications available for these cars.

Our aim here is to review and look at Accord 9th Gen tuning and show you the best modifications for your car. Honda Accord 9th Gen has loads of potential and with carefully chosen modified upgrades like ECU maps, turbocharging (for the adventurous), and camshafts, you will dramatically maximize your driving enjoyment.

Best Accord 9th Gen Upgrades

Just because particular upgrades are appearing in lots of Accord 9th Gen projects it doesn't mean its worth having. We will concentrate on the best upgrades that will give your Accord 9th Gen the biggest power gain for your cash.

Check out our video introduction to Honda Accord Tuning, all you need to know and full guide.

 

9th Gen Accord Best mods

• Remaps - A remap offers the most power in terms of cost, replacement ECUs, and piggyback ECUs are all alternatives.
• Sporty Profile Camshafts are one of the most significant mechanical changes, but should always be applied to your engine by someone qualified to set them up and tracking one down may be hard but there is usually a local firm to regrind a stock cam .
• Brake Mods - Improve your Accord 9th Gen's stopping power should be high on your agenda.
• Turbo Mods - A New Turbo is the most significant way to increase your intakes air supply, allowing you to use more fuel and make power gains. Although one of the most expensive modifications but provides the best gains.
• Intake Mods and Sports Exhausts - NB: on their own these mods won't ADD TORQUE on most cars, but they can help release power after other modifications by freeing up a restriction.
• Accord 9th Gen Handling Improvements - Replacing worn bushings and shocks greatly enhances your Accord 9th Gen road holding and cornering. Adjustable coilovers and better bushings are what is needed here.
• Radiator Upgrades - for modified cars that produce higher power and torque, the importance of better cooling is an essential.

Accord 9th Gen Tuning Stages

Typical stage 1 mods often include: Panel air filters, Performance Brake Pads, New Bushes, Intake manifolds, Drilled & smoothed airbox, Remaps/piggy back ECU.

Typical stage 2 mods often include: Suspension (Sports), Sports catalyst & performance exhaust, Brake Discs (drilled/slotted or grooved, Ported and polished head, fuel pump upgrades, Fast road cam.

Typical stage 3 mods often include: Competition cam, Adding or Upgrading forced induction (turbo/supercharger), Twin charging conversions, Crank and Piston upgrades to alter compression, Internal engine upgrades (head flowing porting/bigger valves), Engine balancing & blueprinting.

(We have Tuning guides for other Accord Generations, see the links below.)

4th Gen Accord Mods 5th Gen Accord Mods 6th Gen Accord Mods 7th Gen Accord Mods 8th Gen Accord Mods 9th Gen Accord Mods

History of the Accord 9th Gen

Both the sedans and coupe have front-engine and front-wheel-drive layouts with some engine options available as 2.0L R20A3 I4, 2.4 L K24W I4, 3.0 L J30A5 V6, and 3.5L J35Y1/2 V6. The most powerful Chinese model generates 257 hp power via a 3.0L V6 engine.

Different variants were launched in different countries such as America, Japan, Australia, China, Indonesia, Canada, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The Accord models in the European and Japanese markets were discontinued in 2015.

The Accord hybrid was introduced in 2013 with 2.0 L LFA1 i-VTEC I4 PGM -Fi DOHC i-VTEC coupled with two electric motors and 5-speed automatic transmission. The 1.3kWh battery packs were installed. It provided a total output of 196 hp and can sprint from 0-60 mph in 7.2 seconds. It got various distinctive features to be distinguished from other Accord models.

All Accords come with some standard features like a single angle backup camera, 480 by 320 LCD screen, alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, and Honda’s i-MID system. New safety features were introduced like a forward-collision warning system, blind-spot monitor, and lane departure warning system.

The top-line models also include LED daytime running lamps, head, and tail lamps, and an adaptive cruise control system. It then received a minor facelift in 2016 bearing a fresh alloy wheel design, updated front fascia, and upscaled tail lights.

Tuning the Honda Accord 9th Gen and finding the best Accord 9th Gen performance parts.

Chip Tuning & ECU Mapping Improvements

A tune/remap helps unlock the full potential of all the upgrades you've done to your Accord 9th Gen.

(Sometimes engine tuning/remapping the ECU is not an option, so an aftermarket ECU is the route to take, and most of these exceed the specs and performance of your factory ECU's.

Make sure it's correctly installed and has knock protection.) Depending on the state of your engine and the enhancements you've installed, you might expect gains of up to 30 percent on turbocharged cars and 15 percent on NA (naturally aspirated) engines.9th Gen Honda Accord Tuning Upgrades

A company called Performance Chip Revamp (PCR) also offers its Honda Accord performance chip and there are a few piggy back ECU tuning devices around, for a quick plug and tuneup upgrade.

Chip Tuning

Chip tuning is one of the best ways of getting enhanced power from your car. You have several options from different manufacturers in this regard. Some of these include but are not limited to:

• SMARTTUNE;
• GTE;
• PLP+;
• PIVOT;
• AGT;
• D1 SPEC.

Almost all of the products from the above-mentioned brands are reasonably priced and thus you can get great performance at reasonable prices.

Accord 9th Gen Camshaft Upgrades

Performance camshafts helps you to boost top end power and we generally recommend this as a primary mod on petrol engines, and secondary on Diesels to a remap. This will usually provide good top end power benefits through performance camshafts on most engines.

If you can get the VTEC to kick in sooner you won't need a fast road cam as the Accords come with a decent enough profile.

Significant gains on the Accord 9th Gen can be made from cam upgrades if you choose an aggressive profile. Altering the cam profile alters the intake and exhaust durations on the engine and can dramatically change the bhp and power output. BUT THERE IS A DOWNSIDE.

You could lose a little low-end horsepower, but your top end will be improved with a fast road camshaft because they tend to increase torque across the rpm band.

Motorsport camshafts improve performance at higher RPMs, but they often come at the expense of low-end torque and smooth idling. So a Competition cam will just annoy you whilst on the daily commute.

You should ideally match your engines power to your cars usage so for a car driven daily stick with a shorter duration Accord 9th Gen cam

Some Accord 9th Gen engines respond differently depending on how well made they are, when camshafts are fitted depending on the camshaft being less aggressive camshaft durations so view each engine and camshaft as unique due to manufacturing tolerances and quality variations so check your engine on a rolling road.

Brake Upgrades

Upgrades to the Breaking System After making sure everything else is in working order and the vehicle can function at a competitive level, the next step is to install effective brakes that will allow you to come to a screeching halt as fast as possible.

The anti-lock brakes and traction controls on Accords are calibrated to work with the standard braking setup. Therefore, we would prioritise installing higher-quality pads rather than risking further damage by making any other changes. There is a nice balance between stopping power, noise, dust, and temperature with Hawk brake pads.

A Brief Remark Upgrades to your brakes can quickly become quite costly, and you'll need to factor in the cost of fresh discs and pads.

Accord 9th Gen Turbo Upgrades

The more air you can get into an engine, the more fuel it can burn and uprating the induction with a turbocharger upgrade makes massive power gains.

It's not unheard of mechanics spending loads of money on turbocharger upgrades on the Accord 9th Gen only to see the car explode when it's been completed.

Turbocharger Upgrade kits

A turbocharger is not a commonly upgraded part mainly because of the huge cost associated with it. However, if you are looking for exceptional results, turbochargers are the best possible option.

NA (naturally aspirated) engines need quite a lot of work when you add a turbo, so we have a separate guide to help you take into account the pros and cons of going this route on your Accord 9th Gen

The Turbo & Engine 5858 Turbocharger is great for your Honda Accord 9^th generation car.

Another impressive option is the BorgWarner® Airwerks™ S400SX Super Core Cartridge (179352) which is a universal part and costs relatively lesser than the Turbo & Engine option.

Besides this, being a universal part, you won't have to worry whether or not this turbocharger will fit your vehicle.

Thus we recommend that if you are not 100% sure about the fitment of the turbocharger on your car, you should go for the universal part.

Supercharger

You can also use a supercharger instead of a turbocharger. If this is the case with you, you should go for the KraftWerks Supercharger Race System. However, this is a much more expensive option as compared to the universal BorgWarner turbocharger mentioned above.

Intercooler

The next part that you must consider upgrading on your Honda Accord 9^th generation car is the intercooler - forced induction adds a lot of heat to your intake.

An intercooler is responsible for providing a constant stream of cold and dense air to the engine. In case this air is missing, the car’s performance takes a significant dip.

You can go for the Mishimoto Universal Race Edition Intercooler J-Line. Other options include

• SpeedFactory Universal Intercooler 2.5” Side Inlets;
• Vibrant Performance Universal Intercooler.

It is not unusual that there is a limitation in the air flow sensor AFM/MAF on the Accord 9th Gen when a lot more air is being drawn into the engine.

We see 4 bar air sensors coping with quite large power gains, whereas the OEM air sensor was restricting power at a much lower level.

Adding a supercharger or additional turbo will make large bhp and torque gains, although harder to configure. We have this in depth look at twinchargers if you want to read more.

Radiator Upgrades

The cooling system of any car is vital. However, for modified cars that produce higher power and torque, the importance of such cooling systems is further increased because these engines produce more heat.

In most cases, the stock radiators are simply incapable of handling this excessive amount of heat and thus you are required to replace them with an aftermarket high-performance part.

One of the best options in this regard is the Mishimoto Race Radiator made of aluminium. This part guarantees that heat is effectively dissipated and thus overheating problems are overcome.

Accord 9th Gen Handling/Suspension Upgrades

No matter how much money you spend on getting engine-related upgrades and modifications, your car won't provide a fun-filled driving experience unless you have upgraded its suspension.

When it comes to suspension three major items that are usually modified are springs, shocks and coilovers.

So let’s see them in detail and explore which are the best modification options for the Honda Accord 9^th generation cars.

Good Quality coilovers permit you to adjust your ride height and this allows you to setup your cornering performance.

While lowering springs make the look cool by reducing the height of the vehicle, the main purpose of these springs is to lower the centre of gravity of the car.

This not only makes the vehicle more stable but also allows drivers to corner the vehicle at relatively higher speeds.

Some of the high-quality lowering spring options include:

1. Eibach Pro-Kit Lowering Kit Lowering Springs;
2. TruHart Lowering Springs.
3. D2 Racing Pro Lowering Springs;
4. Megan Racing Lowering Springs;

Shocks/ Struts

If you want to upgrade the shocks and struts of your car, you can choose from the following options:

1. TEIN Endura Pro Shocks/ Struts;
2. TruHart Sports Shocks/ Struts.
3. KYB Excel-G Shocks/ Struts;

Coilovers

Here are different options for those looking to upgrade to coilovers for the Honda Accord 9^th generation:

1. D2 Racing RS Full Coilovers;
2. Megan Racing EZ II Series Full Coilovers;
3. TEIN Flex Z Full Coilovers;
4. Godspeed Project Mono-SS Front & Rear Coilover Kit.

One of the most popular reasons for modifying your Accord 9th Gen suspension is to improve its cornering. However, we see the same mistakes often repeated again and over.

Improvements to the bushings

Enhancements to the bushings: Things you need to know

It is possible to connect the Accord 9th Gen's suspension components to the chassis of the Accord 9th Gen using poly bushes, which are replacements for the rubber mounts. The rubber ones typically wear out with time and need replacing anyway so why not upgrade.

Brand New OEM rubber bushings may have a major impact on the performance of your vehicle.

Because the polyurethane bushes are firmer, the ride may be a bit bumpier, but they will last longer and maintain the handling.

Worn bushes may also quicken the demise of other suspension components due to the increased vibration and play.

A new set of poly bushes may be able to lessen the excessive play that comes with rubber bushes.

Some poly bushings are hard to locate, but most will find the primary mounts readily available in their areas You may be able to have custom polyeyurothane bushings created to suit your needs.

Many people believe that a 80mm lower Accord 9th Gen suspension kit from a modified car part shop would be optimal. However, this is not the case - suspension design and setup is quite complex.

Vendors may claim that their Accord 9th Gen suspension kits are compatible with any or all model year Accord 9th Gens.

To adequately support a diverse variety of vehicles, the "generic one set for all models" approach is obviously a mistake as engine weights and equipment trim levels all affect the cars handling characteristics.

How low should you go on the Accord 9th Gen?

TorqueCars research and testing indicate that the maximum suspension drop for most road vehicles is 26 - 43 millimetres, whereas the maximum suspension drop for versions that come with lowered suspension already is 21 millimetres.

Tolerances may be greatly lowered by altering the diameter of the wheels. Lowering a vehicle, even with 17-inch wheels and stock suspension, may create several complications.

The ecu map and fuelling and fuel pump and injectors also will make differences on the torque gains you'll hit.

Longer valve durations can alter the torque band, and on most engines there are some advantages to extending the intake or exhaust durations and valve lift.

Air Flow improvements on the Accord 9th Gen

Forcing more air and fuel into your Accord 9th Gen is vital to any performance tuning task.

Intake manifold flow the air during the suck phase from the filter and allow it to be pulled into the engine and mixed with fuel.

The size of bore and shape and flow characteristics of the Intake can make a noticeable difference to to fuel atomisation and engine efficiency on the Accord 9th Gen.

Commonly we find the intake manifold are in dire need of a performance upgrade, although a few manufacturers provide well optimised plenum chambers.

Larger valve conversions on the Accord 9th Gen, getting port work and head flowing will also increase power, & more importantly will give you raising the power increase on other tuning parts.

Fuelling Upgrades

When you increase the performance you will need to pay attention to to the fuel delivery.

More performance needs more fuel. Performance fuel pressure regulators can can improve throttle response.

Fuel Delivery System

As mentioned earlier, for achieving a higher level of combustion, you need to supply more air and fuel to your car’s engine.

For providing a higher amount of fuel, the fuel delivery system of the car needs to be upgraded.

Several modifications can be performed in this regard. However, the most commonly upgraded parts include but are not limited to:

1. Fuel Injectors;
2. Fuel Pumps;
3. Fuel Pressure Regulators;
4. Injector Driver.

You can choose from the following different options for improving the fuel delivery system of your Honda Accord 9^th generation car:

• BLOX Fuel Pressure Regulator;
• DeatschWerks In-Tank High Flow Fuel Pump;
• AEM Adjustable Fuel Pressure Regulator;
• Walbro In-Tank High Flow Fuel Pump;
• Hondata Injector Driver.

Fuel Injectors

We would recommend you to over specify your injectors flow rate.

As a rule of thumb add 20% capacity when specifying an injector, helps cope with injector deterioration and provides a bit of spare capacity should the engine need more fuel.

When it comes to fuel injectors, special care has to be taken as the quantity of fuel has to be selected.

If the quantity of fuel delivered by the fuel injectors is less than the requirements, no matter how advanced a system you install in your car, the result won’t be according to your desires.

We recommend that you use Blox Racing 1000cc Eco-fi Fuel Injectors for your 9^th generation Honda Accord.

You can also use the Edelbrock Injector Pico Style having various capacities such as 185cc, 281cc and 427cc.

We think this one is common sense, but you'll need to match your fuel injector to the type of fuel your car uses as well.

Performance Exhausts

You only need to to increase your exhaust if your exhaust is actually causing a restriction in flow.

On most factory exhausts you should find that your flow rate is good even on modest power gains.

When you start pushing up the power levels you will need to get a better flowing exhaust.

Note that with the largest exhaust you can source you'll reduce the exhaust flow rate.

The best for power gains are usually between 1.5 to 2.5 inches. It is the shape and material more than the bore size.

Common exhaust restrictions can be traced to the catalyst installed, so adding a higher flowing race aftermarket catalyst improves flow, and instead of doing an illegal decat, will keep the car road legal. We should explain that performance catalyst perform a similar power improvement to catless exhaust mod. You also have the added benefit of keeping your car street legal, as decat or catalyst removal is not a legal mod.

Accord Wheel Upgrades

We are not fans of large heavy wheels on a daily driven car, and Honda saw fit to put some 19's and 20's on the higher powered variants. Thankfully, you have the power to cope with them, but I am sure you'll appreciate the handling on the 17's or 18's.

Details of the various wheel sizes fit by the company on various Honda Accord 9^th generation vehicles are as under:

2.4 litre

• 205/65R16;
• 215/55R17;
• 235/45R18;
• 235/40R19.

3.5 litre

• 235/45R18;
• 235/40R19;
• 255/30ZR20.

Weak spots, Issues & problem areas on the Accord 9th Gen

The Accord 9th Gen engines are generally reliable and solid as long as they are well maintained.

Carbon build up in the head, particularly around the valves which will reduce power and smooth running, this is a larger issue on direct injection engines but should be looked out for on all engines. We have tips on removing carbon To minimize this risk only use quality fuel and don't short journeys.

Service time oil changes are essential on the Accord 9th Gen, and more importantly so when the car is tuned and will help maintain the long life of the engine.

To find out more about mods and upgrades, or just get some friendly advice on Tuning your Accord 9th Gen engine please join us in our friendly forum where you can discuss Accord 9th Gen tuning options in more detail with our Accord 9th Gen owners. It would also be worth reading our unbiased Honda tuning articles to get insights into each modification and how effective they will be.

Please help us improve these tips by sending us your feedback in the comments box below.

We love hearing what our readers have got up to and which upgrades work best for them on each model of car. We use your comments and feedback to improve the accuracy of these Accord 9th Gen tuning guides which get regular updates and revisions.

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