Hot on the heels of Honda's all-new Accord family sedan, which arrived earlier in the 2018 model year, is a gas-electric version of a striking car that aims to inject a bit of passion into a segment seeing flagging sales in the face of SUVs and crossovers.
Once again, the Accord Hybrid will compete with electrified versions of the Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima, but Honda has opted to leave plug-in functionality off the table for now, so Ford and the Hyundai/Kia twins keep their monopoly in that corner of the hybrid sedan segment.
The new Accord Hybrid boasts the latest version of Honda's two-motor propulsion system that derives 212 hp and 232 lb-ft of torque from a 2.0L four-cylinder engine and that pair of motors, which are fed by a smaller battery pack that newly lives under the trunk floor, allowing a full-size opening between the trunk and cabin when the rear seats are folded.
Managing the coordination of motivational duties is a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and as before, that drivetrain allows the car to move from a stop on electricity and uses the gas engine to bring the car up to cruising speed.
It's nice to see Honda developing its latest hybrid technology after it let its outdated integrated motor assist (IMA) setup languish for a decade in the Civic Hybrid and Insight. The outgoing Accord Hybrid, the first to use the new two-motor arrangement, was a great car and this one promises to be even better.
Base models (the entry-level trim is simply Accord Hybrid) come with 17-inch wheels, LED low-beam headlights and taillights, dual-zone climate control, passive keyless entry and a multi-angle backup camera. Also standard is the Honda Sensing active safety suite.
The other option is a Touring trim that adds navigation, head-up display, wireless smartphone charging, power front passenger seat, heated rear seats, perforated leather upholstery with ventilated front seats, LED high beams, rain-sensing wipers and blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert.
Honda's fuel consumption estimates are 5.0/5.1 L/100 km (city/highway).
This vehicle has not yet been reviewed
