Honda Accord Hybrid test drive.
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The curent Honda Accord generation came out in late 2022. I drove it in 2023 and have to admit I was a bit disappointed when comparing it to the previous generation. It seems I wasn’t the only one either.
Over 2 years later, I drove it again for a week and ended up with a different conclusion. Probably because I didn’t compare it to the older model…
The design has grown on me and I think it does look relly clean and modern. Much more so than its most direct competitor, the 2025 Toyota Camry. Which is basically the same design that came out in 2017 while the Accord is all-new.
The interior is very nice and the quality is much higher than the Civid Touring Hybrid I drove a few weeks ago. Everything is more solid and there is less hard plastic everywhere. Unfortunatelly, the dashboard design is a bit too similar to the cheaper Civic. Even if its quality is better.
I was also pleasantly surprised with the light grey interior. Which is so much better than the all-black color most of these cars come with.
The seats are much more comfortable than the ones on the Civic. And they are ventilated as well as heated. However, that cooling feel is never that strong.
On top of everything, the Bose sound system is excellent. A huge improvement over the past generation.
Of course the back seat is super roomy. Unlike the Civic, it still features rear air vents as well as USB-C plugs. So most of the “back seat brawls” we keep hearing about these days will be avoided.
Since it is not a proper hatchback, the trunk is not as convenient as it could have been. It is pretty large but the narrow opening will prevent you from loading very large items.
Just like I did with the Civic Hybrid, I kept the Accord Hybrid in ECO model most of the time. While the car isn’t as punchy as the Civic, there is still plenty of power, even in the ECO mode, for everyday driving.
The Accord Hybrid is rated at 51MPG City and 44HWY. My weekly drive was mostly around town and yet my average came to 46/47MPG. Which is expected from the official numbers. But much less than the 56 MPG average I got during my week with the Civic Hybrid.
It seems the regen is a bit more aggressive than in the Civic too. Which should give better results. Otherwise, the Accord is a pleasure to drive. It does have a much more upscale feel than the Civic, and a smoother ride. It is almost always extremely quiet, even when the engine is areved up a bit. The steering has a very pleasant feel and the whole thing does feel more refined than the smaller Civic.
But by how much? The Touring Civic Hybrid I test drove a few weeks ago was around $32,500. The Accord Touring Hybrid is about $7000 more. And that’s a big difference.
Of course, you get a larger, better looking car. One that is more refined with better materials inside. Basically, you do get what you pay for. Except for MPG. Around 10MPG is quite a difference.
For my taste, 47MPG in a large upscale sedan is still pretty great.