Honda Accord Hybrid review
This high-tech sedan should have Toyota looking over its shoulder, proving competitive in the fuel-sipping sedan stakes.
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Honda’s mid-sized Accord sedan is back in business.
The eleventh generation of Honda’s oldest continually running nameplate is now hybrid only and has had a tech injection.
But it’ll be an exclusive ride, with a $64,900 price tag that is expected to limit sales to about 150 cars each year in Australian.
Porsche sells three times more 911 sports cars. Honda has decided to introduce a single, generously equipped model, powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder 108kW petrol engine paired with a 135kW/335Nm electric motor.
Between them the two muster 152kW, delivering performance that is sensible but hardly exciting.
It’s calm and easy to drive, the electric motor pulling effectively when taking off gently, allowing the engine to remain as background accompaniment.
Step it up and the engine gets more vocal as it slides between the eight ratios.
Sport mode brings the engine into play sooner and adds meat to the already nicely weighted steering. Paddles on the steering wheel allow the driver to choose between six different levels of regenerative braking.
There’s nothing exciting about it, but it is impressively refined, delivering seamless interplay between petrol and electricity.
Throw in the fuel saving benefits – our spirited drive yielded 5.2 litres per 100km versus a claim of 4.3L/100km – and the hybrid is an accomplished unit.
Through bends the Accord is equally inoffensive without being scintillating. It rides on 18-inch Michelin tyres that help soothe imperfections, combining with a hushed cabin for luxury-like comfort.
Pitch into a corner and it’s well behaved and benign without the zing and crispness of rivals.
Inside, there’s enough Honda familiarity to satisfy the traditionalists.
Tech includes a digital instrument cluster, head-up display and 12.3-inch infotainment screen.
You can use your phone as a key and the car can be monitored and unlocked or disabled remotely using an associated app.
The central screen has customisable icons down its right side, allowing you to prioritise commonly used programs.
That leaves the left of the screen for ventilation and volume controls, while phone connectivity and other menus appear in the centre section.
The digital instrument cluster can display on-board Google maps, leaving the main screen for other functions.
As with Polestars, some Volvos and BMWs it runs the Android Automotive operating system behind the scenes, giving access to a broad range of apps through Google’s store.
It also integrates various Google apps, including Maps and Home, the latter allowing you to bypass your phone and activate smart devices remotely.
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay phone connectivity are also included.
Up front there are up-market finishes and some interesting designs, including a crosshatched pattern across the dash incorporating air vents.
Soft finishes to the sides of the centre console and dash continue the theme, while tradition oozes through with leather and dark hues.
The Bose sound system is crisp, although the giant dial on the dash doesn’t adjust the volume as it looks like it should.
The broad rear seat has acres of legroom, although there’s a hump on the floor and the sweep of the sunroof encroaches on the heads of taller occupants.
Nice touches include retractable side blinds, red stitching and plush leather.
There’s a usefully deep boot, in part because there’s no spare wheel. There’s a ski port but the back seat folds in a single unit.
The latest Accord may be a tech pioneer for Honda, but it’s more a familiar friend for the Accord faithful who’ll appreciate its comfortable and sensible nature.
VERDICT
Three stars
Nails the brief for the Accord faithful but doesn’t shift the needle in a market segment with an expanding range of innovative offerings.
HONDA ACCORD
PRICE: From $64,900 drive-away
WARRANTY/PRICING: Five yrs/unlimited km, $995 for five yrs/50,000km
SAFETY: 8 airbags, auto emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, rear cross traffic alert, driver attention monitoring, speed sign recognition, 360-degree camera
ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4-cyl hybrid with 152kW/335Nm combined
THIRST: 4.3L/100km
SPARE: Repair kit
BOOT: 570 litres
Originally published as Honda Accord Hybrid review
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