Hybrid Vehicles Guide

Overview: The Accord follows in the footsteps of its little brother (Civic), and opts for a hybrid power train. The result is a quick, capable car that gets nearly 30 miles to the gallon from a combined output of nearly 260 horsepower. Not too shabby.

Detail: Admit it: you snuff your nose when someone mentions a hybrid. After all, the term hybrid usually refers to hyper-economical cars that are so aerodynamic they look like airplane wings with wheels. Enter the Accord hybrid, a new vehicle from Honda that is set to realign your perceptions of what a hybrid car is (and isn’t).

Initial Impression

There is little that distinguishes the hybrid from the regular car, save for a few trim designations and badges. That being said, we find the latest Accord to be an attractive, if somewhat understated, design. The back end is a huge improvement over the last generation, and the lines all flow together quite well.

The build quality of the Accord is quite high, and we are happy to see that this hasn’t changed with the hybrid version, not that there’s any reason it should. The interior matches the latest generation’s styling- classy, refined, and somewhat sporty. We like it.

Driving the Accord

This car moves. Trust us: despite the fact that it’s technically a “hybrid”, this car gets up and goes. It reminds us of the old Omni GLH from years past- the car that no one expects to be fast, yet look at it go. Packing nearly 260 horsepower, the six cylinder engine really shines in the mid-rpm range.

Cornering and braking are excellent as well, showing that Honda really did learn something during the last 20 years or so that the Accord has been produced. Though certainly not the road going go-kart feel of, say, a Lotus Elise, the Accord is nimble enough that we felt confident whipping it through traffic. We never lost our composure, nor did we lose our drink in the cup holder.

Acceleration is brisk, and your butt will feel the torque that this hybrid motor creates. What’s best, though, is the mileage you’re getting while hammering on the throttle. Conservatively, think upwards of 28 mpg. The Accord is able to do this by having the electric motor assist when necessary, such as under hard acceleration. The motor kicks in seamlessly, and you don’t really notice a change from gasoline to electric power.

Conclusion

This car feels great when you’re driving it, and at no point do you feel compelled to remind yourself that it’s “just a hybrid”. If this is an example of how this technology will be used by manufacturers, we say “bring ‘em on”.

If we could change one thing about this car, it would be that more needs to be done to let the owner know that they’re driving one badass hybrid. Maybe large wheels or fender flares will do the trick. Then again, perhaps the less frequent trips to the gas station will accomplish the same thing.