Overview & Reviews

This is a tale of two Honda Accord hybrids. The original Accord Hybrid, based on a V6 Accord sedan, delivered strong performance but fuel economy well below what most people expect from a hybrid. It was also expensive, and few shoppers bought one. But Honda's second Accord Hybrid squarely hits the mark. It provides stellar fuel economy along with relatively spirited performance. It's also an excellent car overall as it offers all the room, comfort, safety, high-tech features and quality construction that have made the Honda Accord a longtime favorite. If you're shopping for a midsize hybrid sedan, the newest Accord Hybrid is certainly worth considering.

Current Honda Accord Hybrid
The Honda Accord Hybrid is an all-new model for 2014, and it features a new type of hybrid powertrain for Honda. Unlike the Civic Hybrid, for instance, which always relies on its gas engine for motivation, the Accord Hybrid has a more sophisticated powertrain that allows it to move solely with electric power at slower speeds. The result is improved fuel economy.

This powertrain consists of a 2.0-liter gasoline engine, two electric motors, a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and a trunk-mounted lithium-ion battery pack. All told, it makes a combined 196 horsepower and posts an impressive 47 mpg combined EPA rating. The Accord Hybrid can also sprint from zero to 60 mph in about 7.5 seconds, making it one of the quickest non-luxury hybrids on the road.

The current Honda Accord Hybrid sedan comes in three trim levels: EX, EX-L and Touring. Standard equipment highlights of the EX include dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless ignition/entry, Bluetooth, a rearview camera, a blind-spot monitoring display, a power driver seat and a six-speaker sound system with an iPod/USB audio interface. Added perks of the EX-L include a sunroof, leather upholstery, forward collision and lane departure warning systems, heated front seats, a power passenger seat, an upgraded sound system and smartphone app integration (HondaLink). The Touring features LED headlights, adaptive cruise control and a navigation system.

In reviews, we've been impressed with the Honda Accord Hybrid. Its interior design is elegant, and the cabin's tight construction gives the impression of an entry-level luxury car, rather than a workaday family car. Both front and rear occupants will find plenty of legroom and shoulder room, and the backseat is arguably best in class with its combination of space and comfort. We also like the Hybrid's strong acceleration and secure handling around turns. There are a few downsides, such as a somewhat firm ride quality, a smallish trunk and above-average amounts of engine noise during acceleration, but overall, the Accord Hybrid is a great choice for a hybrid family sedan.

Used Honda Accord Hybrids
The previous-generation Accord Hybrid was produced from 2005-'07. Its hybrid system was less advanced than the current model but was meant for sporty performance rather than maximum fuel economy. Its combination of a 3.0-liter V6 and an electric motor produced a total of 255 hp. The sole transmission was a five-speed automatic. The EPA's estimated fuel economy varied by year, ranging from 25-28 mpg in combined driving. This was better than either the regular four-cylinder or V6 Accord of the time, but not exceptionally so.

This Accord Hybrid came in one well-equipped trim level whose standard feature highlights included leather upholstery, heated front seats, a power driver seat, dual-zone automatic climate control and an in-dash CD changer. The Hybrid differed from other Accords via its unique front grille, rear spoiler and instrumentation that let drivers keep track of the status of the hybrid powertrain. For 2006, a power sunroof, stability control and daytime running lights joined the standard features list.

In reviews, we enjoyed the Accord Hybrid's brisk acceleration, which at the time was enough to outgun pretty much any V6-powered family sedan. The downside was the disappointing fuel economy, which in our testing experience was consistently below the EPA's estimates. This original Accord Hybrid was pleasant to drive, however, as the precise steering and the well-tuned suspension provided a comfortable ride while still allowing the driver to feel confident when going around turns.

User Reviews:

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  Nothing but trouble - GONE FROM BAD TO WORSE - 2015 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By Rajkumar Swamy - July 9 - 4:49 pm

  It is for 2+ YRS own this car. recently found out that it does not have a SPARE tire and has been nothing but trouble all this time and still facing issues. 1. In the first 60 days, twice the vehicle abruptly stopped on the road with multiple error messages related to battery overheating and engine overheating. On both occasions, the dealership could not offer much resolution. In an oil change exercise, the software was patched and the issue went away. 2. The gas mileage: Occasionally my vehicle has given me 43+ mileage in the first 6 months and started dropping to 40 miles. However, since my oil change and a couple of filter change service the mileage has dropped to 35-36 miles/gallon. Have discussed with dealership with very little resolution 3. ACC(Adaptive Cruise Control) & FCW(Forward Collision Warning): On multiple occasions, in the last 12 months both these features use to malfunction based on ‘Radar obstruction’ and in the last 10 days they have stopped working including the disabling of regular cruise control operations. This has made my long drive to work a manual exhausting effort. The dealership that inspected has advised of expensive diagnostics and recalibration which I am not sure if I truly should pay for. Overall, though I love Honda and owned a Civic for 16 years that ran trouble free for ~200K miles would highly discourage anyone looking to buy a Honda Hybrid car based on above experience.

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  Worth the Wait for those sold on Hybrids - 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By RMH - June 14 - 1:47 am

  **Update after 1 year - still enjoying the vehicle and after a year of combined highway and city driving, looks like 43 MPG is about average. In the city at 20-50 MPH stop and go, you can easily get 49 or 50 MPG but on the highway over 70 brings you back to reality. With all factors combines, this is still the best car I have ever owned. I was new to hybrids in 2013 and purchased a 2013 Hyundai Sonata and loved that vehicle right off the bat and was sold on hybrids. With that car I averaged 38 mpg on the highway and was thrilled that I could go over 500 miles before having to fill up. The argument at the time was the hybrid cost more and based on mpg, it would take you X years to break even. While this might be a logical value/$ spent thought, I for one loved the fact that I was doing my part to help with the ecology and consuming less gas which made me feel good and I was sold. While I loved this first hybrid, I was keeping an eye out for Hondas latest model waiting the entire 2016 model year for the 2017s which have just begun arriving at dealerships as I am a long time Honda fan ( have owned 4 or 5 Honda vehicles). From a "regular guy" point of view, there is almost nothing about this car I do like like from the fantastic mpg to the great audio system to elegant interior. So far I am averaging 46 mpg combined and an thrilled to see my driving range to empty is about 700 miles. The mpg highway is an interesting number as it never states at what speed was the mpg highway determined. On a recent trip, I set the cruise to 70 mph on mostly straight roads and after 2 hours of driving, the mpg was listed as 42 mpg. I suspect if I drove 65 mph or 60 mph, the mpg might have gotten closer to the published rate but who would drive that speed :-). The only issue I noticed is with Apple Car Play which acts strange at times with accepting phone calls and instances in which there seems to be a software tug of war between Honda car software and Apple as to which product should control a feature.When I do have an issue, rebooting the phone does nothing and it requires me to turn off the car then retry which corrects the problem. The car is very very well built and feels more like a Lexus than a hybrid sedan. As I have only had the car for 4 days, barring something totally out of the blue and unexpected, I would highly recommend purchasing this vehicle and forget the extra cost/how many years to recoup argument and enjoy the ride! (Update 7/26/16) - Resolved the carplay issue as being caused by using both Carplay and Bluetooth at the same time - use one or the other but not both together. On another note, I achieved 50.8 mpg in the city by driving with caution and playing with the gas pedal as Hybrid owners will understand what I am referring to. I am not up to 44 mpg combined over 6 days.

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  Not bad - except the engine noise - 2015 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By hondahybrid15 - April 29 - 10:38 pm

  I have this car for 2 months now, and there are something I really like this car and something I really dont like. Pros - Great fuel mileages in a 50+ degree day, 40+ MPG is not a question. - Good looking interior and exterior. - Drive like a normal car with plenty of power. Cons - The engine noise is loud in a low speed. - Hybrid is NOT good for cold day. I only get like 15 MPG for a very cold day ( 0 degree). - I hate the noise when I stop at stop sign/red light, the car sometimes will switch from engine to EV, then will switch back to Engine. it scares me when the engine starts up again. - NO Spare tire (I ended up buying a OEM spare tire - for $100)

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  Youre driving an accord ! - 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By Jawad Arsh - February 13 - 4:20 pm

  When driving an accord , dont expect a sportiness or exhilarating ride, just look at how much you paid for it. Its a very reliable car with an excellent fuel economy (53/mpg) for my daily drive to work. I own a GTR and Miata for my fun factor and the accord can never ever be a toy car. Its very economical and a reliable drive from point A to B without much drama or fuss . Great value for money, highly recommended . If you want a fun drive, get something else.

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  Good MPG, Excellent Features - 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By vshands - January 3 - 2:40 am

  Ive had my hybrid Ex-L for about a month now. I regularly get around 53 mpg city, but my highway mpg runs around 37 even with the econ button on (I have a bit of a lead foot). The mpg is effected more in cold weather than traditional cars. I love how I can put it in electric mode for short trips if the battery is charged enough, its perfect for running to the grocery store. Like another reviewer mentioned, the battery rarely gets fully charged, but does well enough. It doesnt drive like the traditional hybrid (no hesitation) unless you put it in econ mode.

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  OMG! I LOVE THIS CAR! - 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By BigR - December 15 - 1:43 pm

  I just traded my 2014 RLX in for this super amazing Accord! Soooooooooo good on gas and really fun to drive! Really am happy about this purchase and it was 1/2 the price of my RLX. Love! It! Lynnwood Honda in WA state goes above and beyond to make the buying experience great! From the sales to the detail shop. Happy customer. Just a side note Im 62 and 280lbs and fit great in the new accord.

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  impressive value. honda always impresses - 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By outlawdoc - December 7 - 11:37 pm

  had about 2 weeks overall 45.5 mpg but im mostly rural highway driving. great deal since 2018s are here and honda wants the 17s gone .

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  My least favorite Honda to date - 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By Ned Christensen - June 12 - 4:54 pm

  I went for the Accord Hybrid because I thought it looked a little snazzier and handled sportier than the conventional 4-cyl sedan. Not a burner like my old 6-cyl coupe, but fun to drive and who could argue with 49 mpg, even with cheap gas. I liked the updated electronics, with Apple Play eliminating the need for nav., the backup camera is brighter, and the assisted cruise control and lane departure prevention seemed like a good idea. After 5 months of ownership, however, Im pretty thoroughly disappointed. The biggest letdown is the gas mileage, which despite its 49 mpg rating, averages closer to 35. The best Ive ever managed, with every fuel conservation tool in use, was about 39. I understand fuel economy is always overstated, but by 28 percent?! Shame on you Edmunds, for letting Honda get away with it. In other news, the entertainment touchscreen is a hot mess. The menu hierarchies arent intuitive and the virtual buttons are hard to hit. The volume control is either a touchy thing or the steering wheel, and theres no off switch! You cant turn off the radio. The assisted cruise control slows down so much and so far back that cars behind you start sounding horns for you to get out of the way. The lane assist and other safety features just make driving more complicated and less fun. To top it all off, the interior trim is shiny, high-gloss metal, which catches every ray of sunlight and blasts it into the drivers eyes. Even the fake would in the console is glossy and glarey--and thats with tinted windows. As for the performance, the car is fairly responsive unless youre looking for hard acceleration for passing or merging from a speed of 30-69 mph. In that range, you have to punch it into sport mode, which brings the gas engine to life with a disconcerting belch and whiny roar. The handling is extremely light when accelerating, although Im starting to get used to that. So, in summary, I hate the car, right? Well, not exactly. It is a Honda and I like Hondas because they seem to fit me well. This one does too, even though I hit my head getting into it. It feels pretty solid and it was marked down a lot--probably due to everything Ive written so far. The next generation should be amazing if they learn from all the shortcomings in this one. What are the chances?

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  It aint perfect, but close enough. - 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By dat4life - May 20 - 9:46 pm

  Ive had my base Hybrid for a month and put a little over 2K miles on it. Its been amazing so far. Ive averaged about 48 mpg so far in mixed driving, which probably be higher if temps didnt drop below freezing which caused me to average about 36 mpg on my current tank. Handling is good for a big sedan, and it feels like it has as much power as my former 04 Accord EX-L V6 Navi. Brakes are smooth and linear, unlike the jerky brakes found on the Priuss Ive rented. Seats are supportive and comfortable, and the interior fit and finish is quite good. I find the infotainment system to be decently intuitive. The base audio system is ok, though not great.

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  2014 Accord Hybrid Touring MPG WTF - 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By rsxing - April 18 - 8:29 am

  I purchased 2 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring sedans for my house hold and neither one has gotten close to 50 mpg. I installed the HFP 19 wheels with Continental ContiSport 3s on my Touring sedan (from my old Accord coupe) so I can forgive that car of under whelming me in the MPG dept. But with that in mind the car seems to hesitate a lot during highway speeds above 55 MPH. Not sure what sure what the cause of this is. The other car has achieved 42 MPG once and averages 37. The driver of this car is VERY conservative so the problem isnt how the sedan is being driven. I hope that this a break in period thing. Neither car drives in EV mode more than %10 of the time.