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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  smooth with some bumps... - 2015 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By jeff smith - March 4 - 6:26 pm

  though this "rare" (few produced) car runs well after acceleration. offers a comfortable ride, has decent mph around town on on the road and sports a good array of technology ..I think honda shortchanged consumers with some design shortcomings which cheapened the car .. i,e. no built in compass on the mirror and no spare ..admittedly these "features" may have cost the company a few dollars but really is it worth it not to be competitive . ... in the end this model still drives much better and has a much better look than the "wide mouth" camry

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  Accord Hybrid Touring - 2015 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By K. Roberts - February 12 - 9:35 pm

  Purchased two weeks ago and so far so good. Fuel economy is around 42mpg --mostly city driving. The fit and finish is pretty darn good for the money. The car is good looking and not a Prius (but has the mpg performance). The only disappointments so far are the passenger side front seat does not have same adjustment capability as driver seat (seat base does not go up or down) and (IMHO) the Navigation is not intuitive and should be 100% voice interfaced. Nav not worth the money. Perhaps an app interface with Waze or Google maps similar to existing Pandora interface? Future adds: A rear seat access power plug/usb and rear thermostat for climate control would be nice . Also a driver seat vibrating lane departure warning would be perfect .... The lack of trunk space is not too bad. Others have complained about the CVT transmission/motor noise-- It has been a non issue for us. Performance and acceleration are good. Rear Seat leg room is exceptionally good. Over all we are happy with purchase and look forward to more drive time. Winter traction and over all cold weather performance will be in follow up review....stay tuned. UPDATE 10/8/2017 Its been over a year and my wife loves the car. Performance in the snow was better than expected. Traction control works well. Have not reset the MPG computer and it reads 37 mpg over all. Gas mileage is not competitive compared to a Prius etc. No mechanical or electrical issues. The advertised mpg of 50/45 is bologna. That said --The Accord is still a really great value and a sharp looking car.

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  Lots of smiles and miles in a Honda Accord Hybrid - 2015 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By Bruce Ludwick - February 6 - 4:37 pm

  If you dont like going to gas stations and you like a comfortable cruiser, this is the right vehicle. I drive to Pittsburgh several days a week and bought this car as opposed to a Camry Hybrid because of the better gas mileage. I have not been disappointed. I average 44 MPG on my trips from home into Pittsburgh and that is running at least 70 MPH on the way. Its fun to sit in traffic and see the average MPG go up because of the electric motor. Short trips to and from town are all easily over 50 MPG and if I try to milk it more, I can do much better. My wife and I drove from Morgantown, WV to Chattanooga, TN before we needed to stop for gas. 600 + miles on a tank is the norm. The worst MPG that I have ever gotten was 39 MPG on a tank or two in the dead of winter (mileage is not as good in the winter). The car is very quiet (forget what others say about noise. It is a little noisy when doing a quick acceleration from a stop, but its not a big deal and goes away as soon as you reach cruising speed.) and the car rides very well. The handling could be a little better, but its not bad. There are three sacrifices that you make. One is that the legroom for front seat passengers is a little less than would be expected, two is that the trunk space suffers because of the battery pack, and three is the lack of a spare tire. I had a flat last week and the repair kit didnt work. Honda Roadside Assistance was not too good and I ended up having AAA tow the car back to the dealership where we ordered a replacement tire. I plan on buying a spare and jack and putting them in the trunk. The controls are laid out well and are easy to use, everything is within reach, and the sound system is very good. I have had no problems other than the flat since I bought the car and service has been limited to oil changes (synthetic) and tire rotations. My EX-L does not have Navigation and the car has no transmission (believe me you wont miss it and you can use the B setting for regenerative braking to slow down on long grades), so both of those were rated N/A as was resale value. I would expect it to be very good. I would definitely buy another Accord Hybrid.

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  Love this hybrid - 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By louienova - November 28 - 10:22 am

  This is my 4th hybrid so I’m stranger to finding how to get most gas out of this 2017 accord. It took a while to figure out how to get the most mpg’s when I first bought my first hybrid so for anyone reading this if it’s your first hybrid give it some time you’ll learn how to get the most mpg’s. I’m getting around 42 miles combined mpg and I do step on the pedal in Los Angeles driving the car is smoother than last 3 hybrids I’ve owned and the size of this accord is bigger than most hybrids for the price they I drove off with my touring for 29k it’s a five star car.

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  Great car with some qalifications - 2015 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By Corey Isenberg - November 1 - 3:04 am

  First if all entertainment system sounds great, DD player is essentially useless other than to play CDs, will not save anything. Playing with flash drive is cumbersome, I bought an iPod Nano and it is infinitely easier. Honda needs some new engineers, this is unacceptable. Dealer shrugged his shoulders so Ill try once more then contact Honda directly. Car handles great, reasonably quiet when not accelerating (pronounced whine). Mileage very temperature dependent, heater is electric, heater warming cab, no EV.

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  Best Hybrid on the Market - 2015 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By A - September 7 - 1:13 am

  Im in love with my Accord Hybrid for one reason - It drives and feels like any other Honda Accord. I read a ton of reviews about this car prior to purchasing especially regarding the fuel economy. The fuel economy all comes down to how you drive. Im averaging 48.7 mpg after 17k miles on the car. The car does OK in true traffic, but it really shines in stop/go ish traffic on highways at low speeds. I live in DC and this car does exceedingly well in the traffic conditions here. With that said - it does not perform well on long highway trips (drove to FL and got 37mpg). Overall this is a car that drives like any other Honda Accord and I could not be happier with my purchase. Almost three years in, still the best bar Ive owned. Only issue is that they had to replace the audio unit at 30k miles.

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  Disappointed with fuel economy and service - 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By EB - September 2 - 6:27 pm

  Firstly, I should say that I think the car is very comfortable and drives very well. My only concern is that I am getting very poor MPG. I did a lot of research before purchasing this car and was very excited about the MPG performance claims, which seemed to be backed up by customer reviews. I have owned the car for 3 months and am currently getting a whopping 28 MPG! I have confirmed this by calculating at the pump. Granted, it is now wintertime and I expect to lose some fuel economy, but since purchasing the car (in September), I have never broken 40 MPG. In the warmer weather I was averaging around 35 MPG in the city, maybe 37 highway. I also own a Prius (and routinely get ~45-50MPG), so I know this is not an issue with my driving technique. I spoke with Honda customer service to express my concerns and they talked about how EPA estimates are not accurate, etc. They suggested I bring it to the Honda dealership and they will evaluate the car to make sure it was working properly and suggested a fuel consumption test. I took the car to the dealership, explaining that the MPG was nowhere near what seems appropriate, and again was given some wishy-washy crap about how Honda routinely expects the cars to perform up to 22% worse than the EPA estimates (which calculates out to 36 highway/38city). They checked the computer system, found no errors, and said there was nothing wrong. I asked about the fuel economy test and they said they dont do it routinely. I called Honda customer service again and they basically had no solutions to offer other than to have the fuel consumption test done (which they only recommended after I asked about it again). Honda customer service did not seem to have an answer as to what would constitute a poor test outcome and what they would do if the test comes back saying 28MPG. The dealership said this will take 2 days to do. I am debating whether it is worth it to bring the car back in for 2 days so they can do the same pump calculation I have done and then tell me this is "within normal". Just beware that the MPG claims are not accurate. I do think the car interior is very nice and I like the rest of the vehicle, but if youre going to dish out an extra ~$6,000, you kinda want to get what you pay for (hybrid fuel economy).

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  Great gas car - 2015 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By James - August 10 - 7:14 pm

  Its a great car.

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  I used to be a Honda fan! - 2015 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By Bill Baker - June 6 - 8:48 pm

  Bought the Honda Accord Hybird after owning the Lincoln MKZ Hybird. Bottom line, we should have stayed with the Lincoln. I have been on two trips (200 and 500 mile), and was very disappointed with the 37 MPG I averaged on each of them. Hondas answer was it gas mileage should improve after your first oil change. The engine sounds like it is stuck in first gear when it kicks in. The engine noise is very noticeable inside the cabin area if you are driving 30 MPH or faster. Voice recognition software with the radio is less than user friendly and no logic to some of the required commands. Only good thing I can say about this car is it was about $15,000 dollars cheaper than a Lincoln. I got what I paid for!

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  Fabulous Hybrid - 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By Kerry McCalla - May 29 - 11:44 pm

  They told the truth about the mileage! Rated at 48 mpg, Im still on my first tank of gas and thrilled that I am currently getting 46.5 mpg. The instrumentation gives continuous feedback about your driving style and what that is doing for gas mileage and battery assist charging. It is very impressive. Now if jackrabbit starts are part of your driving style, you can still do them, but you probably want to switch out of Econ mode and switch into Sport mode. But if that isnt your style, then you are going to be happy with all of the little things this car does to extend a gallon of gas. I had been driving a 2006 Honda Accord EX and my how the electronics and safety have advanced in 11 years! The entertainment options are plentiful and all work well including Bluetooth and Appleplay. On the touring model, the smart headlights (on/off, high beam/low beam) work very well as does the intermittent wipers that sense the amount of rain and adjust accordingly. What is really impressive is that even these automatic features have controls that allow you to tweak the settings and get them just right for you. For instance, on cruise control that automatically slows you down to keep a safe distance behind the car that you are following, it allows you to adjust what that safe distance is for you. So, Ive had the car for 4 weeks but it is everything that I have come to expect in a Honda and more!