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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  Title free - 2019 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By Aryn patel - August 9 - 7:29 pm

  Less miles clean car no accidents

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  Wonderful car - 2015 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By Erich - December 24 - 11:35 pm

  Great car! Ive averaged 43mpg over 17,099 miles. Fun car to drive. I rent a lot of cars for work and my Honda is always a joy to return to. One factor to consider is maintenance. This car requires an oil change roughly once a year ( the maintenance minder will tell you, but the manual says once a year otherwise). I have been to the dealer twice in two years, which would be unheard of in a regular car. The sound from the speakers is excellent and the collision detector has saved me more than once. I love this car!

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  So Far, So Good - 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By texas22step - November 5 - 6:19 pm

  We purchased the Accord Hybrid shortly after its recent arrival at a local dealer, attracted by its new hybrid technology & claimed mileage. We had the chance last weekend to take it on an Interstate highway trip of about 450 miles, and found it to be very comfortable and achieved about 43 mpg on the trip despite driving almost the entire trip at the 75 mph posted speed limit. One can imagine the economy potential for more restrained highway driving. Beyond the comfort and mpg factors, we enjoy the fact that the Accord Hybrid looks like every other Accord on the road - no geeky look like the Prius or other green cars. The build-quality is solid, the design fine. Built in the USA-Ohio!

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  The Best Hybrid You Should Buy - 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By Ahmad Malik - October 13 - 11:40 am

  This car is great. You get value for you money. Its a no brainer with the fuel economy. You fill that tank up and see 720 miles range and you are good to go. The ride is comfortable with noise reduction. Honda paid attention and giving a gap of two years was a great idea to work on the car. Eco friendly what could you ask for more ?

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  2017 Hybrid loss of gasoline engine/error messages - 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By Bart - July 19 - 2:49 pm

  Honda Hybrid with 1,350 miles on it broke down in a highway intersection and it was at the dealer for repair for 18 days. Honda provided a rental car. The battery control module and the trunk battery pack have been replaced. The hybrid gasoline engine died in an intersection, multiple error messages appeared on the dashboard display, and it only operated in the electric mode enabling me to drive it to the dealer. Calls into Honda by the dealer resulted in Honda shipping a new battery control module and a new battery pack to the dealer for installation. Car returned to owner and appears to be repaired. Found this recall notice for 2014-2015 Hybrid Hondas: (National Highway Traffic safety Administration, recall notice JT7) "Electrical interference may cause the hybrid system to switch into fail-safe mode, disabling the gasoline engine, limiting the vehicles speed to 40 miles per hour and [causing] the [hybrid] to function only on battery power." Which is what happened to me. Gave the recall notice to the dealer. In the former recall, new software was developed and downloaded to the dealers and used in the 2014-15 recall.

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  Quiet ride and great gas mileage - 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By G. Ford - July 2 - 7:26 am

  The 2017 Accord Hybrid EX-L is my first hybrid car. The average gas mileage has been great overall. Travelling at 65-75 MPH tends to result in 39-42 MPG during summer weather, and 35-40 during below freezing weather. Travelling at 25-40 MPH tends to result in 49-55 MPG during summer weather, and 43-46 MPG during below freezing weather. Gas mileage is definitely lower when the engine is cold, so a second trip half an hour after the first will result in much better gas mileage than the first one. My overall average mileage (50% highway speeds, 50% side road speeds) was 48-49 MPG during summer tankfulls, and is now 39-40 MPG for winter tankfulls (driving in 9-16 F degree weather). This car is QUIET when operating on battery only - wow! Cool! I had more wind noise than I expected initially, but after the dealership made a repair based on a Technical Service Bulletin (adding some sealant around the drivers window gasket), wind noise is now noticeable on the highway only on decidedly windy days. This car offers a very quiet ride for most driving, but when going up a steep section of hill the engine noise will be noticeable. It disappears completely after cresting most hills, when either the RPM go down a lot or the engine is shut off completely while the car runs on battery for a while. Good ride, nice handling, good acceleration in Sport mode, excellent gas mileage, comfortable, and controls similar to other Honda models. Some quality control issues: - our car had an intermittent annoying rattle (like a bolt vibrating on a hard plastic tray) somewhere around the steering wheel that only happened on rough pavement at highway speeds. It turned out to be the airbag screws in the steering wheel - but it required many months to find. - the drivers seat can squeak annoyingly, apparently due to a loose clip that holds the seat covering on. The dealership fixed this once, and the squeak went away, but came back a month later. The Lane Keeping Assist System is cool, but it tends to "snake" a bit within a lane and does not necessarily drive the same path I would, so I dont use it. The Adaptive Cruise Control is great - slowing down when the car in front of you slows down on the highway. This is a VAST improvement over the traditional cruise control that I have been used to for the past 30 years. Trunk space is a bit smaller than other Accords to make room for the battery, but has been fine for our needs so far. We have been able to fit a walker and a travel wheelchair in the back at the same time (barely). The car comes with a battery-powered tire inflator instead of a spare tire (to save weight and cost?), which seems to concern some reviewers - but does not bother us. The car IS fun to drive, and we love the gas mileage and correspondingly lower global warming emissions. Our passengers remark on how quiet the car and ride are.

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  Great deal!!! - 2015 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By Johnny - July 1 - 12:50 am

  Updated review 8/8/17 Ive now had my Hybrid EX-L for 2 years now, Im at 56,600 miles and I must say that driving this vehicle has definitely changed my formally aggressive driving; acceleration and braking. I average anywhere from 650 miles to the tank during the winter and up to 780 miles a tank during the summer; average mileage to a full tank is somewhere in the upper 600s to low 700s year around. Are there minor tweaks I would prefer that this vehicle have, sure but nothing major. Ive managed to save myself between $7-8.5k in the past 2 years in fuel costs and services that I would have had to pay in my previous car; 2011 Audi A4. Is this a muscle car? No. Is this an ugly Prius? Hell no!!! The comfort and fuel saving advantages outweigh the Audi or almost any other car any day! A word of caution if you do not drive a lot the premium cost of this car will not balance out within a couple of years, shop with this in mind. I have yet to use my extended warranty 6 year/120k miles, but I would highly suggest getting the extended warranty if you actually drive more than 20k miles a year, it should pay off in the long run. I look forward to the all electric Clarity or hopefully Accord some day. Happy driving!

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  Made in Japan for a reason. They nailed this one. - 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By Bill - June 16 - 4:18 pm

  Looking back on previous years I dont think Honda met their own expectations. They took a year, moved production back to Japan, increased the HP, refined the car and brought a winner to the states. Know that Honda is discounting this as they desperately want to sell 30K units. In the spring of 2017 I got about 4500.00 off the 30,440 sticker before taxes and fees. I suspect I could have gotten 5200.00 off with a tad more dickering. A fine car, tight and sound. I am making my numbers on mpg and only wish Honda had a 150K warranty on the battery pack.

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  No way it gets 49/48 mpg - 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By Jim - June 14 - 9:58 am

  I have had the car three weeks now, when I got it, the car had 25 miles on it and a full tank of gas. The dashboard said 629 miles till empty. I drove it with Econ on, Econ off, sports mode on and off, fast and slow and the low fuel light came on at 420 miles. I only average 34.9miles per gallon, hmm was up with that my 2016 Bmw 328i averaged 36 mpg on highway and that was driving it. They say cold weather effects it, but wow, had same issue with civic hybrid does not get anywhere near proclaimed mileage. Love the car but wow mileage estimates are way off, may go get me 335 or 340.

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  Gas mileage - 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid
  By Susanne Jusino - May 5 - 7:03 pm

  I would never have traded in my Camry hybrid if I knew the Honda accord hybrid only got 39 mpg. What a disappointment. I have had many Hondas but now I will go back to Toyota.