The 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid marks the start of the car’s 11th generation. But if I’m being honest, this car looks a bit boring. Honda has taken a very conservative approach to styling compared to the previous few generations of the Accord. However, is the rest of the car just as conservative as the styling?
Performance
Engine – Starting with some bad news first, the 2.0L turbo engine of the old Accord is gone. The base engine is a 1.5L turbocharged 4-cylinder that produces 192 hp & 192 lb-ft of torque (143 kW & 260 Nm). This engine is not a hybrid. The other engine that is available in this hybrid variant is a 2.0L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder. On its own it produces 146 hp & 134 lb-ft of torque (109 kW & 182 Nm). But with the addition of the 181 hp (135 kW) electric motor, total system output is 204 hp & 247 lb-ft of torque (152 kW & 335 Nm).
With this much power, it’s not going to blast off the line like the old 2.0L turbo did. But this power is more than plentiful for city driving, highway driving, or going up steep mountain highways like those in the Rockies. The powertrain has no issues at all in getting the 1,606 kg (3,540 lbs) body moving.
In most situations, the engine and electric motor get the car up to speed and then the electric motor does all the work to maintain speed. Under light throttle applications, you can get the Accord going from a stop to city speeds without the engine turning on. But you will have a few tailgaters behind you as the acceleration is a bit slower than the normal flow of traffic. The car has a dedicated EV mode which allows for faster electric-only acceleration. But as soon as the battery is drained or you press too hard on the throttle, the engine kicks in and the car will automatically switch to the Auto HEV mode. And finally, you can also tell the car to recharge the battery when you want it to. By pressing and holding on the EV button that’s on the center console for a couple of seconds, the engine will turn on and recharge the battery. This will, however, decrease the fuel efficiency slightly.
Fuel Economy – The 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid is rated for 5.0 L/100km (47 MPG) in a city and 5.7 L/100km (41.2 MPG) on a highway. Better yet, it is possible to achieve better fuel economy numbers. On one trip, I managed to average 3.5 L/100km (67.2 MPG). But overall during my week with the car, I averaged 4.8 L/100km (49 MPG) with approximately 250 km (150 miles) of driving.
Transmission – The hybrid system is paired with an eCVT automatic. For 99% of drives, this transmission behaves like any other eCVT, as in, it will hold the engine’s rpms to a set amount until the desired speed is reached and then lower them back down. Only when the throttle pedal is pushed to the floor does this transmission begin to imitate virtual gear shifts.
Braking – The Honda Accord’s brakes deliver smooth stops with a liner brake pedal feel. Pedal travel is on the long side but this ensures those smooth and easy stops. The Accord Hybrid uses regenerative braking to recoup some energy when slowing down.
By default, the regen braking is controlled by the brake pedal. But at the pull of the steering wheel mounted paddles, the driver can set the amount of regen braking. However, as soon as the throttle pedal is pressed again, the set regen braking mode is reset. If you pull and hold on one of the paddles, then the car will switch to the manual regen braking mode and you can lock in how much regen braking the car provides. This mode is only reset when the ignition is turned off or by pulling and holding on one of the paddles again. With max regen braking, it’s almost like a one pedal drive mode but the brakes are still required for the last 15 or so km/h (9 mph).
Handling – The days of the sporty driving Honda Accord are long gone. This car is more about providing a comfortable and easy to drive demeanor. That being said, this new generation Accord is quite good to toss through some corners. It’s no Civic Type-R or even a Civic Si, but the car remains planted through twisties. Although this is an economical hybrid car, it doesn’t mean it has to be boring when the roads get interesting.
Related Articles
Comfort
Ride Comfort – This 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring comes equipped with 19” wheels. But even with the 19” wheels, the ride is plush with all but the deepest potholes being felt into the seats. The EX trim of the Accord is equipped with 17” wheels which I’d bet provide a slightly smoother ride with the thicker tire sidewalls. Equally comfortable are the front seats. Plenty of padding for your bum and good support for your back on those long morning commutes to work.
Interior Space – The interior dimensions of the 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid remain broadly the same to the previous generation. Legroom across both rows of seats is plentiful even if you’re a tall adult like myself at 6’4”. Headroom in the back seats is a bit tighter than in the front due to the sloping roof. It’s not as bad as in some other sedans but I could feel my hair brushing against the headliner.
The trunk is equally massive in the Accord Hybrid. Up to 473 L (16.7 cu-ft) of space with the rear seats up and more space available with the 60/40 rear seats folded.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – The 2023 Accord Hybrid is a quiet sedan. In EV mode, all you hear is a bit of tire noise while driving on highways and a tiny bit of wind noise if you encounter a crosswind. When the engine turns on, it is a seamless transition and it is quiet as well under normal driving conditions. It only gets a bit buzzy when the throttle pedal is pushed harder but you only really need to do that if the car is fully loaded and you’re going up a steep hill.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – The 2023 Honda Accord has become more expensive, like many other vehicles in 2023. But I’d say that it’s still a reasonable price. The non-hybrid EX starts at $37,000 CAD ($27,295 USD, LX). To move up to the hybrid variant, it’ll cost you $41,000 CAD ($31,345 USD) while this Touring Hybrid will cost you $44,500 CAD ($37,340 USD). In the United States, you have more options with 6 trim levels to choose from.
Gadgets – One of the biggest changes to the 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid is the updated infotainment system. It is displayed on a 12.3” touchscreen and while it is not an Android Automotive based system, it does have Google apps built in. This allows you to log in to your Google account and have your contacts, apps, favorites and so on already loaded into the infotainment. But because it’s not a full Android Automotive system, it also has the capability to run Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, wirelessly on the Sport Hybrid & Touring Hybrid trims.
Other gadgets on this top spec trim include heated seats in all four corners, a heated steering wheel, a sunroof, backup camera, front & rear parking sensors (which are really useful), dual-zone automatic climate control, head-up display, and wireless phone charging pad to name a few.
Interior Design – Like many new Honda models in the last year or two, the 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid takes its interior inspiration from the current Civic. That means that the controls are straightforward to use, each function has a dedicated button, and everything works. I particularly like the three knobs to control the temperature and fan speed. They have a satisfying click as you use them. The rest of the interior is mostly plastics but it doesn’t feel like the cheap kind. It looks like it’ll last for decades without looking too bad. All in all, a straightforward & functional interior.
Exterior Design – Styling is subjective and some will find the looks of this new Accord to be good looking. But I’m not one of those people as by my statement at the start of the review. The previous generation Accord had interesting designs in its headlights, grille, and taillights. Plus, it had a lovely looking fastback silhouette. This new car looks generic. It’s like a no-brand car from a video game. Furthermore, it is a very long car. It’s longer than a BMW X5. Parallel parking this car is a bit of a challenge but thankfully this Touring Hybrid has the front & rear parking sensors.
Safety – Regardless of which trim you go for, the 2023 Honda Accord comes equipped with every safety feature in the Honda catalog. That is, except for Low-speed braking control which is only available on the Touring Hybrid. For the United States, it’s almost the same as in Canada but blind spot sensors with rear cross traffic monitor are not available on the base LX trim. Additionally, the 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid received a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS.
Warranty – The 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid is covered by a 3 year / 60,000 km new vehicle and 5 year / 100,000 km powertrain warranty. The hybrid components and hybrid battery are covered by an 8 year / 160,000 km warranty. For more information on Canadian warranty, click here. For information on USA warranty, click here.
Conclusion – While the Honda Accord is no longer the sporty driving car of yesteryears, this 11th generation is just about the perfect Honda sedan. It’s more spacious than a cathedral, it’s powerful but efficient, and it’s packed with technology that most consumers want. Although I personally don’t like how it looks, objectively this is a fantastic vehicle.
Thank you to Honda Canada for providing the vehicle. www.Honda.ca
2023 Honda Accord Hybrid Gallery
