Honda Accord Hybrid

The Honda Accord Hybrid erases all the stereotypes of fuel efficient vehicles by being more powerful than its non-hybrid counterpart.

With impressive performance and 255 hp, this V6 is unlike all earlier hybrids.

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Lots of Muscle

Like the Civic and Insight the key to the Honda system is a technology they call Integrated Motor Assist (IMA). It features a very thin electric motor that sits adjacent to the 3 liter, V6 internal combustion engine. When needed, the quiet, brushless, electric motor assists the gasoline engine by delivering a high torque boost during acceleration or under increased load. While cruising, the traditional gasoline engine delivers all the power for the vehicle and when possible, charges the Ni-MH hybrid batteries along with regenerative braking. While stopped, the engine turns off to mitigate fuel loss while the engine would ordinarily idle. For more information on this process, check out our efficiency obstacles article. The Accord Hybrid, like other HEV models from Honda, features a series configuration, so the electric motor never powers the vehicle on its own.

Unlike the the Toyota Prius and the Civic, the Accord has a traditional transmission instead of a continuously variable transmission. This makes it feel a little more like a traditional vehicle.

Not a Lot of Gas

Honda plans to draw in a new batch of buyers to the efficiency side without any impact on Performance. To do this, their engineers built the Accord as a performance vehicle, giving it a daunting 255 horsepower (the gas only Accord has 240 horsepower). Any six cylinder car is going to consume more fuel than its four cylinder counterpart, but Honda minimizes this difference using a technology called variable cylinder management. With this special technology, the engine deactivates three cylinders when they aren't needed, increasing efficiency but leaving the power of the V6. Similar to the Civic, the Accord also features Intelligent Dual-Point Sequential Ignition (i-SDI) which uses two spark plugs per cylinder to more thoroughly combust gasoline within the chamber. This makes the emissions on the cleaner, reducing atmospheric pollution.

The hybrid battery pack has an eight-year/80,000-mile warranty. To make room for the battery, the car gives up a little of its trunk space: a measly 3%.

External Honda Accord Hybrid Reviews

USA Today's Review of the Accord Hybrid:

It's the first that drives so conventionally that you honestly wouldn't know if somebody didn't tell you, or you didn't spot the small "hybrid" badges.

Edmund's Review:

At 255 horsepower this hybrid has more than enough power to satisfy most consumers. While it won't be getting mileage like the Toyota Prius, the EPA has rated it at a respectable 30 mpg City and 37 mpg Highway.

Bankrate's Review of the Accord Hybrid:

The hybrid is not only the most fuel-efficient sedan in the Accord lineup, it's also the fastest. The phrase "having your cake and eating it, too'' comes to mind.

Honda Accord Hybrid Review Summary

Class: Midsize
MSRP: $30,140
Drive Wheels: Front Wheel Drive
Fuel Efficiency: 29 city / 37 highway
Acceleration: 0-60 in 6.5 seconds
Seats: Five
Greenhouse Emissions: 6.0 Tons Annually (very low)