Honda delivered its best Accord sedan yet last year, a car that reminded everyone why the company’s leagues of satisfied customers
 |
| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
are always so satisfied. Now for 2014 it’s taken the Accord concept into greener pastures with the Accord Hybrid.
In case that name sounds familiar, this isn’t their first go-around with an Accord Hybrid. I first drove the car with the same name back in 2004 and it was truly impressive, but more so for performance than fuel economy. Like all Honda hybrids up to this point, which currently include the Civic Hybrid, CR-Z and Insight, their Integrated Motor Assist parallel hybrid system (mild hybrid) has been employed, a drivetrain that electrically boosts power to the gasoline engine rather than having an EV mode that can take over completely. The old 2005-2007 Accord Hybrid was a surprise because its powertrain included a V6 instead of a fuel-saving four, which might have been a good idea if stuffed under the hood of a premium-level Acura TL, but despite great acceleration its fuel economy didn’t measure up against its main rival, the Toyota Camry Hybrid and the rest is history.
Now,
 |
| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
seven years after the demise of the original Accord Hybrid, the name has been dusted off and attached to an all-new model that appears to be ideally suited to its task of dethroning the aforementioned Toyota. Just to be clear, the electrified Camry isn’t the only player in the mid-size sedan segment. Ford builds a Fusion Hybrid, Hyundai makes a Sonata Hybrid, Kia an Optima Hybrid, and Nissan an Altima Hybrid, while Buick builds its Regal eAssist mild hybrid. We could ask the question, “Where have you been Honda?” They’ve missed out on this ever growing albeit important niche market for the better part of a decade while its competitors make hay (or at least eco-image points), but what they’ve shown up with after their hiatus has truly been worth the wait.
The new 2014 Accord Hybrid utilizes a newly developed two-motor hybrid drivetrain
 |
| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
that Honda calls Sport Hybrid Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive, or rather i-MMD, and it’s a sophisticated piece of work. It enables the car to use three different driving modes – EV Drive, Hybrid Drive and Engine Drive – greatly improving overall efficiency and therefore fuel economy. The official Canadian rating is 3.7 L/100km in the city, 4.0 on the highway and 3.8 combined, which gives it best-in-class results for the four-door mid-sized segment in which it competes directly, and ties it for top-spot amongst intermediate cars, which also includes five-door hatchbacks; i.e. the Toyota Prius. My personal real-world rating was closer to the U.S. EPA mileage figures that when metric-converted equal 4.7 city, 5.2 highway and 5.0 combined, still excellent by any mid-size sedan standard.
As
 |
| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
you might have guessed there is no longer a V6 under the hood, but rather a 2.0-litre Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder that makes 141 horsepower on its own. Together with the 166-horsepower electric motor, mind you, a total of 196 horsepower gets down to the front wheels via Honda’s new eCVT (electronic continuously variable transmission), which after some discussion with those in the know and further study doesn’t really appear to be a traditional CVT at all, but rather an electric motor (which is continuously variable by design). The battery pack is lithium-ion, incidentally, considered a step above nickel metal hydride, but that’s not what makes the Accord Hybrid special. Rather its ability to operate in full EV mode even at higher speeds sets it apart from the Camry Hybrid and any other electrified vehicle without a plug.
I noticed the difference between the Accord Hybrid and most of its peers as soon as
 |
| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
I sat inside to get acquainted. The powertrain on, I pressed the gas pedal and nothing happened, making me realize that the term “gas pedal” will soon need to be stricken from our vocabulary, as it doesn’t always do what we expect it to anymore. In the Accord Hybrid it might rev the engine, but then again the engine might be about its own business, acting as a generator to replenish the battery at which point it maintains a constant speed no matter what do with your right foot.
If the engine is cold or cabin is being heated or air conditioned EV mode won’t engage, but when it does it’s the best all-electric range I’ve ever experienced in a non-plug-in. I drove all the way across my city on electric power with only the occasional gasoline engine assistance. How does it do this? A local Honda Canada technician tried to explain, but without an engineering degree it’s difficult to fully comprehend. Maybe the easiest way to explain it is to say how it’s different from Toyota’s
 |
| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
Hybrid Synergy Drive, which is the most well known hybrid system out there due to the duration of its existence and number of cars using it. I’ve already mentioned that the Accord Hybrid can use EV mode at higher speeds than its main rival Camry Hybrid or any of the other Toyota HEVs, while like every other hybrid and many conventionally powered cars the Accord Hybrid also includes an idle-stop system that will shut off the engine when at standstill, plus regenerative brakes that recharge the battery when employed; although unlike some HEVs the Accord Hybrid’s electric-servo regenerative braking system wasn’t as grabby.
Also alike, the two systems combine the gasoline engine and electric motor to maximize performance when accelerating quickly (which it does very well, incidentally) and cruising at high speeds. Where the Honda system differs is in Hybrid Drive mode, where the gasoline engine doesn’t actually drive the wheels directly,
 |
| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
but rather powers a generator that charges the battery, which feeds the electric motor that powers the wheels electrically. Also different, where Toyota hybrids use a continuously variable transmission (with a belt, etc.), the Accord Hybrid’s eCVT (electric motor) doesn’t work the same way in Engine Drive mode. Instead a clutch engages and the gasoline engine drives the wheels directly via a single, fixed ratio. If this makes sense to you, great! If not, don’t worry as it all happens behind the scenes so smoothly that no one is the wiser, except for those times when the engine hums along at its own constant rpm despite your pressing of the throttle. The result is strong, smooth, linear acceleration just the same, and of course superb fuel economy and environmental benefits.
As I mentioned at the beginning of this review, one of the Accord Hybrid’s most endearing attributes is that it’s an Accord, one of the best cars in its class if not the best.
 |
| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
Every time one drives by I notice how nice its lines are, how conservatively attractive from all angles. There’s nothing provocative or shocking about its design, nothing to hijack your eyeballs when it drives by and say, “Wow! Look at that car!” But it looks good and likely will continue looking good for years to come, which of course will help keep the love alive when the honeymoon is long over. I really like the Hybrid’s blue chrome grille slats and headlamp accents, a theme that only carries over to the car’s flanks and rear due to its subtle blue and chrome “HYBRID” badging.
Inside, it’s just as appealing, and like the conventionally powered version it’s better than any previous Accord in every way. There’s a nice soft-touch dash top, plus leather-like padded door uppers up front that extend down to the armrests, with soft touch plastic uppers on the portion just ahead. There’s leather on the centre
 |
| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
armrest too, with off-white stitching to match the same stitching on the leather seat bolsters, the inserts surfaced with perforated leather for a premium look and better breathability in the summer. Overhead a high quality woven roofliner continues the premium experience, while an interesting matte woodgrain textured plastic adorns the dash ahead of the front passenger and front portion of the door panels. It doesn’t really seem like it’s trying to look like wood at all, but then again it doesn’t look like anything else either. It looks good though, and doesn’t mark or collect dust so I’m a fan.
A bright and colourful primary gauge package sits in front of the driver with electric blues and greens, the latter forming into shrubs (or tree branches) whenever I was driving with care and attention of the environment. I kept getting five of these bushes, which is quite good I’ve been told. A colour multi-information screen
 |
| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
shows hybrid energy flow, Eco Guide and Eco Score info, while illuminated Eco Assist arcs at each side of the speedometer also let you know if you’re operating the Accord Hybrid efficiently.
The infotainment system is large and legible, with a crystal clear display for navigation and other functions up top, with a display audio interface below that, accessible via Honda’s usual set of highly functional steering wheel controls. The dual-zone automatic climate control, positioned one tier below the audio display, is the ultra-easy set and forget type, while standard front seat heaters take a long time to warm up, but after about 15 minutes they get very warm in the "HI" setting. There’s a very cool red “Power” button just to the left of the HVAC interface for starting and stopping the powertrain, a feature usually left to Honda’s Si models due to their sporting nature.
I
 |
| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
suppose the reason Honda chose to include it here is that the Accord Hybrid is sportier than most of us would expect. On the open road it feels good, riding a bit softer than some in this class albeit firmer than others. It doesn’t take the middle road when pushed hard mind you, gripping well in the corners despite the extra weight of its hybrid drivetrain. Honda did some lightening in the front subframe, which unlike the regular Accord is all-aluminum, while the rear bumper beam is also made of the lighter metal to offset the weight of the rear bulkhead-mounted battery pack. As mentioned it likes to go quickly, so I was happy that such weight reduction efforts combined with the agile nature of the Accord’s suspension helped it maintain control even in wet conditions.
Of course
 |
| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
the Accord Hybrid gets all of Honda’s standard safety gear, such as ABS-enhanced four-wheel disc brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist, traction and stability control, and of course all the usual airbags, while other standard features include the aforementioned proximity entry with pushbutton ignition, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, and eight-inch TFT multi-information display with email and text message capability. Other standard items include a multi-angle rearview camera, Honda’s absolutely brilliant LaneWatch blind spot display that projects real-time rearward video of the right side of the car when flicking the right signal, tilt and telescopic steering, an eight-way powered driver’s seat with lumbar, auto-on/off headlights, a six-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system, auxiliary and USB ports, Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity, speed-sensing variable intermittent wipers, heated folding power side mirrors with integrated turn
 |
| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
signals, active noise cancellation, cruise control, a sunglasses holder (always a welcome addition) and much more.
My Touring tester added the previously mentioned leather upholstery, navigation system, and premium audio upgrade including its hard disk drive, additional subwoofer and satellite radio, as well as a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, driver’s seat memory, a four-way powered front passenger seat, heated rear seats, a powered moonroof, HomeLink remote, LED headlights, lane departure warning, forward collision warning, and more. To say that I was well taken care of would be an understatement.
During my weeklong test drive I only encountered one problem. I started up the car one morning when all of the warning lights came on, the computer saying there
 |
| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
was a brake system problem, tire pressure monitor problem, anti-lock braking problem, hill start assist problem, power steering system (EPS) problem, and vehicle stability assist (VSA) problem. After taking enough time to write down all of these problems I shut it off and rebooted, at which point the warnings went away and never came back. My only other negative point is a smaller trunk than the class average at nearly 360 litres in base trim and only a bit over 348 litres in Touring trim (due to the subwoofer), that doesn’t incorporate any sort of pass-through for longer cargo, let alone the regular Accord’s 60/40 split-folding rear seatbacks. This would be a problem for me as I ski regularly and don’t like to bolt on roof racks every time I want to head up the mountain.
At the end of my test week I pumped a total of $27 into the Accord Hybrid’s tank, however, which made me forget this issue completely. With regular unleaded averaging
 |
| Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
between $1.45 and $1.50 per litre where I live, fuel economy has fast become most peoples’ most important criteria in choosing a new car. That in mind, I believe Honda’s ultra-efficient Accord Hybrid will succeed despite being in hiatus for seven years. It hits the road with the best fuel rating in its class and tied with Toyota’s Prius, which should go far with those looking to reduce, or even maintain their monthly budgets. That it starts at a very attainable $29,590 plus $1,800 and change for freight and pre-delivery prep makes it possible for everyday folks to go green, whereas my luxury-lined tester was still reasonable at $35,690 plus freight.
All in all I came away from the 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid more impressed than I’ve been with any other mid-sized hybrid to date. It delivers superb fuel economy while offering up an entertaining drive, all the while incorporating all of the superb craftsmanship that imbues the regular Accord. Being that this drivetrain is slated for additional Honda (and I’m guessing Acura) models, the future continues to look clean and bright for this Japanese automaker.
©(Copyright Canadian Auto Press)
