Words by: Adam Allen
We have often told you that the perfect car is as elusive as a money tree and will vigorously defend that position; even the best cars have flaws. The Honda Accord Sport Hybrid you see here is no exception- it’s just that its flaws are so dwarfed by its assets that they fade almost to irrelevance. It really is one of the most well-rounded vehicles that you can buy.
Without fail, each time an Accord finds its way into the Carpages Garage, consensus is reached unanimously and quickly. “Thoroughly excellent…Everyone should drive an Accord…so much better than it needs to be…” goes the typically purple prose we levy at Honda’s ubiquitous family sedan. There’s a simple reason for that, and you can find it in other cars like the Porsche 911- every single detail has been agonized over with each generation and the dedication to quality permeates every single nut and bolt and line of code. Simply put, this car is an overachiever. It will make your life better, at least from a motoring perspective; let’s find out why.
The Highs
Few automotive manufacturers can compete with Honda’s typical brilliance when it comes to packaging and ergonomics. These days, cockpits are looking more and more complicated and perplexing, what with the slow extinction of physical buttons and switches and the relentless demand for more tech features. The Accord is similar to all its modern contemporaries and yet there’s a level of function and simplicity that seems to elude so many other cars. Everything is laid out in a no-nonsense fashion, and it would not surprise us one bit if you asked the typical Accord owner how many times they needed to consult their Owner’s Manual to figure stuff out- we’d bet the most common response would be ‘never.’ Our Sport trimmed tester was not as lavishly equipped as Touring examples, but we found it to be perfectly equipped and didn’t feel like we settled instead of opting for all the bells and whistles in the top trim.
Those that have spent time in Mercedes Benz’s S-Class flagship will know all about bells and whistles. They will also be familiar with palatial accommodations no matter where they happen to be seated. In that regard, the Accord will imbue them with familiar vibes because the amount of room each occupant is treated to is almost hedonistic. It doesn’t look like a land yacht when parked out front, but darn tooting if it doesn’t feel like one inside. Ditto the trunk, who’s generous dimensions would impress airport limousine drivers a fair bit.
Helping the Accord achieve such admirable levels of parsimoniousness is a hybrid system that is incredibly complex. To spare you the brain gymnastics in trying to understand how it works, know that the system can power the front axle directly, act as a generator to juice up the battery, or both. It does all this without a traditional gearbox which kind of blows our minds. Suffice it to say that the end user has no idea of the complicated dance that occurs behind the firewall, and the typical hybrid tells of wonky brake feel and a mooing engine are non-factors. It just works. Actually, it works so well that we achieved 6.6 litres/100 kilometers in mixed driving over the course of our week with it- a spectacular figure given that it was less thirsty than the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid we drove recently, and this coming from a car that is much larger and heavier, which is as surprising as it is brilliant.
The Lows
Some of that brilliance faded as we got to know the interior more intimately, but as you’ll soon see, we had to reach slightly to find stuff that rankled us. Let’s start with the volume knob, which we’re happy is even here because Honda ditched it years ago only to bring it back after customers screamed themselves hoarse in protest. It’s mounted up on the dash near the infotainment screen almost a bit like a blemish. Whether or not that gives you an acne vibe, it feels like an afterthought in an interior that is otherwise so deftly laid out. The volume controls are a fitting segue into our next kvetch which is the absence of Sirius XM radio and AM radio as well. The lack of satellite based tunes is a headscratcher (maybe it just isn’t available on the trim level we tested) but we have seen the absence of AM radio in other battery powered vehicles- something to do with frequencies not playing nice with each other. But it is making a comeback, because Ford as well as a few other brands have figured out how to make the low tech band of radio play nice with all the electrical gubbins.
Our last gripe centers around the hybrid system. With a small battery and without plug in capability the Accord was never going to cover meaningful distance on electrical power alone; we get that. Yet while trying our best to squeeze every molecule of fuel for all its worth by hitting the EV button on the console, the Accord would admonish us with messages saying the engine temperature wasn’t high enough, or that we should turn off the heater. On a frigid morning? Yeah, no thanks. So unless conditions are ideal as determined by the cars computers and sensors, you can enjoy silent electric propulsion or warmth but not both at the same time.
The Verdict
With all the polished competence on display, one wonders why so many people sleep on the excellence hiding in plain sight with the Honda Accord. The reason is not going to surprise anyone- the market has spoken, and the market wants SUVs and crossovers. We never miss an opportunity to tell would-be buyers that sedans are more fuel efficient, more fun to drive an in the case of the Accord, more commodious; a bit of advice that often goes ignored.
Our admiration of the Honda Accord is abundantly clear, but perhaps the most telling bit of praise we can lavish on it is that were we on the market for a sedan with a hybrid powertrain, it would be a slam dunk in our decision-making process. Readers familiar with this space are well acquainted with our reticence towards hybrids and our reluctance to put one in our own driveways. Yet we find ourselves unable to turn our noses up at the Accord because it addresses all of the shortcomings we find so unappealing. If that sounds familiar, take the Accord Sport Hybrid for a drive. We’re certain you’ll agree that even though it’s just a car, it does make life better.
2024 Honda Accord Sport Hybrid - Specifications
- Price as tested: $43,763
- Body Type: 4-door, 5 passenger Sedan
- Powertrain Layout: Front engine/front-wheel drive
- Engine: 2.0L Atkinson-Cycle inline-four with AC motor
- Total System Horsepower: 204 @ 5,500 rpm
- Total System Torque (lbs-ft.): 247 @2,200 rpm
- Transmission: Continuously Variable Automatic (CVT)
- Curb weight: 1,583 kg (3,488 lbs)
- Observed Fuel consumption: 6.6L/100km (37 mpg)