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At first blush, the redesigned 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid is type of a Aircraft Jane. However when you dig into the small print, you’ll discover there’s extra to the 11th-generation midsize sedan than meets the attention.
2023 Honda Accord Hybrid
I spend a variety of time driving backwards and forwards between Chicago and Indianapolis lately; that’s three uninterrupted hours behind the wheel. So, whereas I nonetheless recognize peppy acceleration, issues like seat consolation, easy-to-use controls and inside quietness have develop into more and more essential to me. As I skilled throughout a latest highway journey from New York Metropolis to Accord, New York, the 2023 Accord Hybrid has all of these long-trim options going for it, and extra.
Leaving the hustle-and-bustle of the horn-happy Large Apple, I got here to shortly appreciated the upgrades to the Accord’s hybrid powertrain. For 2023, Accord will get a brand new two-motor hybrid system. The system produces barely much less horsepower than the 2022 powertrain, however a significant 15 pound-feet extra torque. The electrical motors pair with a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle 4-cylinder engine. Mixed system output is 204 horsepower, with a torque peak of 247 kilos.
The result’s a usually sportier driving expertise. I’m speaking faster off-the-line launches, adequate to higher even the most-aggressive NYC cabbie, in addition to glorious reserve energy for freeway merging and passing.
Honda claims that chassis rigidity has been improved for ’23, and that the steering and suspension have been tweaked. The result’s a perceptibly extra athletic driving expertise that belies the Accord’s conservative styling.
Driving the Accord Hybrid aggressively comes seemingly with out penalty. The gorgeous factor right here is that even aggressive driving doesn’t tank your gas financial system—no less than not so much.
Getting out of the town and hopping on the Palisade Parkway heading north, I noticed a reported 36.7 mpg. Whereas that’s a far cry from the EPA estimate of 44 mpg in mixed driving, I’m nonetheless contemplating it a win given my aggressive driving model. Now, individuals will level to the truth that the Toyota Camry Hybrid (SE/XLE/XSE) is EPA rated at a mixed 46 mpg, however that’s simply on paper, and admittedly, 2 mpg isn’t that large a deal.
Although I haven’t examined Camry Hybrid Accord Hybrids back-to-back, I’ve evaluated the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V hybrids in a comparative surroundings. On this case, my gas financial system was higher within the Honda. I additionally discovered the Honda programs to be extra refined.
Direct comparisons apart, the Accord Hybrid is simply usually easy and quiet. The interaction between the electrical motors and the gasoline engine is sort of imperceptible, and—large enhance to gas financial system—the Accord Hybrid will function on battery energy alone at speeds as much as 40 mph.
Whereas the Accord Hybrid just isn’t a luxurious sedan, the cabin is fitted with high-quality supplies, and each the fabric and leather-based seats look upscale. I’m a fan of the honeycomb-mesh grilles that home the air vents. They run alongside a slender strip throughout the sprint and look clear and trendy.
Test Drive Gallery: 2022 Toyota Camry TRD
I might dwell with out the swath of shiny piano-black plastic that surrounds the console-mounted gear selector. It readily reveals fingerprints, and is a really seen mud collector.
For this petite driver, the Accord cabin falls into the “excellent” class. The car I drove featured neat black-denim material seats, which have been properly padded with out feeling squishy. Moreover, the power-adjustable seats cowl a great-deal of drive-size vary. Plus, all of the gauges have been straightforward to learn, and controls have been inside straightforward attain.
I favored the bodily controls for the climate-control system, and I actually appreciated the easy-to-navigate static menu within the left rail of the 12.3-inch infotainment display screen.
I used to be by no means left guessing the way to transition between Apple CarPlay and the native infotainment system, and thank goodness, Accord boasts an actual volume-control knob. I want there was additionally a tuning know, however I acknowledge that the majority house owners would save their station presets, which largely negates the necessity to do any tuning.
Cool factor concerning the Honda/Apple CarPlay integration: If you use Apple Maps, your navigation directions seem within the digital show behind the steering wheel.
Our check automobile was the high-value Sport, which has a base value of $32,440, together with vacation spot. The check car didn’t embrace any fancy choices, however it did have the Radiant Crimson Metallic paint ($455), elevating the as-tested value was $33,445. That’s a robust worth for a properly geared up and fun-to-drive midsize hybrid sedan.
The 2023 Accord Hybrid trim-level lineup:
Sport ($32,440): This trim is nicely geared up with a 12.3-inch information display screen, 19-inch alloy wheels, wi-fi Apple CarPlay, leather-wrapped steering wheel and gloss-black rear spoiler.
EX-L ($34,085): This trim provides leather-based seats, parking sensors, a driver’s reminiscence seat, heated facet mirrors and heated entrance seats.
Sport-L ($34,420): This trim provides 19-inch matte-black alloy wheels, a rear diffuser and Alexa built-in.
Touring ($38,435): This top-tier trim provides Google built-in, a head-up show, Bose premium audio and a wi-fi cellphone charger.
The 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid is and spectacular car that’s lengthy on worth and returns glorious gas financial system, even when the styling is unexciting. Inside match and end is superb, and the hybrid powertrain phenomenal. Whereas I favored the bottom Sport trim, I’ll be trustworthy, I’m a little bit of a nerd, and for my cash, I’d go all-in with the Touring trim due to the premium audio system and Google working system.
Test Drive Gallery: 2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid XSE
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2023 Honda Accord Hybrid Sport Gallery
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