MotorwayAmerica.com

By Jim Meachen
Editor, MotorwayAmerica.com

(January 7, 2024) I have been a sedan lover for many years, and I continue to enjoy driving a four-door vehicle with a trunk attached even as I have been converted to a small crossover for my personal use. I discovered over the holidays that if I was going to purchase a new mid-sized sedan today it would probably be the new Honda Accord Hybrid.

What a revelation the top-of-the-line 2023 Accord Hybrid Touring model was during a week of test driving including a 100-mile round trip on Christmas day for a holiday meal, good times and good conversation with family members. Later in the week the Accord served as our sleigh to take presents to grandchildren.

A refined ride, decent performance, a roomy and comfortable interior, easy-to-use infotainment tech, and — not least — it's very large trunk, made the coming and going as pleasant as the six-hour Christmas day visit. FYI — The Touring trim level comes with all the amenities available in an Accord, and more safety, convenience and infotainment technology than the lower trims.


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For those in the market for this long-running sedan — the 2023 Accord kicks off the 11th generation — know that there is a rather unusual lineup mix. The lower two trims — LX and EX — come with a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder making 192 horsepower. Move up to the four top trims — Sport Hybrid, EX-L Hybrid, Sport-L Hybrid, and Touring Hybrid — and you get the a hybrid setup. The base LX starts at $28,104, and EX begins at $29,726. Our Touring Hybrid model carried a bottom line of $38,965.

Another thing — Feature content is determined by the trim level, and options are few and far between. In other words, if there is an feature you very much desire, you will not be able to order it à la carte. You will have to purchase the trim level that includes the feature even if that means getting some things you normally could do without.



What you get with the hybrid set up is a naturally aspired 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor good for 204 horsepower combined mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). It's the quickest 2023 Accord measured in 0-to-60 in the mid-6-seconds. The gas-only model needs about 8 seconds. What you also get with the hybrid is outstanding gas mileage EPA-measured at 46 mpg city, 41 highway and 44 combined in the Touring trim on regular gas. The EX-L trim actually improves on those numbers at 51/44/48.

The gas-engine Accord also performs well rated at 29/37/32.

So maybe you are wondering what happened to the larger turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder making 253 horsepower mated to a 10-speed automatic in the 2018-2022 Accord? Sad to say it has been deleted from the lineup — perhaps Honda thinks its buyers now value gas mileage over quick acceleration that was measured in 2022 at 5.4 seconds by Car and Driver. Also, Honda may have felt the need to get more electrification into the lineup?

That being said, we did not have a problem with the performance from the 2023 Touring Hybrid. It smartly moved out when demanded by the right foot and it didn't lose steam as it approached 75 mph. This powertrain doesn't have a traditional transmission — Honda has programmed the CVT to adjust engine rpm to provide the familiar shifting experience of a traditional automatic transmission. As for handling and steering, the Accord has decent cornering feel, but be advised this is a family sedan, not something with a "sports" moniker.

Inside, the new Accord's layout is nearly identical to the latest redesigns of the Civic, CR-V, HR-V and Pilot, but it's been elevated by nicer materials everywhere you look and touch — especially in the Touring edition.

The controls are easy to reach and there's no guessing when you're trying to adjust the volume, change the temperature, or use the drive modes. For 2023, Accords with the hybrid powertrain get a new 12.3-inch infotainment display that is crystal-clear and instantly responsive. As an added bonus, the Touring trim has Google Assistant built right in. Think of it as having the smart speaker sitting on your bookshelf at home integrated into your car too.

All Accords come with a good amount of safety technology including front collision warning with automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure mitigation, lane keep assist, and automatic high beams. Unfortunately the LX trim does not come with blindspot warning with cross-traffic alert. We think all vehicles — especially in this price range — need to include this extremely useful feature.

Honda offers complimentary scheduled maintenance for two years or 24,000 miles. The warranties are pretty standard across the industry — three-years or 36,000-mile standard warranty and five years or 60,000 miles drivetrain warranty.

There are fewer sedans to pick from these days, but there are some good ones including the Hyundai Sonata and the Toyota Camry. We put the Honda Accord Hybrid at the top of this short list.

2023 Honda Accord Hybrid

Essentials
Base price: $28,104; as driven, $38,965
Drivetrain: 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, electric motor
Total horsepower: 204
Transmission: electrically variable-speed automatic
Drive: front wheel
Seating: 2/3
Wheelbase: 111.4 inches
Length: 195.7 inches
Curb weight: 3,532 pounds
Turning circle: 38.4 feet
Luggage capacity: 16.7 cubic feet
Towing capacity: NA
Fuel capacity: 12.8 gallons (regular)
EPA rating: 46 city, 41 highway, 44 combined
0-60: 6.6 seconds (Car and Driver)
Also consider: Toyota Camry, HyundaiI Sonata, Kia K5

The Good
• Excellent gas mileage
• Large trunk
• Comfortable tech-loaded interior

The Bad
• All-wheel drive not offered

The Ugly
• Some desirable features restricted to top trims