2019 Honda Accord Hybrid Review

Intro
The 2019 Honda Accord Hybrid is part of the 10th generation Accord introduced in 2018. While crossovers have quickly overtaken a big chunk of the market by offering higher seating positions, and seemingly provide more cargo space, there is still one key selling point for 4 door sedans, especially ones equipped with a hybrid drive train: fuel economy.

Thanks to Honda Canada, I was give the chance to test drive the 2019 Honda Accord Hybrid for a week. Below is my unbiased review:

Exterior
The 2019 Honda Accord has a mature, handsome exterior that remains largely unchanged from the 2018 model. The hybrid model looks largely identical to the non-hybrid variant, except for a few hybrid badges, and aerodynamically designed alloy wheels that are fitted with 17" low rolling resistance tires.

The front of the car looks wide and assertive. The decorative chrome trim that runs across the entire front end is tastefully designed, and looks great with the standard LED headlights. The fog lamps are also LED driven and feature the same Jewel Eye design of the headlights.

The side profile of the Accord is slick and sophisticated. The fastback roof makes the 4 door Accord looks more like a coupe. Sharp characteristic lines and chiseled rocker panels gives the Accord a more polished look.

The back of the car is probably my least favorite part of the exterior. While I like the hidden exhaust tips and the integrated rear spoiler, I am not a fan of the C shaped LED taillights. I also think the rear bumper rises up slightly too much. While it makes the side profile looks light and spirited, it also makes the car looks less grounded from the rear.

Overall, Honda does a good job of blending sophistication with sportiness for the Accord. It reminds me of a luxury European sedan.

Interior
The interior of the Accord Hybrid is also very similar to the gas powered versions. It is a modern, premium design that utilized lots of soft-touch materials. The matte faux wood dash trim is tastefully executed, and the use of sculpted aluminum trim to highlight the air vents and the center console gives the interior of the accord a premium feel. I disagree with the material and color choice of the start/ignition button. I find the red button cheap and tacky. It is an eyesore.

Honda has removed the shift lever for most of the cars in its current line up. A button styled gear shift panel takes up less space, and makes the front cabin more roomy. The leather front seats are supportive and comfortable. They are both heated and vented.

While Honda has moved the hybrid battery to below the rear seats, the rear cabin still provides plenty of legroom. Headroom is also adequate even with the sloped roof. There is a dedicated air vent with two USB charging ports behind the front center armrest. The rear cabin also gets its own folding armrest in the middle.

Other than a few quarks, the interior of the Honda Accord is spacious, modern, and surprisingly premium.

Infotainment
The infotainment system centered around the 8" touchscreen display is clean, crisp, and user friendly. I like the placement of the physical buttons and rotary dials which are right beside the touch screen for easy access. Both Apple Carplay and Android Auto are standard with the Hybrid. There is a NFC sensor integrated into the faux wood dash trim on the passenger side. If your phone is equipped with the NFC technology, you can use this feature to quickly connect your phone to the car via Bluetooth.

The instrument panel has a integrated 7" display that can be user configured to show audio, phone info, vehicle warnings, navigation, trip info, as well as changing vehicle settings. Drivers can interact with this display via the thumb switches on the steering wheel.

A 452W 10-speakers premium audio system provides plenty of sound for a great listening experience.s

Safety and Driver Assistance
Being a family sedan, safety should be a top priority. Thankfully, Honda includes plenty of active and passive safety features for the Accord Hybrid. They include:

• Automatic High Beam
• Collisions Mitigation Braking System
• Forward Collision Warning
• Hill Start Assist
• Tire Pressure Monitor
• Lane Departure warning
• Road Departure Mitigation

It earns 5 star safety rating from NHTSA and Top Safety Pick+ from IIHS. Both the highest ratings from the agencies.

Driving
The Honda Accord Hybrid is powered by a 2.0 L Atkinson cycle engine that produces 143 HP of power and 129 lb-ft of torque. This is bigger than the 1.5 L engine of the Honda Clarity that I have reviewed previously.

Being a hybrid, there is also a electric motor that produces 181 HP of power and 232 lb-ft of torque. Of course, you can't simply add these numbers up for the total power and torque because the engine and electric motor produce these outputs at different rpm. The combined total horsepower is 212 HP at 6200 rpm.

Thanks to the instant maximum torque of the electric motor, the hybrid powertrain feels fast off the line. You can get from 0-100km at about 7.5 seconds, which is quick for its class. The Accord feels less powerful when trying to overtake a car on the highway. Pushing the engine with the e-CVT transmission produces a strained growl that isn't particularly pleasant to the ears. However, if you are just cruising on the highway, the quiet interior and the refined drivetrain makes for a pleasant driving experience.

In the city, this hybrid drivetrain behaves very much like a normal car. Honda allows the Accord Hybrid to be running off the battery alone for majority of the time. The engine only kicks in when the driver demands more from the car, and the e-CVT transmission blends in the extra power smoothly. It is one of the most pleasant hybrid drivetrain I have test driven so far.

The steering is precise and effortless. It is easy to drive, but lacks feedback. The added weight from the hybrid components and the smaller tires doesn't make handing of the Accord suffer too much. The available adaptive damper System adjust the damping force for different drive modes. It stiffens up in Sport mode to minimize body roll and deliver a more precise turn while softens up to provide greater road comfort in Normal mode.

The 2019 Honda Accord Hybrid has a combined fuel economy rating of 5.0L/100km. It is slightly less efficient than the 4.9L/100km rating of Toyota Camry Hybrid, and more efficient than the 5.6L/100km rating of the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid.

Cargo Space & Storage
One good thing about the Hybrid is that there is no loss of cargo space over its gas-powered siblings. The decision to move the battery from below the cargo floor to below the rear seats pays dividends. Behind the 40/60 split rear seats is 16.7 cu.ft. (473L) of cargo space. It is the biggest trunk in the segment. The folding rear seats open up even more room for longer items.

Small item storage is also very good. The center console armrest bin is decently sized, and there is a small storage compartment in the front of the center console with integrated a USB charging port and a wireless charging pad. The side door pockets are deep with integrated water bottle holders. I do wish there is a storage compartment in the folding armrest int he rear cabin.

Verdict
The 2019 Honda Accord Hybrid is a very sensible choice for anyone who is not caught in the crossover craze. It is handsome, comfortable, and most importantly fuel efficient. The fuel efficiency doesn't come at the cost of performance or handing. Nor does it raise the price tag significantly. Besides high seating positions, the Honda Accord provides the performance, utility, and safety any family would need. The question is, do you really need high seating positions?

Test Vehicle
2019 Honda Accord Hybrid
MSRP
$35,265 CAD without Destination
Color
Obsidian Blue Pearl