2018 Honda Accord Hybrid Review

　　

zzdcar' Expert Review

byTravis LangnessReviews Editor

　　Travis Langness has worked in the automotive industry since 2011. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career.

　　

What’s new

　　The Honda Accord Hybrid is fully redesigned for 2018.

　　

Vehicle overview

　　The Honda Accord Hybrid has been a class leader for some time thanks to its excellent fuel economy, roomy interior, and above-average handling and acceleration. For 2018, the Accord Hybrid gets even better. Like the regular Accord, it's fully redesigned and has even more interior space, plus a sharp, new look and new technology and safety features.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2018 Honda Accord Hybrid 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.04 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$81/mo  for Accord Hybrid Base

　　Accord Hybrid Base

　　4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) - $25,100 MSRPEX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) - $28,890 MSRPEX-L 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) - $31,440 MSRPEX-L 4dr Sedan w/Navi (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) - $32,440 MSRPTouring 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) (Most Popular) - $34,710 MSRP

　　vs

　　$164/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　Now standard safety features such as adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation, blind-spot monitoring and lane departure warning add quite a bit of value to the base Accord Hybrid. The new Accord Hybrid also gets an upgrade to cargo capacity thanks to a repackaged hybrid battery. Previously, the Accord Hybrid's battery pack kept you from folding down the rear seat, but no more. The Hybrid now gets the same 60/40-split folding rear seat and the same cargo space as the standard Accord: 16.7 cubic feet.

　　Underneath the hood, the 2018 Accord Hybrid has the same powertrain as last year's model: a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a pair of electric motors. The hybrid system has lost a step in the changeover, even if it is a tiny one, going from an EPA-estimated 48 mpg combined in 2017 to 47 mpg combined this year. Still, it's an impressive number for a car this size.

　　In short, one of the best hybrid sedans just got better. If you're looking for a practical hybrid with enough space in the back seat for adults, the 2018 Honda Accord Hybrid should be at the top of your list.

　　Notably, we picked the 2018 Honda Accord Hybrid as one of zzdcar' Best Hybrid Cars for this year.

　　

zzdcar' Expert Rating

7.8 / 10

　　The 2018 Honda Accord Hybrid is a great choice for a hybrid sedan. It has a whole new look this year, plus more interior space and more standard safety features. Factor in the car's great fuel economy and pleasing performance and you have a family sedan that does just about everything well.

　　

Trim tested

　　Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the Honda Accord Hybrid Touring (2.0L 4-cyl hybrid).

　　

Scorecard

Overall	7.8 / 10
Driving	7.5
Comfort	7.5
Interior	8.0
Utility	9.0
Technology	8.0

　　

Driving

7.5

　　The Accord Hybrid accelerates well around city streets but lacks merging power at freeway speeds. The braking feels natural in typical driving, but the Hybrid took longer than average to stop in our testing. Power delivery is immediate, but there's also a surginess in certain cruising conditions.

　　

Acceleration

8.0

　　The hybrid powertrain feels torquey and strong off the line, but power is less abundant at highway speeds. As you ask for more power, the engine's steady, strained growl makes max acceleration unpleasant. We clocked the Hybrid's 0-60 mph run at 7.2 seconds, which is quick for its class.

　　

Braking

5.5

　　The transition between regenerative and standard braking is smooth, and the pedal feels natural to use in typical driving. In emergency stops, the pedal travels to the floor and is devoid of feedback. This hybrid required 135 feet to stop from 60 mph, 13 feet more than the standard Accord, and poor overall.

　　

Steering

7.0

　　The steering is accurate, but while it makes the Accord easy to point, it's also a bit artificial. There's a lack of feedback from the front wheels, and resistance doesn't noticeably build through turns — it's either there or it isn't. There's also a little vagueness in where the true on-center is.

　　

Handling

8.0

　　The Accord Hybrid's added weight and eco-minded tires limit the car's capabilities compared to the non-hybrid version, but not enough to bother most drivers. Body roll is still well-controlled, and the car feels confident on its feet. Only near its limits will the differences become noticeable.

　　

Drivability

7.5

　　There's a surginess to the powertrain that makes steady-state cruising a bit annoying, requiring more throttle adjustment than feels natural. Luckily, adaptive cruise solves that issue. Otherwise, the lack of any need to shift makes the hybrid drive smoothly at all times.

　　

Comfort

7.5

　　The Accord Hybrid offers decent overall comfort. It insulates against traffic noise particularly well, though there are a number of unpleasant drivetrain noises. The ride is smooth albeit a bit bouncy over bigger bumps. The seats are accommodating, even if the cushions feel a little flat.

　　

Seat comfort

7.5

　　Overall seat comfort is good, with well-placed headrests and nice back support, especially with the adjustable lumbar. The leather-wrapped seat cushions don't feel as if they offer a lot of padding, so finding the right adjustment is important to staying comfortable on longer drives.

　　

Ride comfort

8.0

　　Adjusting for the extra weight of the hybrid system has altered the car's ride a bit. On the positive side, the added weight makes the Hybrid ride smoother over busy pavement. The downside is that there's more pronounced bounciness over larger bumps.

　　

Noise & vibration

6.0

　　At low speed, there are some high-pitched noises from the drivetrain that make their way into the cabin. Unless you're very sensitive, though, they're not loud enough to be troublesome. At freeway speeds, the gas engine emits a constant unpleasant note, although it's also not particularly loud.

　　

Climate control

8.0

　　All climate settings can be adjusted with straightforward and clearly labeled manual controls, and the system regulates cabin temperature easily. The temperature knob lights change colors as you adjust up or down, which is a fun touch. Seat cooling in the Touring trim is only moderately effective.

　　

Interior

8.0

　　Some small points aside, the interior of the Accord offers modern design, quality soft-touch materials, lots of room, and a user-friendly infotainment system and control layout. But taller drivers will want to test the seating position since their knees may rub on a piece of hard plastic trim.

　　

Ease of use

7.5

　　This infotainment system is clean, crisp and user-friendly, and basic functions are easy to navigate thanks to physical buttons. Most controls are easy to find and recognize. However, the media and information-display controls on the wheel aren't intuitively laid out and take getting used to.

　　

Getting in/getting out

7.0

　　The doorsills are high and wide, creating a noticeable stepover, but otherwise access is easy. The rear doors open wide, and access is good even in tight spaces. The low seats mean you have further to stand up than with competitors, and taller passengers will have to duck while exiting the back seat.

　　

Driving position

7.0

　　You can sit low, ensconced in the car, making it feel sportier and more luxurious. There's plenty of adjustability for those who want to sit closer, higher or more upright. Taller drivers will wish for more steering wheel telescope and may find their right knee bumps against some hard plastic trim.

　　

Roominess

8.5

　　The interior feels large, which makes sense because, by EPA interior-volume measurements, this is a full-size car. Long-legged drivers may feel cramped by the kneeroom, but otherwise the cabin feels airy and open. Rear legroom is excellent, though taller passengers will run out of headroom.

　　

Visibility

9.0

　　Forward visibility is excellent, and well-placed windows in the rear roof pillars mean there's an excellent rear three-quarter view. The view out the large rear window is good on the road, though the high decklid means you'll rely on the camera when reversing in tight spaces. We found no serious blind spots.

　　

Quality

8.0

　　The Accord's interior design is modern and upscale. The touchpoints are covered in soft-touch materials and the fit tolerances are tight. Only a few of the textured surfaces reveal themselves to be somewhat tacky-feeling hard plastics. We had some glitches in our tire-pressure monitoring system and in the infotainment system.

　　

Utility

9.0

　　The Accord offers about as much utility as is possible for a sedan, with best-in-class trunk volume, plenty of spots for small items in the cabin, and generally more space than you'll know what to do with.

　　

Small-item storage

8.5

　　The center-console armrest bin is generously sized, and the front charging ports and wireless charging pad (if equipped) are in a cubby with room for more than one phone. The door pockets have space for water bottles, while the cupholders are large and have an anti-tip design. Only the glovebox is a little shallow.

　　

Cargo space

9.5

　　The Accord's trunk is absolutely huge. In fact, at 16.7 cubic feet, it's the biggest trunk in the segment (at least for now). The opening is wide, if a little foreshortened, but it's easy to maneuver objects in and out. The 60/40-split folding rear seats open up even more room for long objects.

　　

Child safety seat accommodation

9.0

　　LATCH anchors are located under clearly marked flaps and are close to the surface with no seating material impinging on access. Considering how large the rear seat is, even bulky car seats shouldn't pose a problem. The new, lower roofline might require more bending over to situate seats and kids.

　　

Technology

8.0

　　Honda's new infotainment system is a huge step up from the last generation, and it's integrated nicely with the gauge-cluster screen and head-up display. A lot of active safety and driver aids come standard, and they work well. Voice commands fall short, and we generally relied on manual controls.

　　

Audio & navigation

8.0

　　The premium audio system in our tester can produce a lot of volume without distortion, but sound quality is unexceptional for an upgraded system. The navigation system has a robust feature set that's easy to operate, the graphics are clean, and instructions easy to follow.

　　

Smartphone integration

9.0

　　Android Auto and Apple CarPlay work well and are integrated with the infotainment system, so smartphone navigation appears in the head-up display and music appears in the media screen. The near-field Bluetooth pairing is a neat trick, but setting up a standard connection is easy enough that it's mostly a novelty.

　　

Driver aids

8.0

　　Only blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert aren't standard on lower trims. Otherwise, you get a lot of aids. Adaptive cruise mostly works well, but sometimes picks up adjacent lanes in curves. Forward collision alert doesn't deliver false alerts but is very sensitive.

　　

Voice control

6.5

　　Voice commands are a mixed bag. While not prone to misunderstanding, specific phrasing is required, and often multiple steps are involved. Luckily there are on-screen prompts. You can't switch to Bluetooth audio streaming with a voice command, but there are extensive USB music and navigation commands.

　　

Which Accord Hybrid does zzdcar recommend?

　　Even the base Accord Hybrid gets adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and forward collision mitigation this year. But we'd upgrade just a bit and go with the EX. The EX gets you a larger touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, an upgraded eight-speaker stereo, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. It's quite a bit of equipment for only a marginal jump in price.

　　

2018 Honda Accord Hybrid models

　　The 2018 Honda Accord Hybrid comes in five trim levels: base, EX, EX-L, EX-L w/Navi and Touring. Powering every 2018 Honda Accord Hybrid is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine hitched up to a pair of electric motors that are fed by a lithium-ion battery pack. Total system power is 212 horsepower.

　　Standard equipment for the base Hybrid includes 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, LED taillights, keyless ignition and entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, a manually adjustable driver's seat, a 7-inch central display, active noise cancellation, Bluetooth, a rearview camera, and a four-speaker sound system with a USB port. Adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with automatic braking, lane departure warning and lane keeping assist are also standard.

　　Going with the EX gets you the above, plus a sunroof, LED foglights, heated mirrors, heated front seats, a power-adjustable driver's seat, an 8-inch touchscreen with upgraded smartphone integration (via HondaLink, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), and an upgraded sound system with eight speakers, satellite and HD radio and an additional USB port. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert is also standard on the EX.

　　Move up to the EX-L for an auto-dimming rearview mirror, driver memory settings, a power-adjustable front passenger seat, leather upholstery, and a 10-speaker stereo. The EX-L w/Navi is equipped like an EX-L but with the added benefit of a navigation system.

　　Lastly, the Touring adds adaptive suspension dampers, LED headlights with automatic high-beam control, front and rear parking sensors, wireless smartphone charging, a driver head-up display, ventilated front seats and heated rear seats.

　　

2018 Accord Hybrid Highlights

Trim: BaseEXEX-LTouringBase

　　

Base MSRP	$25,100
Engine Type	Hybrid
Combined MPG	47 MPG
Cost to Drive	$81/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	16.7 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles