Hybrids are gaining more and more popularity with each passing day. The days of the internal-combustion engine are numbered, and it’s only a matter of time before they all get phased out. The future is electric, and it may be closer than we expect, but at the moment, electric vehicles suffer from a lot of cons. Range anxiety is a real thing if you own a purely electric vehicle, not to mention the current price for all electric vehicles. Thankfully, the hybrid bridges that gap between conventional, gasoline cars and full EVs nicely, hence the name hybrid.
Blending in the best of both worlds, they’re practical, reliable, efficient, and in some cases even fun to drive. The 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid may not be the most well-known hybrid out there, but it’s definitely one of the best. It deserves more recognition, and we’ll tell you exactly why.
EXTERIOR DESIGN
From the exterior, you’d have a really hard time telling the 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid apart from its gasoline siblings. The refreshed 2017 Honda Accord is handsome and elegant, in more ways than one. After spending years, decades even, of perfecting the style and getting the proportions right, Honda has a winner on their hands with the 2017 model Accord. And who knew that all it took were a few Acura-inspired details to make the difference. Although still recognizably a Honda, the exterior just screams Acura in a way you wouldn’t believe.
The front end of the 2017 Honda Accord receives a more aggressive fascia with a bolder grille. The corner vents dominate the lower portion of the fascia, and the new blue highlighted LED headlights and fog lights really add uniqueness when compared to other vehicles on the market. The aluminum hood helps lower the center of gravity, while matching aluminum wheels round off the entire look.
The sides see new side skirts which give off the illusion that the car is lower leading to an aftermarket style design. At the rear we find new taillights, emphasizing width with extremely long LED piping just behind the lens. The chrome strip running along the lower portion of the decklid is longer and more angular, connecting the two taillights in an elegant fashion. The rear is more conventional looking than the front, but it suits the vehicle overall. The 2017 Honda Accord is a truly gorgeous car, with a more pronounced and bold design than the previous version.
INTERIOR LUXURY
Boasting a couple of trims, namely shiny wood grain and a flat-black trim, the 2017 Honda Accord gives you the option of going for a sportier look or a more luxurious one. All the materials are high quality and although you can tell it’s not a high-end luxury car, the Accord does reign supreme in its price range and segment. The fit and finish is traditional Honda, which is to say absolutely superb. The ergonomics are just right, as all the controls are right where you would expect to find them. The 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid is outfitted with many displays, including a round display inside the speedometer with an additional display on each side for driving data as well as a seven-inch touch screen display on the dash, linked with a second large display above the dash.
ENGINE & DRIVE
Honda has spent an enormous amount of time, effort and money optimizing and developing the powertrain of the 2017 Accord Hybrid. The battery is much more compact than the last generation’s, but the real updates can be found under the actual hood. The two-motor hybrid system is connected to a 2.0 liter i-VTEC Atkinson Cycle engine, producing a total power output of 212 horsepower, making it the most powerful midsize hybrid sedan. That’s an increase of almost 16 horsepower over the last version and it will blow most standard gasoline powered cars away in terms of acceleration.
Not only is the 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid fast and powerful, but the drive is also smooth and quiet. You can hardly notice the gas engine kick in the help out with power at higher speeds. A smooth and relaxed steering give the drive a feel of luxury but may lose some of the more performance oriented drivers that prefer a lot of steering feedback and road feel.
As you can imagine, the 2017 Accord Hybrid gets incredible mileage. The Accord Hybrid averaged a 6.0 L/100km over our 350km combined city and highway test drive. Because the hybrid drivetrain uses a two-motor layout, the Accord makes do without a classic mechanical transmission, drivers get a choice of three driving modes: EV Drive, Hybrid Drive and Engine Drive. The first one powers the Accord with the electric motor alone, the second one uses the conventional gas engine to power the second electric motor, and the engine drive mode provides maximum power by combining the gas engine and electric motor. The sprint from 0-60 takes just 7.3 seconds, which is impressive for any sedan but even more so for a hybrid with amazing fuel consumption.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid is well priced and very close to its V6 counterpart, so drivers can choose between V6 power or hybrid fuel savings (with a bit of performance) with the same level of trim for a similar price range of around $31,000-$37,000. To see the true saving of a hybrid versus its gas counterpart, read our Ford Fusion comparison review. The 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid is everything an affordable hybrid sedan should be: practical, affordable, comfortable, luxurious, advanced, fuel conscious and if you put your foot down, surprisingly fast!
