The Honda Accord has always been perceived as a step up from the Civic with more room, more luxury and more power. Its overall practicality extends to a wide budget range from the base SE trim that can be had for $34,685 all the way up to the top of the line Touring Hybrid model at $44,620.
When it comes to the 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid, the difference of $6,700 between the base Hybrid and top of the line Touring trim remains fundamentally the same. They are both equipped with the 2.0 liter 4-cylinder Atkinson cycle engine producing a combined 212 horsepower working in tandem with its onboard AC electric motor. Both get modern tech and safety features including a 7” infotainment system, dual-zone climate controls, multi-angle rear view camera, and proximity key entry with a push button start.
The most notable upgrade in the Touring is the added Adaptive Damper System, but will also come with larger 19” wheels (as opposed to 17” on the Hybrid), ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a heads-up display, and perforated leather seats and satellite navigation with Sirius XM support via its HondaLink infotainment system.
Honda isn’t renowned for exquisite interior designs, but they’ve still done a remarkable job with the interior by keeping it both simple and comfortable. Our Touring test model comes equipped with perforated leather seats that feel both durable and comfortable to the touch. The interior panelling and trims are all assembled in a quality build, to offer a clean, subtle and elegant interior space.
The onboard 7” infotainment system works, but its smaller screen size and software responsiveness is a bit behind from what other competitors are now offering. Both Android Auto and Apple Carplay are supported, and the Touring trim will also get an upgrade to HD Radio, Sirius XM and Satellite-Linked Navigation with bilingual Voice Recognition.
The 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid achieves a very respectable EPA rating of 50 mpg for combined city and highway driving. That’s just slightly behind the more popular Camry Hybrid that gets 52 mpg. Power output peaks at 212 horsepower, which is adequate for most cases and the instantaneous torque delivery from the AC electric motor helps accelerate the Hybrid on lane changes and highway merging with no issues.
An onboard E-CVT transmission manages engine RPM ranges to extract the optimal balance of engine RPM and fuel emissions. Drive mode selection between EV, Sport and ECON modes is also available to suit the driver’s needs via a dial on the center console.
Our road test for the Touring trim reveals a smooth, quiet, and comfortable ride across both city and highway driving. Steering and handling surprisingly felt light and nimble thanks to the Adaptive Damper System, but this option requires an upgrade to the Touring trim. Still, the upgrade is a worthwhile expense given a range of additional features and conveniences that come along with it.
