2023 Honda Accord Touring Hybrid: A Promising Start for a Year-Long Test
The 2023 Honda Accord Touring Hybrid is making a bold statement with its hybrid powertrain. Not only does it replace the previous model’s turbo 2.0-liter engine, but it also dominates the trim levels, being available in four out of six options. With its impressive features and capabilities, we had no choice but to embrace this hybrid powerhouse for our yearlong, 40,000-mile test.
The top-of-the-line 2023 Honda Accord Touring Hybrid comes with a price tag of $38,985 and offers minimal customization options, limited to exterior color and a few dealer-installed accessories. Our car boasts a stunning Canyon River Blue paint, one of the no-cost color choices.
A Wealth of Standard Features
The Touring trim level stands out from the rest by offering a wide range of standard features. These include front and rear parking sensors, a head-up display, wireless charging, rain-sensing wipers, and Low-Speed Braking Control, which can alert the driver and aid in reducing the impact of low-speed collisions using sensors located on the front and rear bumpers.
The Touring model also spoils its occupants with heated front and rear outboard seats, ensuring comfort even in the coldest months. Additionally, it features ventilated front seats for those scorching summer days. However, one notable omission is a heated steering wheel, exclusive to the Canadian market. We’d gladly trade the heated rear seats for a heated steering wheel, but alas, it’s not an option in the U.S. market.
Getting Acquainted with the Interior
During the early phase of our test, we followed Honda’s guidelines of avoiding sudden acceleration and hard braking. This allowed us to appreciate the interior’s refreshingly straightforward layout. In a time when touch-sensitive controls dominate the industry, we found it refreshing to see physical buttons for climate controls, a volume dial, and a traditional shift lever.
While exploring the menus to customize keyless-entry behavior, gauge-cluster mode, and audio settings, we discovered an option to disable third-party app permissions. This feature grants us greater control over digital privacy, even though it disables some onboard Google features. However, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay remain accessible, ensuring privacy while using these popular smartphone integration systems.
The driving experience of the Accord Touring Hybrid matches the simplicity of its interior layout. The hybrid powertrain seamlessly switches between its 146-hp engine, a 181-hp electric motor, or a combination of the two (for a combined peak output of 204 horsepower) to propel the front wheels. Energy from braking is recovered and stored in a 1.1-kWh battery, enabling all-electric driving until approximately 20 mph. The Accord hybrid doesn’t feature a traditional transmission, often relying on the electric motor for direct drive. However, you can only observe these powertrain operations by switching to a display that shows the power flow.
Alternatively, you can simply ignore the technical details. The brake pedal doesn’t give away any indication of regenerative braking, and the engine seamlessly revs to generate electricity during acceleration, emulating the behavior of a conventional automatic transmission. This smooth operation creates a familiar driving experience without the need for adjusting to the nuances of a hybrid powertrain.
On the highway, the Accord Touring Hybrid offers a serene ride, with the engine seamlessly switching on and off. At this point, it becomes a large, comfortable sedan with an impressive EPA highway rating of 41 mpg and a theoretical range of 520 miles thanks to its 12.8-gallon fuel tank. While the Accord consumes more fuel on the open road, its EPA city mileage is an outstanding 46 mpg. The combined rating of 44 mpg will be compared to our observed fuel economy over the course of 40,000 miles.
The only indications that there’s more happening beneath the surface are the exterior pedestrian alert sound that activates in EV mode at low speeds and the shift paddles that adjust the level of regenerative braking. These shift paddles offer an extensive range of settings, allowing drivers to fine-tune the regenerative braking experience. However, the setting needs to be reselected each time the vehicle is started or shifted out of drive. Nonetheless, the feature provides an opportunity for drivers to contribute to traffic alleviation by maximizing energy regeneration.
Test Results and What Lies Ahead
After completing the break-in period, we took our 3525-pound Accord Touring Hybrid to the test track for some performance evaluation. It accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds and completed the quarter-mile in 15.2 seconds at 91 mph. While these results trail behind the previous turbocharged 2.0-liter Accord we tested, it’s worth noting that they are comparable to the performance of the 1997 Acura Integra Type R. The Accord Touring Hybrid also outshines the old Type R with its impressive skidpad performance, achieving 0.90 g.
As our Accord Touring Hybrid settles into our year-long test, we are optimistic about its future performance. However, being a multiple-time winner of our prestigious 10Best award, the Accord faces high expectations. We will closely monitor the vehicle’s long-term reliability and whether it continues to impress us after 40,000 miles. We may even develop some envy for our Canadian counterparts, who enjoy the luxury of heated steering wheels in their Accords. Only time will tell.
Key Details:
- Months in Fleet: 1 month
- Current Mileage: 2649 miles
- Average Fuel Economy: 38 mpg
- Fuel Tank Size: 12.8 gal
- Observed Fuel Range: 480 miles
- Service: $0
- Normal Wear: $0
- Repair: $0
- Damage and Destruction: $0
Specifications
- 2023 Honda Accord Touring Hybrid:
- Vehicle Type: Front-engine, front-motor, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
- Price: Base/As Tested: $38,985/$38,985 (No additional options)
- Powertrain: DOHC 16-valve 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle inline-4, 146 hp, 134 lb-ft + AC motor, 181 hp, 247 lb-ft (Combined output: 204 hp, 247 lb-ft; 1.1-kWh lithium-ion battery pack)
- Transmission: Direct-drive
- Suspension, F/R: Struts/multilink
- Brakes, F/R: 12.3-in vented disc/11.1-in disc
- Tires: Michelin Primacy MXM4, 235/40R-19 96V Extra Load M+S DT1
- Dimensions:
- Wheelbase: 111.4 in
- Length: 195.7 in
- Width: 73.3 in
- Height: 57.1 in
- Passenger Volume, F/R: 53/50 ft3
- Trunk Volume: 17 ft3
- Curb Weight: 3525 lb
- Test Results:
- 60 mph: 6.5 sec
- 1/4-Mile: 15.2 sec @ 91 mph
- 100 mph: 19.2 sec
- 120 mph: 41.1 sec
- Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 7.4 sec
- Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.4 sec
- Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.9 sec
- Top Speed (gov ltd): 125 mph
- Braking, 70–0 mph: 173 ft
- Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.90 g
- Fuel Economy:
- Observed: 38 mpg
- 75-mph Highway Driving: 39 mpg
- 75-mph Highway Range: 490 mi
- Unscheduled Oil Additions: 0 qt
- EPA Fuel Economy:
- Combined/City/Highway: 44/46/41 mpg
- Warranty:
- 3 years/36,000 miles bumper to bumper
- 5 years/60,000 miles powertrain
- 8 years/100,000 miles hybrid/electric components
- 5 years/unlimited miles corrosion protection
- 3 years/36,000 miles roadside assistance
- 2 years/24,000 miles scheduled maintenance
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED
Deputy Editor, Video
Carlos Lago has spent his whole adult life immersed in cars, from buying and selling them to testing them. As Deputy Editor, Video, he is responsible for Car and Driver’s engaging video content.