Southern California may be known for its sunshine and warmth, but it also has rain and snow in the mountains. It’s not enough to stop Honda Accord 2023 redesigned Combine from climbing more than 5,000 feet up Mount Palomar, from signature coastal sunshine to unusual bluebird snow.
The curvy ascent reveals the impressive handling of the 11th-generation Accord. Honda has ditched the built-in adaptive dampers, which were the secret formula for creating the ideal balance while driving. and handling in current top Touring versions, while also making the bodywork of the new version stiffer with stiffer braces, stiffer racks and thicker panels.
Honda badges the four hybrid versions with the Sport name to distinguish it from the base LX and EX versions equipped with the 1.5-liter turbo-4 engine. At least in handling, it deserves the badge.
Either engine, the Accord is steady and steady, aided by new damper mounts and 0.4-inch wider rails. A new brake-based torque vectoring system, dubbed Motion Management by Honda, has also helped a lot. Based on the rear-wheel drive mechanism of its hybrid predecessor, it steers more directly, although the wheels feel lighter; Honda says it has reduced friction in the steering column.
It produced a much stronger climb than anticipated, though the Accord Hybrid still lacks power from those essays.
Honda Accord Hybrid 2023
Like hiking with a sore knee, it’s easier to climb into a front-wheel drive sedan than to descend with the weight forward. The new Accord Hybrid weighs in from 3,468 pounds in the base Sport to 3,532 pounds in the top Touring model I tested, representing a slight weight gain of about 140 pounds and 90 pounds, respectively. It’s 2.7 inches longer and better equipped with a more powerful engine so the added weight is muscle, not fat.
However, icebergs lurk in curves where the sun has not yet penetrated the Ponderosa pines and other fir trees. Other parts of the road evaporate with melting ice. This is where the Accord Hybrid’s revised regenerative braking system becomes an unintended but welcome helper.
Honda has introduced six regen brake settings accessible via paddle shifters, much more important than the four regen settings in the older model. The sixth setting uses both the engine and frictional brakes to bring the Accord Hybrid to a stop that’s almost like many battery-powered electric vehicles, but not the full stop for real single-pedal driving. . The last ten feet need to brake, as if it were a station wagon shifting gears.
Honda Accord Hybrid 2023
The various settings helped me downhill without slamming the brake pads, while also controlling the speed I would otherwise be in the low gears of a gas car.
Those regen settings make it even more efficient. In Economy or Sport mode, the 2023 Accord Hybrid averaged more than 53 mpg in similar routes around 14 miles each with a posted speed limit of 55 mph. Even with the differences in stops, modes, and regen settings, it consistently outperforms the EPA ratings of 46 mpg city, 41 highway, and 44 combined for Sport and Sport trims. -L and Touring.
These models use 19-inch black wheels and tires, while the EX-L uses 17-inch wheels. It tops the Accord’s efficiency ratings at 51/44/48 mpg. In any version, it’s 1 mpg more efficient than the upcoming Accord Hybrid. Even so, it still trails the combined 52 mpg rating of the Toyota Camry and Hyundai Sonata hybrid.
The new Personal mode customizes the default Normal mode to change powertrain and steering from Eco, Normal and Sport, but this can only be done via the touchscreen in Parking mode. The changes weren’t much in my limited testing. The coolest part of Individual mode is changing the throttle and brake feel on the adaptive cruise control, so you can set it to rush or speed up gradually as the lead vehicle gets out of the way.
Honda Accord Hybrid 2023
Honda Accord Hybrid 2023
Honda Accord Hybrid 2023
Another interesting feature about the regen brake system is that when the regen reaches the threshold of 0.3 g, the brake light will flash, the brake light will appear on the small car in the instrument cluster.
Sport mode adjusts throttle response and steering more responsively, and Honda has programmed the E-CVT to approximate gearshifts. They were pressing the electric needle, and the Honda made the engine noise and simulated shifting through the speaker system. It might be counter-intuitive for an efficient prioritization system, but it gives the Accord a duality when it’s muted in Econ mode. You can get your cake and eat it, just don’t expect it to come quickly.
Even with the updates to the two-motor hybrid system and the 2.0-liter inline-four running on the lean Atkinson cycle, it takes a beat to start the power, from stop, and at speed.
The new hybrid powertrain features a more compact layout with two engines mounted side by side and one larger thruster than before. Terumasa Kotada, Accord chief engineer, told Green Car Reports, the new cylinder heads and direct injection system as well as other changes to the engine result in less precious metals being used in the process. engine manufacturing. No cargo or passenger space is sacrificed between the Accord hybrid and the Accord with the 1.5-liter turbo-4.
Honda Accord Hybrid 2023
Honda Accord Hybrid 2023
Honda Accord Hybrid 2023
Behind the wheel, these changes add 204 hp from 202 hp in the outgoing model and 247 lb-ft of torque from 232 lb-ft.
The Honda Accord Hybrid is truly an electric car most of the time, with the power to run it mostly coming from the engine, plus a modest battery pack. Changes to the battery management system allow it to run in EV mode longer than its predecessor, and Kotada says the control system prioritizes battery. It feels the same, there’s less noise and the engine starts less often to generate power.
Perhaps most importantly—for the brand and other Earthlings—is the company that sees Honda CR-V Hybrid and coming soon Honda Civic Hybrid 2024 account for at least 50% of sales for each model such as More difficult fleet fuel economy standards holding. Honda’s lack of battery electric vehicles won’t help until Prologue Honda 2024 Released around 2024.
The essence of the Honda Accord Hybrid 2023 is refinement. It’s cleaner, smoother, and quieter, and Honda has toned down luxury-leaning elements like the faux wood trim and knobby knobs in the dashboard. It’s a mass-market hybrid, priced from $33,000 for the Sport and $39,000 for the Touring, but it doesn’t skimp on modern technology.
Honda Accord Hybrid 2023
Each hybrid features a 12.3-inch touchscreen display with wireless smartphone compatibility and wireless charging available, as well as a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The infotainment screen is based on more orderly squares and the buttons are not cornered for a simpler, cleaner and better user experience. Touring uses Google’s built-in features for navigation, voice, and other connected car services. The most efficient EX-L costs $34,635 and comes with heated front seats, but a heated steering wheel won’t be found anywhere on the options list.
Every 2023 Accord gets new front seats with more support and better cushioning, and the standard driver assistance package includes features that luxury automakers usually pay for. It includes automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, active lane control, adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist and automatic high beams.
Honda made a better car with the 2023 Accord Hybrid and it’s a good value. It may be a stopping point as Honda climbs steeply into its electric vehicle category, but for now and for the next few years, it will please countless people who choose HEVs over BEVs.
Honda paid for airfare and accommodation to GCR to present this live review.
