Close X
Thursday, November 21, 2024
ADVT 
Auto

2024 Honda Accord Hybrid Sporty Next-Gen Hybrid

Benjamin Yong Darpan, 03 Oct, 2024
  • 2024 Honda Accord Hybrid Sporty Next-Gen Hybrid

The latest Honda Accord debuted last year, and with it comes a fresh hybrid variant tuned to provide a more spirited driving experience. 

"Honda's commitment to building world-class sedans continues with the all-new, 11th-generation Accord Hybrid, which is an integral piece of our North American electrification strategy," says Steve Hui, Assistant Vice President, Honda Financial Services, in a media release. "The Accord's reputation is already solidified, but this new Accord is our best ever maintaining its class-leading attributes of sophisticated styling reliability, efficiency, performance, and connectivity."

Darpan tested the mid-range Sport grade in the stunning Radiant Red Metallic paint color (+ $300), which looks the part. It features contrasting black side mirrors, a trunk spoiler, front/rear lower bumper lips and side skirts, and 19-inch alloy wheels. The vehicle also has a 10-millimeter wider rear track, broadening the stance and increasing stability on the road. The car appears significantly longer than the outgoing version—70 millimeters, to be precise—with a longer hood and fastback-style sloping roofline.

If you’ve seen or sat in a recent Honda Civic, the interior of the Accord won’t be too much of a surprise. The signature metal mesh trim spans the entire dash length and conceals the air vents. Thankfully, designers have kept an actual gear knob in place rather than installing transmission select buttons or a rotary controller. The brand says the shifter is angled towards the driver by five degrees to accommodate the two large cupholders to the console's right.

Piano Black trim is found throughout the cabin, and nice-feeling leather covers the heated steering wheel and aforementioned knob. Attractive black cloth is upholstered on the front. Body Stabilizing Seats that are comfortable and supportive, enough so I didn’t feel too much fatigue on a four-hour trip from Kelowna to the Lower Mainland. 

The hybrid utilizes a fourth-gen two-electric motor system paired with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, putting out 204 horsepower and 247 lb-ft of torque. Improvements over the former setup include added direct fuel injection and linear shift control that mimics the shift feel of a conventional I.C.E. under acceleration. 

Drivers can choose a Sport mode via a toggle switch on the center console, which changes throttle behavior and other dynamic settings suitable for a little fun on the backroads. They can also switch to Econ when trying to maximize fuel economy. The former even creates a subtle sporty exhaust note when you put the pedal down. Handling is sharp, especially for a big sedan, due to the Accord’s MacPherson Strut front/multi-link rear suspension. New suspension damper mount bearings and ball joints give a smoother steering response. 

The Honda Sensing safety suite receives an update as well. A new camera and wide-angle radar have expanded fields of view, 90 and 120 degrees, respectively, helping the driver assistance technology better recognize objects, road markings, boundaries, and signs. Over much of the long stretches of highway throughout my 400-kilometer journey from the Okanagan, I relied on the dynamic cruise control to do much of the steering, braking, and accelerating — which it did admirably.

The 2024 Honda Accord continues to be built at the Marysville Auto Plant in Ohio, where production began in the early 1980s. 

Highlights:   

MSRP: $31,278 (as tested)

Motor: 2.0-litre inline-four cylinder

Horsepower: 204 (net)  

Torque (lb-ft): 247 (net)

Gearbox: CVT automatic

Layout: Front Engine/Front-Wheel Drive   

Fuel economy: 5.5 L/100 km mixed city/highway (observed)

MORE Auto ARTICLES

2023 Polestar 2 Upscale zero emissions motoring with a Scandinavian twist

2023 Polestar 2 Upscale zero emissions motoring with a Scandinavian twist

While a familiar overall Swedish design aesthetic exists, the vehicle, which serves as a pure electric follow-up to the 619 horsepower Polestar 1 plug-in hybrid sports coupe, really stands out amongst other zero-emissions brethren. From the stealthy badging and Knight Rider-like animated LED taillight strip on the outside to the barely-there physical controls and hollow shifter on the inside, it’s definitely something unique. 

 

2024 Nissan Frontier PRO-4X review Rugged mid-size pickup

2024 Nissan Frontier PRO-4X review  Rugged mid-size pickup

Darpan reviewed the Crew Cab variant packing full-size doors and a five-foot bed, and while not as sporty looking as the King Cab the proper second-row bench makes fitting a child seat much easier than using the flip-down cushions found in the latter. 

2024 Mercedes-AMG SL 63 4MATIC+Roadster Iconic roadster evolution

2024 Mercedes-AMG SL 63 4MATIC+Roadster Iconic roadster evolution

First arriving on the scene two years ago, the latest iteration of Mercedes-AMG’s Sportlich-Leicht (German for sporty and lightweight) 63 continues to give enthusiasts a road-going racecar experience as the legendary model has done for the last seven decades. The high-quality combination of analogue world and state-of-the-art digital equipment makes it clear that the new SL is the rebirth of an icon for the modern era.

Spectre Unveiled: Rolls-Royce's Electric Masterpiece

Spectre Unveiled: Rolls-Royce's Electric Masterpiece

The Spectre, at the prestigious Rolls-Royce Vancouver dealership. This unveiling marked a historic moment for the marque as it introduced its first ultra-luxury electric super coupé, seamlessly blending the artisanship synonymous with Rolls-Royce with cutting-edge electric technology. 

2023 Honda Civic Si Saving the Manual Sport Compartment

2023 Honda Civic Si Saving the Manual Sport Compartment

Eleven generations in, Honda continues to provide a stick-enabled, factory-tuned Si version of the popular Honda Civic. Completely redesigned last year, the sedan — coupes are discontinued, sadly — returns unchanged for the 2023 model year.

2023 Lexus RX 500h F SPORT Fifth Generation Radiant Crossover

2023 Lexus RX 500h F SPORT Fifth Generation Radiant Crossover

Lexus had the distinction of launching the world's first compact luxury crossover when the RX 300 came out in the late 1990s. Now, in 2023, the "Radiant Crossover" is as good as it has ever been, showcasing a fresh style language, four powertrain options and an all-new 500h F SPORT Performance model.