Discontinued in Europe, the Honda Accord continues with a brand new generation on the US market. Here, it will also come with a hybrid version. The 2018 Accord Hybrid will begin arriving in dealerships starting March 23 as the latest addition to Honda’s growing portfolio of electrified vehicles.
The Accord Hybrid lineup now comes in five trim levels: Hybrid, EX (new), EX-L, EX-L Navi (new), and Touring. Better yet, the new Accord Hybrid is more affordable thanks to a starting Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of $25,100 (excluding $890 destination and handling), reflecting a $4,505 drop compared to the previous model.
Despite this lower entry point, the Accord Hybrid still offers a lengthy list of standard equipment, such as 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights (low beam) and taillights, dual-zone climate control, Smart entry with Push-button Start, a 7-inch TFT digital driver’s meter, a multi-angle rearview camera, and the Honda Sensing® suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies, which bundles together Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Road Departure Mitigation, Lane Departure Warning, and Traffic Sign Recognition.
The 2018 Accord Hybrid is powered by the third generation of Honda’s innovative two-motor hybrid powertrain, which pairs a 2.0-liter DOHC i-VTEC Atkinson-cycle inline-4 engine with 40-percent thermal efficiency to an electric propulsion motor that churns out 232 lb.-ft. of torque for a class-leading total system output of 212 horsepower. As before, the Accord two-motor system operates without the need for a conventional automatic transmission.
The Accord Hybrid’s powertrain operates by seamlessly shifting between three distinct drive operations: EV Drive (100-percent electric motor), Hybrid Drive (electric motor and gasoline engine [driving the generator motor]) and Engine Drive (gasoline engine), utilizing power from the gasoline engine and electric motors to accommodate the current driving conditions.
