Sunday Drive: 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid, The Ultimate Accord?

When you hear the two words “Honda Accord” many thoughts probably come to mind, but we can say with some certainty that the term “hybrid” is not one of them. The fact is that Honda’s friendly worldwide rival, Toyota, has become much more associated with hybrid vehicles than Honda. There was a time not that very many years ago when a top American Honda exec confided to me that his company wasn’t sold on hybrid technology because its engineers felt they could achieve the benefits of hybrid drive, most notably excellent fuel economy, without going to the expense and complication of developing hybrids.

But times do change, now don’t they?

When I recently got the chance to do a lengthy preview drive in the new-for-2021 Accord, it was the Accord Hybrid that Honda execs chose for me and many fellow journalists to drive. Why? Because these days Honda acknowledges quite openly that the hybrid version of the midsize sedan is from many angles the best version of the car. Not only does it deliver stellar fuel economy, as one would expect from a car that has “Hybrid” as its suffix, but it is also the fastest, smoothest, and most drivable of all the models.

“The new Honda Accord Hybrid is really the Accord to buy, offering customers more of everything they like about Accord — more power, refinement and, of course, excellent fuel economy ratings,” said Dave Gardner, executive vice president of National Operations at American Honda.

Jerry Chang, Accord product planner, told me almost exactly the same thing. Among its other virtues, he extolled the hybrid’s low-end pulling power made possible by the instant infusion of torque from its electric motor.

All that became obvious as I spent a pleasant if cloudy morning driving the car in the varied terrain that lies north and west of Malibu, Calif. The route offered a varied mix of curvy two-lane, serious elevation changes, suburban stop-and-go, and a quintessential California freeway, the famed 101. In each instance, the hybrid showed its mettle. No, the Accord isn’t sports-sedan quick, at least in the context of the current era, but it did demonstrate quite plainly that this year’s Accord is a lot more than a grocery-getter and appointment-keeper.

The innovative Honda two-motor hybrid system in the 2021 Accord offers direct throttle response delivering strong immediate acceleration no matter where the engine is in its rev range. That is the result of the system’s combined gasoline-and-electric output of 212 horsepower — 20 horsepower more than the 1.5-liter turbocharged version — and, more to the point, the fact that peak torque delivery of 232 lb.-ft. comes right at idle.

Honda is proud of the fact that its two-motor hybrid system gives the Accord Hybrid the ability to operate solely on electric power for longer periods in slow-speed driving than competitive hybrids. That ability is aided and abetted by something you don’t feel when you’re driving the Accord Hybrid — intrusive regenerative braking that can be an off-putting part of many hybrids. The 2021 Accord uses brake-by-wire technology to deliver a more natural pedal feel that is virtually indistinguishable from conventional brakes.

As Chang attested, the Honda engineers went through a great deal of effort to enable the very complicated hybrid powertrain and brake system to feel like a conventional sedan. What this required is a powertrain control system that manages the power delivery between each component every split second, switching effortlessly through the three modes — electric, gasoline engine + electric motor, and gasoline engine alone. In our lengthy drive in the Accord Hybrid through the hills and valleys of western Los Angeles and southern Ventura counties, the transitions from one mode to another were virtually imperceptible.

Of course, if you want modes, the Accord Hybrid also gives you modes you can select yourself at the touch of a button. The three buttons summoning Sport, EV, and ECON lie just beyond Honda’s unique version of a pushbutton gear selector. From our drive, we can attest that Sport mode was much sportier than ECON, while EV gives you stealth for short distances.

Both the hybrid’s propulsion motor and its generator/starter motor use a Honda-patented design that incorporates magnets that don’t use heavy rare-earth metals. This not only reduces magnet cost and weight, but it also avoids the negative environmental effects of mining and refining rare earths.

The result of all the collective technology is a hybrid vehicle that has the driving demeanor of a powerful and torquey conventional sedan, but with the added benefit of much-increased fuel economy. Three of the four Accord Hybrid trim levels offer EPA ratings of 48 city/ 48 highway/ 48 combined, while the Hybrid Touring offers 44 city/ 41 highway/ 43 overall. List prices of the Accord Hybrid models range from $26,370 to $36,240.

All 2021 Accord models have a wider grille that enables better integration of the Honda Sensing system’s radar unit. Most trims, including the Hybrid we tested, feature new LED high- and low-beam headlights and revised LED fog lights. New alloy wheel choices round out the exterior modifications.

Inside the big news is the fact that an 8-inch display screen is standard across the lineup as are Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on EX, EX-L, and Touring grade Hybrid models and conventionally powered EX-L and Touring models. Once your phone is paired to the system via Bluetooth you never need to worry about a connection cord again, especially if you use the wireless charging that is available on EX trims and above.

What the Sunday Drive proved to us is that the 2021 version of the Accord is better than before in palpable ways. While we think it would be useful to drive the Accord Hybrid back-to-back with its 2.0-liter 252-horsepower sibling before we make a final judgment, we can accept the argument that the Accord Hybrid Touring is the ultimate Accord this year. Its combination of upscale features, enhanced road manners, and remarkable fuel economy give it a strong pedigree that we can certify after our Sunday Drive.