#HondaAccordHybrid

Among the TTAC team, we’ve long joked that we could easily maintain our readership if we limited our daily coverage to one or two makes and models. While virtually everyone reading and commenting on our daily stories is an enthusiast of some persuasion, we can generally count on our readers to be pragmatic and practical when it comes to either buying a new car or recommending a new car to others. While exotic sports cars are fun to think about, most of you just need something to get back and forth every day without worry.

One of those pragmatic and practical cars that seems to be the darling of our loyal readership is in front of you today, the 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid. Except for that one guy in the comments frantically mashing out the name of a certain EV maker in every statement in all caps as if afflicted with some sort of digital Tourettes’, I’ve got to believe that a solid percentage of our readership would list the Accord at the top of their most-recommended vehicles. Indeed, your author has happily owned a few Accords in his lifetime, and others around the virtual office have done so as well. Let’s see if the latest lives up to expectations.

When Honda sent out the press release detailing the updates for the 2021 model-year Accord and Accord Hybrid, I shed a tear (figuratively) for the loss of the manual-transmission option in the gas models, and wondered why they were bothering with the hybrid. There didn’t seem to be much changed.

That may be true, but perhaps it’s because there wasn’t much to fix to begin with?

The most interesting thing about the press release for the 2021 Honda Accord is what is NOT in it.

There’s no mention of a manual transmission.

Sad, for three-pedal fans, but not unexpected. The take rate of Accords with manuals had to be minuscule, and few mid-size sedan buyers care about rowing their own. Manuals, in this author’s opinion, are soon to be fully relegated to only sports cars and certain off-roaders.

The epic battle known as Honda Accord vs. Toyota Camry won’t end until we’re all sitting in the backseat of a driverless electric Ford shuttle bus, content in knowing we’re doing the right thing for society. Future cities, man.

Until then, there’s cars to sell, and nothing motivates buyers like price. As re-skinned and improved 2018 Honda Accord Hybrids head to dealer lots, the automaker has clearly staked itself out as the value green buy, slashing $4,505 from the previous model’s entry price. That puts the hybrid’s chief rival in an unenviable position. A base Camry hybrid now retails for considerably more, but, if overall sales numbers tell us anything, Toyota probably won’t break into a sweat after reading this news.

Chevrolet announced this week that its hybridized version of the mid-sized Malibu would start at $28,645 including destination, for a fuel-sipping, 48 city-mpg, long-legged miler with all kinds of good looks.

Those are the facts.

Also true: the Ford Fusion Hybrid is $3,585 less expensive (although it only manages 41 mpg in the city), the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is $1,810 less expensive (40 mpg city), the Toyota Camry Hybrid is $1,220 less dear (although it manages 43 mpg in the city) — so only the 50-mpg Honda Accord Hybrid starts at a higher price ($1,495 more).

The Malibu Hybrid will be available only in LT trim when it goes on sale in the spring.