The 2024 Honda Accord Touring Hybrid is a better family hauler than most would think. Yes, few families out there are likely seeking an Accord — despite it being a nameplate most of us have actually grown up with — and we have also heard the decades-old advice that ‘every family needs a SUV’ over and over again. Fact is, the Accord outdoes a typical compact crossover in many aspects, and when it comes to practicality, it gives up surprisingly little.
The Honda Accord has been a popular model in North America and has been around for 11 generations now. It has evolved beautifully into a sophisticated sedan, taking some of the best bits of the outgoing model, dialing back some of the controversial cues such as the awkward fastback silhouette, and added sleek design elements such as the wide front grille and cohesive front and rear LED lighting. The length has increased 70 millimetres and the overall result is a more substantial and premium looking sedan than any of its predecessors
To complement the exterior styling, Honda designers upped their game inside as well, and their efforts are instantly noticeable. The dashboard looks clean and modern, and materials feel upscale to the touch. Honda has really stepped up their interior design in recent years; they are not quite to the level of entry level luxury cars yet — and are not expected to be — but many recent Honda products including the Civic, Accord, and CR-V all feel premium compared to most mainstream counterparts.
The most impressive part to the Accord is its interior space. There is an abundance of legroom — more than any crossover of comparable price range — and headroom is quite good for both rows despite the sloping roofline. Trunk space measures in at 473 litres which leads the segment, and even though it cannot be compared to the thousand-plus litres a CR-V or Toyota RAV4 offers, its wide and deep opening is accommodating for oversized bags and it easily handled all the gear for a family of four without issues throughout our week.
Honda completely overhauled the infotainment as well. A large 12.3-inch touchscreen houses the new easy-to-use system, and the new 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster displays important information such as power flow. Unfortunately, many of the shortcut keys that we loved in the outgoing Accord are now gone, but at least we get to keep the volume knob.
Our Touring tester comes with built-in Google software for seamless integration, but we found a bit of confusion between the systems when used in conjunction with Android Auto. We noticed it would power on apps from the native Google system rather than off the smartphone when asked, and we were not able to use some of the apps without data connection through the car itself. Once you have the streaming music apps configured, though, you will enjoy the sound that comes out of the 12-speaker Bose audio system.
Also new for Accord Hybrid is the 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, now using direct injection for more torque, and there are two-motors paired to this engine to generate a combined maximum of 204 horsepower. This figure is not much to write home about these days, but it is the 247 pound-feet of peak torque that really changes the dynamic.
Acceleration is effortless in the Accord Hybrid, and you simply do not feel like you are driving a car that can achieve its phenomenal 5.3 L/100 km fuel economy rating. Though we will mention that during our road test that took place mainly in the city during cold temperatures, we logged a higher-than-expected average of 7.4 L/100 km.
The Accord Touring Hybrid is quite easy to drive with light steering and nimble reflexes. Through process of evolution, the Accord is no longer the exhilarating sleeper it once was, but rather now focuses on being a comfortable tourer. The good news is that the Accord Hybrid Touring accomplishes that mission with ease. The ride is quiet and supple, and we enjoyed that there is little unwanted engine noise unlike other hybrids.
There is now an updated suite of Honda Sensing driver-assistive technology onboard the new Accord. Standard features include Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Departure Warning and Road Departure Mitigation, Adaptive Cruise Control, Rear Cross Traffic Monitor, and Traffic Sign Recognition systems. The Touring models get an additional low-speed braking control that helps avoid hitting obstacles, such as walls, when moving slowly.
Here comes the biggest reason of choosing the Honda Accord over any crossovers — the price. Topping out at $45,300 as-tested, the Accord Hybrid is significantly cheaper than a similarly equipped Honda CR-V. Our tester came out to be $5,000 less than a CR-V Touring Hybrid — with more power, to boot — which makes us second-guess the need for a crossover unless you absolutely need all-wheel-drive or 1,000-plus litres of cargo room.
There is a lot to like about the 2024 Honda Accord Touring Hybrid. It looks sophisticated, it is roomy and rides well, and manages to sip fuel like the best of them. We see little reason to not recommend the Accord Hybrid; in our eyes, it is a clear-cut winner in this midsize sedan segment.
