Honda bests the competition - at least in the city mileage category.
Honda will price the all-new 2014 Accord Hybrid model at just over $30,000, a bit higher than comparable offerings from key competitors like Ford and Toyota, but it is hoping to win over buyers with a segment-best fuel economy rating of 50 mpg.
The new Accord Hybrid debuts a year after the launch of both the conventional, gas-powered sedan, as well as Honda’s first extended-range offering, the Accord Plug-In.
To be offered in three grades, the new 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid will carry a base price of $29,155 plus a $905 destination fee – for a total of $30,060. The mid-range EX-L model will come in at $31,905 plus delivery charges, the top-line Touring priced at $34,905 plus delivery.
In an unusual move, Honda delayed the launch of its Accord Hybrid, initially putting the spotlight on its plug-in model. It also gave the Japanese maker more time to work up the all-new two-motor gas-electric drivetrain that will be used in the 2014 hybrid.
Previous Honda hybrids had all relied on versions of the same, single-motor gas-electric system, Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist, or IMA, first introduced in the original Insight model more than a dozen years ago. Moving forward, Honda will offer three hybrid variants, including a single-motor drive in lower-cost offerings like the Civic Hybrid, the two-motor system in the 2014 Accord, and a more complex three-motor hybrid to be used in high-line products such as the Acura RLX, MDX and reborn NSX supercar.
(For more on the 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid, Click Here.)
The benefits are significant, Honda says, pointing to the ability to run for short distances on battery power alone – something the old IMA system couldn’t handle – as well as improved mileage.
In the case of the 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid, the figures come in at 50 mpg City and 45 mpg Highway, according to the EPA. That compares with a 47/47 rating for the Ford Fusion Hybrid and 43/39 for the Toyota Camry Hybrid.
(Click Here for a look at the Honda Civic Tourer unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show.)
“With advanced technologies standard on every Accord Hybrid we’ve given customers an incredible combination of fuel efficiency, technology and value,” said John Mendel, executive vice president of sales at American Honda. “The addition of the Accord Hybrid to the lineup will further advance Accord’s position as America’s most popular passenger car with individual buyers.”
Honda says all of the new Accord Hybrid models will offer a wide range of standard features, including the maker’s unique LaneWatch blind spot display system, which uses the center-mounted touchscreen display to show what’s hidden in the vehicle’s right blind spot. Other standard features will include LED daytime running lamps, Bluetooth, dual-zone climate control, alloy wheels, a 10-way power driver’s seat and a 160-watt AM/FM/CD audio system.