2006 Honda Accord Hybrid Test Drive

Honda's New Hybrid

The world's first hybrid sports sedan is also the fastest Accord on the market.

Recently this reporter drove a gas-guzzling sport utility vehicle (SUV) for a week in California and then, the following week, drove a car that gets about 2.5-times better fuel efficiency. The latter vehicle was the roomy, fast (in fact, very fast) Honda Motor Accord Hybrid, the subject of this review.

Did I mention that I drove the fuel-chugging SUV in California, where gas costs around $2.45 per gallon?

In light of that, and the above quote, it's difficult to overstate how darned appealing the Accord Hybrid really is. That's because, even if you only break even on a car like this (see the math below), for the first time you can opt for a sedan that is very much about emotion (sporty cars always are), without feeling guilty for doing so.

To arrive at this reality, you have to make a few assumptions. One, that you find the speedy, sporty Accord appealing in the first place -- if you're really after frugality, you'd get the Toyota Motor Prius, which gets far better fuel efficiency, but isn't nearly as appealing as a sports sedan -- or even as a "normal" car.

So let's say you dig the Accord because you're in the market for a sporty sedan and love the idea of getting performance without sacrificing fuel economy. Good news: The $30,140 Hybrid is actually the fastest Accord sold. It uses a 255 horsepower V-6 and an electric motor that can churn out as much as 100 pound-feet of torque to gun the 3501 pound vehicle from zero to 60 mph in about seven seconds -- a full second faster than the stock V-6 Accord automatic. Yet due to the electric motor, the Hybrid gets superior mileage -- 29 city/37 highway mpg compared with 21 city/30 highway mph for the $26,850 EX V-6. (We use the latter model for comparison because it comes with the same toys you get standard on the Hybrid, including automatic tranny, leather/heated seats, AM-FM-satellite radio and six-CD changer, as well as anti-lock brakes and curtain airbags).

Ah, but you noticed the sticker price difference, right? $3,290 more for a 38% improvement in city mileage and 20% better highway mileage? Does it make sense to buy the more expensive Honda If you average about 34 mpg for the Hybrid and 24 mpg for the EX (remember, EPA mileage numbers always ratchet higher than real-world driving will get you)? You'll fill up the EX every 410 miles and the Hybrid every 580 miles (both cars have a 17.1-gallon tank). Over 100,000 miles, that's 244 fill-ups for the EX and 172 fill-ups for the Hybrid. If gas costs you, on average, $2.50 per gallon, the cost difference is $3,061 ($10,431 for the EX; $7,370 for the Hybrid). So you'll break even at roughly 100,000 miles.

The cheaper gas gets, the more miles you have to drive to break even. Conversely, if unleaded averages higher than $2.50 per gallon, you'll break even sooner. Bottom line: You'll likely make more on your $3,000 by investing it in Honda's stock than you will in the company's Hybrid.

Then again, if that's the type of person you are, you wouldn't want this car in the first place -- you'd want the more frugal and sensible $21,000 Prius. This may be the case, but we suggest you read the rest of this review before you decide.