2007 Honda Accord Hybrid

A Fast Hybrid with Slow Sales

The gas/electric Honda Accord Hybrid is a technological wonder, but it's being largely ignored by car buyers.

The Honda Accord Hybrid is a marvel. It outperforms the standard V6 model, which is already quick for a midsize sedan, and it gets better gas mileage than the four-cylinder Accord. Plus, it's reliable, according to Consumer Reports data.

The Honda Accord Hybrid is the brand’s first six-cylinder model to employ the company’s electric Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system, which is an electric motor that works with the gasoline engine to add power and conserve fuel. Its closest competitor, the Toyota Camry Hybrid, comes with a less-powerful but more-fuel-efficient, four-cylinder gasoline engine.

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Honda was the first manufacturer to offer a gas/electric hybrid vehicle in North America, with the small, two-seat Insight that debuted in 2000. Last year the company became the first to sell a total of more than 100,000 hybrids in the U.S., counting all the sales since then. Unfortunately, even with wildly fluctuating energy prices, the market has been less than enthusiastic about the Accord Hybrid. It would seem that some buyers don’t feel the added performance and nominally better fuel economy are worth what amounts to a $3,500 price boost over a comparably equipped, gas-only Accord EX-L.

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The gasoline engine in the Honda Accord Hybrid is a 3.0-liter V6. It is the dominant means of propulsion. An electric motor provides additional power. Unlike other hybrid models, like those from Toyota or the Ford Escape Hybrid, Honda’s hybrid system doesn’t allow the electric motor to run on its own. The gasoline engine is always working when the car is in motion. However, during temporary stops, the gasoline engine shuts down automatically to save fuel and reduce tailpipe emissions, which is a huge benefit in traffic congestion.

The Accord Hybrid’s gasoline and electric motors provide a combined 253 hp and achieve an estimated 28 mpg city/35 mpg highway. A smooth-shifting, five-speed automatic gearbox is the only available transmission for the Accord Hybrid. The non-hybrid Accord with a V6 engine puts out 244 hp and gets an estimated  20 mpg city/29 mpg highway with an automatic transmission and 21 mpg city/30 mpg highway with a six-speed manual. The most efficient conventional Accord is the one equipped with a 160-hp four-cylinder engine and a five-speed manual transmission; it delivers an estimated 27 mpg city/34 mpg highway.

Honda Accord Hybrid Vehicle Summary

Not only does the hybrid accelerate briskly, its power delivery is seamless, with no obvious indication that the electric motor is at work. This is the most powerful Accord ever, and also the cleanest burning, garnering the California Air Resources Board Advanced Technology-Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV) certification. Like other Accords, the Accord Hybrid offers crisp handling and a firm but smooth ride with ample interior comfort. The IMA's battery packed, positioned vertically behind the rear seatback, reduces trunk space and precludes the convenient split, folding rear seatbacks found on conventional Accords.

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The Honda Accord Hybrid comes well-equipped, including front, front side and side-curtain airbags; Vehicle Stability Assist, to help maintain traction and stability in slippery or treacherous conditions; power-heated leather seats; a premium audio system with satellite radio; and dual-zone automatic climate control. A voice-activated navigation system is the only factory-installed option.