New Honda Accord Hybrid

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JHZR2

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Must be something in the water... Here we just bought the Odyssey, and now I just bought a new Honda Accord Hybrid! And it is not a manual transmission either (actually there really isn't any transmission...). And, I traded a bunch of cars to consolidate (Im sure someone will want to give me a hard time over that, but it is what it is, fewer cars, which is sad, but less insurance and each one needed some repair over $1000). The real deciding factor was when we could fit our two year old, in child seat, behind my seat, all the way back, which we couldn't do in either the Saab or VW. LOTS of interior space...

So I got a killer deal. Some may know that Honda is spooling up production of a bunch of gas cars in the USA, and moving ALL hybrid production to Japan, seemingly to get some better economies of scale or move parts closer to production. So I guess that fact, coupled with the 2016 refresh, meant they wanted to move cars off the lot at this time of the year, and I got the car way under invoice, with a few things thrown in (some mud flaps, cargo tray, wheel locks). And, I got good money for my trades, which also offset sales tax.

First drive home, about 10 miles, I got 60.8 MPG. That same night I took a 180 mile highway trip, and got almost 44. The next day I took the reverse trip with a bit more traffic and averaged 53.7. My commutes are returning 55.x MPG pretty consistently. Its light, agile, quiet, and pretty comfortable. I can't complain.

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To make things even crazier, I got a black on black car. We had one of these, a 96 E300D diesel, which we finally got rid of with nearly 300k and a lot of rust. Hopefully this car will do that well. Black cars scare me, but the AC has been great in the heat/humidity wave of recent... Will have to think about and be careful about detailing....

Yeah, its an accord... yeah, its a Honda. But its pretty neat. It operates differently than most hybrids, and is more akin to a diesel electric locomotive with a battery in parallel. The engine will go on and off randomly, but the engine also operates with only a one speed transmission, and runs either as a genet only, or clutched in directly, so the RPMs and operation can be matched to the optimal SFC. Apparently this is the most thermally efficient Atkinson cycle engine out there - better than the Prius I guess... Its an interesting concept, though Ill say that on the highway at speed the car does switch between direct couple and EV only mode quite a bit, I guess to try to gain economy, which Im not a huge fan of... Reality is that a 2.0L engine, propelling a 3500 lb car at 75 MPH is going to get like 35-40 MPG. Id probably prefer if they just accepted that and kept it engaged and only used the EV mode when decelerating. Im just not fond of the engine going on and off when driving at speed and load... But I suppose the electric water pump keeps the cooling system active so perhaps its moot? Time will tell...

Its light, nimble, it takes the bumps much like my saab did with the Bilsteins on it, though the bilsteins make the big bumps hit a bit harder than this does. The car feels agile and toss able, though its a big car. I heard lots of complaints about the audio and bluetooth (apparently they are why Honda has fallen in quality ranks recently), but Ive been happy with the sound quality of a variety of music via bluetooth/pandora, and bluetooth phone has been pretty flawless after the first few uses, where I think it must have learned my voice.

Ive been really happy. Sad to see my cars go, but given the deal, and the savings of gas and insurance, there will be a benefit to the bottom line.

Id say after 500 miles, if I were truly a highway driver with little traffic, Id have instead bought either a passat TDI MT or an E250 bluetec (I probably will but the MB diesel at some point regardless), because at high unencumbered highway speeds, you can't beat a 42ish MPG diesel with a small ga$ engine... even with a hybrid setup where the EV traction approach optimizes the thermal efficiency and RPMs of the engine. But the reality is that I do a lot of mixed driving and my trips to DC, which are routine, cause me to sit in a lot of traffic. A bigger car, with slightly better posture for my 6 ft 4" self, is also probably better overall. And anyone, tall kids in child seats and adults alike, can fit in the rear seat, even behind me, which is a first!

The trunk is smaller. There is a set of storage in lieu of a spare tire (concerns over crash effects of the tire by the battery), but it is hidden by a panel. Ive seen some folks fit some really big stuff in there, despite the inconvenience due to the battery taking some place in the trunk. Overall though it will be manageable, and for routine use, since my 318i was my daily driver, Ill still have about the same trunk space with a lot more back seat space than the 318i.

So that's that. I love it. Its not as substantial feeling as our euro cars, but I still own two MBs and a BMW, and so Ill still have my fun driving. The odyssey also feels pretty different though a similar platform, so Im guessing it has some to do with being electric/hybrid. Im pretty thrilled with this car and how it operates, rides and drives. Hopefully it will do me well for a very long time at over 50 MPG!!!
 
I like those wheels! The size seems to match the wheel wells nicely. Too many cars today seem to have either too big a wheel or too large a wheel well opening.
 
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Ive seen you rag on honda so kudos to you for keeping an open mind and buying what made the most sense for you based on your needs. So many people cannot do that. Nice looking car. Its crazy how complex cars are now .
 
congrats on the new ride.
driving hybrids can be very satisfying. i traded cars with my wife and commute in a fast V6 car now, but i miss driving my prius in city. i also burn almost 3x more gasoline.
 
Gorgeous cars, love the Accord.

Only thing I wouldn't have done is black paint, I can't stand it. My car is black on black and is so hot inside but the biggest issue is how dirty it gets so fast, and how scratches are easily seen and swirls are seen easier.
 
Congrats!

We are considering accord sport 6mt as they quite cheap currently too($21k). How may years in your case to make up the price premium for a hybrid in this case?
 
Nice choice. If the price is right I'd pick this over any other car for commuting and kids duty.

IMO, the hybrid system also eliminated the biggest uncertainty of Honda (automatic tranny).
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Yeah, its an accord... yeah, its a Honda.


This is only a problem if you think it is. Most Hondas just have a very agreeable nature to them. They're not the most exciting (nor are they the most bland). They're not the most ostentatious things out there, either. But they have a quiet or subdued classiness to them in my opinion, something that makes vehicle ownership very enjoyable to me. They're light of touch, easy to drive, pleasant to own...just good honest cars for the most part.

I don't know much about their Hybrid system. One thing about Hondas that has great appeal to me is the maintainability for the DIYer. I presume the CVT on yours has a drain plug and dip stick. If it doesn't, it breaks a long-standing practice of Honda's of making ALL fluid changes (not just engine oil) a cinch to do with a pair of ramps and a wrench.

There must indeed be something in the water. In a matter of weeks, you've purchased two new vehicles from a brand that didn't seem to appeal to you. I hope you'll find that their appeal will continue to grow the longer you own them.
 
I love my 2015 Sport also for many of the same reasons. But things I DON'T like are the wide turning radius (almost 40'), the floor mat that I wore a hole through in three months, and the driver's seat that does not seem to have enough padding in a few places. I can feel metal through the right bolster already.

Beyond that, and having a car payment for the first time in a decade, I love it. It handles, steers and stops great while looking pretty sharp in the process.
 
There was a consumer advocate lawyer Somewhere in Florida who got an Accord Hybrid IIRC. I don't remember his id, haven't seen him post in a year or more. Had good things to say about it.
 
You get better mpg than I got with my 2010 Insight.
It was always a 41-43 mpg combined deal week to week.
I drove it normal and never used the Econ button. I don't use it on my 13 Sport either. I do better without it.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Gorgeous cars, love the Accord.

Only thing I wouldn't have done is black paint, I can't stand it. My car is black on black and is so hot inside but the biggest issue is how dirty it gets so fast, and how scratches are easily seen and swirls are seen easier.


Black does scare me a bit. I don't mind the interior as much as the seats are cloth so they won't be too bad in the summer, and black carpet shows dirt a bit better so it's actually easier to find it and keep the car pristine inside. Exterior does honestly scare me a bit, but I figure I am good with washing/wax, and there are lots of black cars on the road that look good. Knock on wood but how and where we park? Our cars just don't get scratches or dents as a routine thing.

Originally Posted By: ram_man
Ive seen you rag on honda so kudos to you for keeping an open mind and buying what made the most sense for you based on your needs. So many people cannot do that. Nice looking car. Its crazy how complex cars are now .


Keep in mind, these aren't our first Honda. My wife had a 94 integra until 2008. That sort of skewed my experience a bit because literally every piece of plastic and rubber on the car had an issue of some sort, the cooling system had to be replaced more than once, etc. and ours wasn't a fluke, two friends of mine had similar issues. Spectacular engines, smooth mt shifters, but horrible clutches and materials selections... Made me always feel that they weren't "all that" that some make them out to be. I'd still take that stance, and not pay a premium, just because I'm buying a Honda. But the odyssey is best in class and the accord is like second most popular car on the road. Only time will tell how they turn out, but we will give them a try.

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl

Still have your S-10?


Absolutely. We've condensed to six cars, which also gets out insurance down to less than $2000/yr for all the cars, $500k coverage and full collision/comp. so we will have some savings there too.


Originally Posted By: spasm3
I like those wheels! The size seems to match the wheel wells nicely. Too many cars today seem to have either too big a wheel or too large a wheel well opening.


Me too! The combination of regenerative braking and not a ton of open area should mean that they are easy to keep clean, I hope....
 
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Yeah, its an accord... yeah, its a Honda.


This is only a problem if you think it is. Most Hondas just have a very agreeable nature to them. They're not the most exciting (nor are they the most bland). They're not the most ostentatious things out there, either. But they have a quiet or subdued classiness to them in my opinion, something that makes vehicle ownership very enjoyable to me. They're light of touch, easy to drive, pleasant to own...just good honest cars for the most part.

I don't know much about their Hybrid system. One thing about Hondas that has great appeal to me is the maintainability for the DIYer. I presume the CVT on yours has a drain plug and dip stick. If it doesn't, it breaks a long-standing practice of Honda's of making ALL fluid changes (not just engine oil) a cinch to do with a pair of ramps and a wrench.

There must indeed be something in the water. In a matter of weeks, you've purchased two new vehicles from a brand that didn't seem to appeal to you. I hope you'll find that their appeal will continue to grow the longer you own them.


We'll see my post above. Not appeal isn't quite the right stance, more a set of issues and experiences prevent me from swooning. But as I said, the odyssey is best in class and the accord likely is plus sells in the #1 or #2 spot iirc for popular cars, so something should be reasonably right.

You're right, it's only a problem if I want it to be, but given that I'm giving up a great vw, Saab, and an E30 (rusty) BMW, some might think I'm crazy
wink.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
I love my 2015 Sport also for many of the same reasons. But things I DON'T like are the wide turning radius (almost 40'), the floor mat that I wore a hole through in three months, and the driver's seat that does not seem to have enough padding in a few places. I can feel metal through the right bolster already.

Beyond that, and having a car payment for the first time in a decade, I love it. It handles, steers and stops great while looking pretty sharp in the process.


That's sad, and I'll have to look out for those very issues. Thanks for the heads up. The 13-15 cats are sharp, and the black stood out to us (though scary to me) when we saw the cars on the lot.

It didn't strike me that turning was really bad, I'll have to do some k-turns. I know my inland have an 01 accord and an 02 Camry, and the accord rides, handles and turns far better than the Camry.

Has Honda done anything for you on the mats or seats? When my brother had an issue with his seat in his vw, they replaced it under warranty despite being wear from use.
 
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