Honda Releases Pricing on the More Efficient 2017 Accord Hybrid

Refreshed styling, more power, better efficiency, std. Honda Sensing, improved infotainment, and all for a small price increase.

Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – June 15, 2016

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid with std. Honda Sensing Safety Technology - $30,440 to start while offering owners a 49/47/48 mpgUS city/highway/combined EPA rating. This is up 1 mpg city, 2 mpg highway, and 1 mpg combined over the 2014/2015 Accord Hybrid.

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid – Pricing

Base: $29,605, up $300 over the 2015 model.
EX-L: $32,905, up $850 over the 2015 model.
Touring: $35,955 up $900 over the 2015 model.

MSRP excluding tax, license, registration, $835 D&H (+ $15 over 2015) and options.

Following on the heels of the 2017 Honda Accord reveal - Meet the 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid, the refreshed vehicle receives a number of important upgrades over the 2014/2015 predecessor. A refreshed 2016 Accord Hybrid was not released and with the release starting today, a 2017 MY moniker makes total sense.

Looking back, here are a few of our previous write-ups on the very efficient two-motor Honda Accord Hybrid and Pug-in hybrid (PHEV).

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• Honda’s Excellent Two-Mode Hybrid System Wins GCJ Technology Award
• Honda November 2013 US Sales Down 0.1% + 2014 Accord Plug-in Hybrid Review
• 2014 Honda Accord Variants Star in the “Green Car of the Year”
• Honda’s 2014 Accord Hybrid Drivetrain Topology Breakout
• 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid Payback Arrives after Only 88,643 miles
• The 47 mpg Rated Honda Accord Hybrid Challenges
• 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid Release Is Approaching
• Honda’s 2014 Accord PHEV-13 Dives Deep into CARB LEV-III

Like the 2014/2015 model, the 2017 arrives as a base Hybrid, EX-L and Touring trims. As sales of the 2015 were wound down in preps for the 2017s arrival, the sales falloff was dramatic. In May, the Accord HEV experienced sales of just 15 vehicles which was far off the 1,463 sold in May of 2015 pace. The outgoing 2015 Accord Hybrid is worth far more interest than the 15 vehicles sold last month.

Honda May 2016 Sales Down 4.8% with 147,108 Vehicles Sold

In late April, John Mendel, Exec VP for the Automobile Division of American Honda, introduced the 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid to Detroit Journalists with the following message on the company’s hybrid strategy going forward:

What’s New

The 2017 Accord Hybrid, depending on model and trim, includes a remote engine start, front and rear parking sensors, rain sensing wipers, heated rear seats and auto high-beam headlights.

It will also feature new exterior colors and interior fabrics and décor. Like the 2014 and 2015 model, it will include Hybrid-exclusive design features like the aluminum hood and unique alloys, blue highlighted LED headlamps and taillights and "Hybrid" exterior badging.

A more compact Li-Ion battery pack increases trunk capacity to 13.5 cu.-ft., up 0.8 cu. ft. over the 12.7 cu.f.t of the 2014/2015 base Accord Hybrid.

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2017 Honda Accord Safety Exterior and Interior Updates

The 2017 Accord Hybrid receives the refresh that the 2016 Accord received. A brighter front grille, more intricately structured front fascia, lower mesh intake and new standard LED fog lights follows the new face of Honda.

Out back a more sharply edged rear bumper fascia and new LED taillight design finished off the exterior.

New heated rear seats, rain-sensing wipers, front and rear parking sensors and side sill garnish are all now included with the Touring trim.

Five new colors – out of the eight available – and a new interior tricot seat fabric (base trim) and color schemes including a sophisticated new wood grain-style dashboard trim finish off the package.

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2017 Honda Accord Drivetrain Updates

Honda has modified its two-motor hybrid system and the atkinsonized 2.0L I4 to provide 212 hp, up 16 hp over the 2015 model. At the same time, the efficiency has climbed 1 mpg city, 2 mpg highway and 1 mpg combined. Together the refreshed model is more powerful and efficient than the 2017 Camry Hybrid LE (200 hp and 42/38 mpg city/highway), 2017 Fusion Hybrid (188 hp and 43/41 mpg city/highway), 2016 Sonata Hybrid (193 hp and 40/44 mpg city/highway) and 2016 Malibu Hybrid (182 hp and 47/46 mpg city/highway).

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The Accord Hybrid's two-motor hybrid powertrain continues to provide the same three modes of operation:

• EV Drive – using its electric propulsion motor and lithium ion battery pack to drive the front wheels for short distances under light loads (with the engine turned off)
  
  
• Hybrid Drive – the electric propulsion motor drives the front wheels while the gasoline engine powers a second motor/generator to supplement electrical current drawn from the battery pack
  
  
• Engine Drive – using a lock-up clutch mechanism to connect the engine and propulsion motor, the front wheels are driven by both the motor and gasoline engine

2017 Honda Accord Body and Chassis Updates

The 2017 Accord Hybrid incorporates a new high performance dampers, retuned electric power steering system that delivers more linear wheel torque, a thicker front shock tower bar and sturdier rear bulkhead. All Accord Hybrid models are fitted with what Honda calls its Amplitude Reactive Dampers with newly-tuned internals for a softer yet controlled ride, and new Straight Driving Assist technology that helps reduce the driver's workload when driving on a crowned or canted road surface.

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2017 Honda Accord Safety and Updates

Like the 2015 model, the 2017 includes Honda's next-generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure to help better protect occupants.

Standard safety and driver-assistive features include anti-lock brakes (ABS) with Brake Assist (BA) and Hill Start Assist (HAS); Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with Traction Control (TC); an Expanded View Driver's Mirror; front, side airbags and side-curtain airbags and Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).

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All 2017 Accord Hybrids now come standard with the full advanced safety suite called Honda Sensing. This is worth far more than the price increase listed above. It includes the following:

• Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS)
• Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
• Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
• Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS)
• Road Departure Mitigation (RDM)
• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)

All 2017 Accord Hybrids also include a standard Multi-Angle Rearview Camera with dynamic guidelines and Expanded View Driver's Mirror. The Touring trim adds new auto high-beam headlights that enhance nighttime visibility and driving convenience.

2017 Honda Accord Infotainment Updates

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The 2017 Accord Hybrid arrives with a new 7-inch touchscreen Display Audio interface on the EX-L and Touring which features Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, HondaLink Assist (e911) and HD Radio.

The base 7-inch Display Audio touchscreen is paired with an upper 7.7-inch display screen and steering-wheel controls. The upper screen can display audio settings, turn-by-turn directions (from embedded navigation, when so equipped, or from Android Auto or Apple CarPlay navi apps), time and trip information (e.g. range, trip distance), LaneWatch and Rearview Camera displays, incoming calls, SMS text messages, and parking sensor alerts.

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Early Conclusions

It was not that long ago when we drove both the 2014 Honda Accord HEV and PHEV to efficiency levels we have only seen from the smaller and far less refined Prius Liftback, c and PHEV. The 14 Accord Hybrid has fallen back a few notches since that time – unavailable Jetta and Passat TDI and all trims of the all-new 4th gen Prius’, but with the increased efficiency of the upgraded drivetrain, the full safety suite, upgraded audio and refreshed appearance, the 2017 Accord Hybrid should prove to not only be more efficient but more comfortable to. Whether it can gain sales traction with the public as fuel prices slowly creep back up toward the $3.00 per gallon range remains to be seen. Fingers crossed that future Accord owners will consider this refreshed fuel saver while looking as well.

If the 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid were around just two weeks ago for the MAMA Spring Rally, it would have probably made my top choice for Family Car of the Year.

#FingersCrossed

 

Hi Alster:

A lot of us cannot wait. I was informed one will be available in the Southern California Press Fleet August.

Jay, Lane Keep Assist is not just a warning but an actual tug at the wheel or in some cases, self guiding to keep you centered in the lane. Warnings are just that. A light in the dash or side view mirror or seat vibration.

Regarding resale, $30 to $40k std. mid-sizes (Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota ...) are not a good investment and up-front pricing is my largest worry for the efficient offerings. I can still pick up a 16 Sonata SE for $18k. A $30 to $40k vehicle even with a $6k discount is still going to hurt at resale 10 years down the line. I saw a few weeks ago a brand new fully loaded $36k Malibu Hybrid with $6,500 on the hood. Unreal upfront pricing scares me to death despite the huge discounts available on everything.

Wayne

 

Purely esthetic, I like the look of the engine bay: no silly plastic piece over the valve cover!



Unfortunately though, I'm hooked on the Prius hatchback configuration, so handy. We had a lot of accords over the years, four I think. Cripes, almost lost count.

 

Three (and more) letter acronyms just keep proliferating. The last Honda Shop Manual I bought had passages that were completely incomprehensible to me, every third or fourth word an acronym. And of course: no acronym summary page.

"ICE" is one bandied about on forums, that really grates, the shortening of a pretentious and grossly over-verbose description, where "engine" would do just fine.

Hopefully mankind will get out of this in a generation or two, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

Proper usage is to spell it out the first time. Then after the term had been introduced, you can use the acronym later in the literature. So you say Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) and then later you can talk about the 1.8L ICE as much as you wish.

Of course, that prevents anyone from being smug about their inside knowledge while outsiders are ignorant.

 

Hi All:

I am probably the worst when it comes to the darn acronyms too.

How many liters (L) would you like today?

Wayne

 

Hi All:

The 2016 Midwest Automotive Media Association Fall Rally (#MAMA16FR) continues...

Third vehicle of the day is possibly the most fuel efficient midsize available today. That being the chart topping 2017 #Honda #Accord #Hybrid in the fully loaded Touring trim.

As driven, $35,955 at retail. About $32k from dealerships nationwide when shopped.

It sports a 49/47 mpg city/highway rating from a 212 hp combined output - heavily atkinsonized 181 hp 2.0L I4 and 232 lb-ft of torque electric motor(s) provide a very quick midsize family sedan. The electric motors create the infinite ratios so it is an electronic CVT vs. a std. AT or belt driven CVT.

Its highlights include a wonderfully sculpted rear seat and layout with good leg room. On par with both the class leading Sonata and Passat with that seat back angle make it a really comfortable "rear seat" passenger car. Up front the ergo only misses by the lack of a longer travel telescopic wheel. 95.6 cu.ft. of passenger volume and a somewhat large for a hybrid anything 13.7 cu.ft. trunk.

Another highlight is Honda Safety Sensing is std. across the three trims. Lane departure and Keep Assist, Forward Collision Warning, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Watch and a multi-angle rear view camera round out the perennial IIHS TSP+ and 5-star rated NHTSA rating achiever.

The infotainment is still a low light as we have experienced in various Civics, HR-Vs and std. Accords. Meaning all touch screen and no physical knobs. There are sliders on the wheel controls but missing knobs is a tough sell with me. Audio quality along with std. #Apple #CarPlay and #Android Auto on all three trims is great!

In the midsize hybrid segment, only the Sonata can keep up with the Accord Hybrid out on the super slab (highway) and around town, it owns the segment in terms of lowest fuel costs by a large margin. I have been working to procure one for a week in Southern Calif. and hopefully another few weeks we will lock one down.
All in, the 6--mile city/suburban drive loop shows the Accord Hybrid at 80 mpg and the most efficient car at the rally.

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The MAMA Fall Rally consists of 72 cars and trucks from every major OEM selling in the US.

 

Hi All:

I said goodbye to last week's 49/47 mpg city/highway rated 2017 #Honda #Accord #Hybrid Touring. Meaning the $36,790 as driven full boat with leather, heated 10-way power drivers and 4-way powered passenger front seats, LED head, tail and DRLs, Navi, plus Android Auto and Apple CarPlay through the 7" display audio screen.

It also arrived w/ the std. Honda Safety Sense and an ACE body structure providing both an NHTSA 5-star crash test rating and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.

Last impressions...

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Besides the fact it proved itself as the most efficient mid-size available in the U.S. today - 79.4 mpg over 94.1 miles indicated and 81.2 mpg over 95.2 miles actual on its calibrated drive, Honda has worked on its high speed efficiency providing quite a bit more efficiency above 65 mph than the 2015 we drove a few years back. On a 900 mile all highway RT, she pulled over 57 mpg simply by setting Radar CC at 65 mph and camping in the right hand lane. That is something the 2015 could not do. Steady states? The pack cycles - P&G the Li-Ion - too much for an accurate graph.

Radar CC? Better than the poorly implemented 16 Civic but still not up to par with the industry std. To heavy deceleration and accelerations no matter the time/distance back setting or if it was in Eco mode or not. LDW with a 3 nudge wheel shake back towards center works excellent but the full LKAS pinballs a bit. Another Honda Sense shortfall with the RCC is it does not pick up mergers until way late. And I mean way too late as in allowing an accident if you left it to its programming without interaction. Same thing when it finally does detect a merger, it backs off for far too long before accelerating again causing traffic trouble behind despite the brake lights illuminating. None of the LKASs are ready for prime time and Honda's is near the back of the packs. The LDW with warning was a pleasant surprise however.

Infotainment? With a Garmin back-end and traffic, it is easier to drive than with Google's Android Auto and Google Maps displayed. With a Honda native BT streaming Pandora app, Android Auto becomes superfluous. It really should be std. with the base Accord LX and Sport instead. Text message handling is where Android Auto really comes into its own wit audio reply receive and send. Also missing in the Honda implementation is a voice button to control. Hit the voice button and it brings up the Honda apps, not Android Autos features. You have to use the screen for that voice button. Just not as well integrated as I have used in other OEMs products equipped with the same. Hyundai being the best imho.

No audio control knobs either. Honda, please fix this soon.

The 100.8/13.5 cu.ft. of passenger/cargo volume - 103+ in the base without the sunroof - proved comfortable and more useable than its competitors mid-size hybrid offerings as well. Honda also softened up the front seat lower cushion bolsters making it a more comfortable long distance cruiser. Closing in on the Passat/Sonata front seat comfort but just missing the best in class crown.

So into the next. That being a 22/32 mpg city highway rated 2016 Kia Optima SX Limited with the 2.0L turbo and 18" alloys. Not quite the same efficiency as the brand's upcoming super hybrid CUV called Niro but it should be an interesting week anyway.

Wayne

 

Yeah, there's such a proliferation of cold-fusion bolt-on engines out there, you have to be careful, lol.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/did-cars-ever-have-external-combustion-engines.htm

Does that mean some sort of touch screen to raise/lower the volume, for instance. This is a troubling trend, exacerbating distracted driving.

 

Hi Mendel:

Yes, no knobs means you use the wheel volume controls which is not a bad thing or the touchscreen which is terrible. The wheel volume controls just are not fast enough and to change stations with a seek or scan, not the presets, you have to go to the screen. Not good.

Wayne

 

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Receives Kelley Blue Book “Best Resale Value” Award

Hi All:

The 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid was awarded the 2017 Kelley Blue Book Best Resale Value Award. The award recognizes new vehicles that are anticipated to best retain their value over their first five years of ownership based on the Kelley Blue Book Official Residual Value Guide. The Accord Hybrid won in the Hybrid/Alternative Energy Car segment.

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid

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Wayne

 

Hi Tim:

In Detroit Honda said the CR-V is going to receive this drivetrain. That will be one killer CR-V!

Wayne