Hybrid vehicles are becoming almost commonplace now, and almost every major car brand is either manufacturing or has plans to manufacture both hybrid and electric vehicles. For 2021, Honda hybrids are starting to pull away from the pack with some new designs that make owning a hybrid an easy decision. The Accord hybrid is one such vehicle, with several incentives in its clever design. There will be no sacrificing its interior cargo or seating area for a bulky battery. The new Honda Accord hybrid is pushing the boundaries of what a hybrid vehicle is capable of and breaking the stereotypes that hybrids are somehow inferior to regular gas-only models.
If you have an eye for style, the new Accord design has sport in its veins. The lean look of the fastback and the clean lines of the hood and door panels will make you want to take a drive just for the fun of it. Rather than going for a gas-guzzling SUV, you might want to consider this sedan for a family because it has so much space available in the trunk and rear seats. Add to that all the technology and safety features, and you have a vehicle that will get great fuel efficiency, comes loaded with great features, and is offered at an affordable price. Oh, and a six hundred-mile driving range on one tank of gas. Yep, there’s that.
Best Features
Critics agree that driving the 2021 Accord hybrid is virtually the same as driving the gas-powered model, except that the electric power of the propulsion actually makes the hybrid more responsive. Driving modes will allow for switching between the use of the electric engine alone, hybrid mode, or sport mode for more performance-based driving. In essence, the hybrid has better acceleration and more power than its gas-powered sibling, and for that reason, the hybrid is more fun to drive. Regenerative braking and the electronically-powered continuous variable transmission have been fine-tuned, so the driver is unlikely to notice the difference from a gas-powered car in the way it accelerates and brakes.
One of the best things about hybrids and electric vehicles is all the extra tech you gain through the use of electrically-powered systems. In the case of the Accord hybrids, you can have wireless features in the trim that’s only second in line. If you already have experience with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, it’s probably with the type that requires the use of the auxiliary jack to connect your phone to the car’s infotainment system. Having the use of your phone in this way isn’t exactly unbearable, but imagine how much easier it is when you don’t have to plug it in. Add to that the use of a wireless charging pad located in the center stack, and the convenience of it all will make you never want to go back to the old way.
All this technology has finally brought us to an age where vehicles no longer require keys to be inserted in an ignition, and locking your vehicle is as easy as walking away from it. The smart entry system on the Accord hybrids is a standard feature for all trims, and it’s relatively easy to set up to a buyer’s preferences. If you happen to like being able to physically lock a vehicle rather than trusting the electronic system, you have that option. Otherwise, you can program the key to lock once you’re at least five feet away from the vehicle. To start your car, all you have to do is sit in the driver’s seat with the key in your pocket or purse, press the start button, and depress the brake pedal the way you might if you start a car with a manual transmission by depressing the clutch. Technology is a beautiful thing.
Extras You Gain When Buying the Accord Hybrid
In the base and middle trims, the difference in price is about $1,500 to purchase the hybrid model. At first glance, this may steer some buyers away from the choice to buy the more eco-friendly vehicle just to save on fuel costs. If you’re actually buying the vehicle instead of leasing, it makes sense to purchase the hybrid because the fuel savings will add up, depending on how much you drive. Honda vehicles are built to last, so while the upfront costs may be more, you’ll save far more money on gas than that extra little bit you spend on the vehicle itself. Once you hit the top-tier Touring trim, however, the price is actually cheaper for the hybrid.
It’s true. The 2021 Accord Touring hybrid is more than $400 cheaper than the gas-powered version, and you get all the same features without any of the guilt. It’s like getting to eat a cake without gaining any weight. In the upper two trims, actually, you have little to no difference in features between the hybrid and the gas-powered models. Where you see the biggest difference is in the lower trim levels. Take into consideration the convenience of smart entry, which allows you to walk away without having to hit any buttons at all. That’s not available until you reach the third tier of trim levels for the gas-powered Accord.
Remote start is another feature you gain in the entry-level for the hybrid Accord, but don’t see until the third trim in the standard version Accord. Once again, where tech is concerned, if you like the idea of wireless charging and smartphone connectivity, you can have it in the trim just one up from the base if you go with the hybrid. Gas-powered trims don’t offer wireless until the fourth trim level. If you enjoy the technology and you might be tempted to add it as an option to a gas-powered Accord, it might be worth crunching the numbers to see if you might just save money on the hybrid instead.
Reasons to Buy a Hybrid
Aside from savings at the pump, you won’t have to visit the pump as often if you drive economically. City driving is especially good for hybrid cars because the regenerative braking captures energy that is then stored in the battery for future use. Even if you drive a lot of highway miles, you can still expect to save on gas because the fuel economy ratings average at 48 MPG across the board, which is much better than the gas-powered version at 30 MPG city and 38 MPG highway. Besides the fuel savings and consumption, Honda has developed one of the best hybrid powertrains available. It drives as smoothly and responsively as you expect a gas-powered vehicle to behave and might even surprise you as better in some respects.
You won’t lose any of the features you want in the 2021 models; in fact, you get all the same incredible safety features, and you gain a few features the gas-powered models don’t have in the less-expensive trims. If you’re waiting for the right time to buy a hybrid, then the time is now.
When you buy a 2021 Honda Accord hybrid, you gain a sporty, attractive sedan that’s at the top of its class. The only thing you lose with this vehicle is emissions. It is time to make the switch to hybrid energy with the 2021 Honda Accord hybrid.
