THE 2023 HONDA ACCORD GETS A CLEVER HYBRID POWERTRAIN

We may live in an SUV/crossover world, but the Honda Accord is still important. Last year, it was the third best-selling Honda car in North America, behind just the CR-V and Civic. So, Honda is sticking with its perennial mid-sizer. The automaker pulled the wraps off the new, 11th-generation on Thursday.

Like most all-new Honda-branded cars launched in the last few years, the Accord is a heavily revised version of its predecessor. Length is increased by 2.8 inches to 195.7 inches total, and the rear track grows 0.4 inches, but otherwise, the dimensions between the new and old Accords are identical. The bodywork is new, though, fitting in line with Honda's understated restyling of Civic, HR-V, CR-V, and Pilot, and the interior is very similar to the excellent cabin of the new Civic.

The big news is with the powertrain. The base engine, a 1.5-liter turbo four, carries over with 192 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque and a standard CVT gearbox (the manual Accord died in 2020). Those power figures are identical to the old Accord's, but the engine gets a new catalyst, a new direct-injection system, plus a stiffer crankshaft and oil pan. Honda promises more smoothness and better emissions from the 1.5.

Replacing the optional 2.0-liter turbo four is a new hybrid powertrain like that used on the new CR-V, though with some tuning differences. It consists of a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated direct-injection four-cylinder running the Atkinson cycle, rather than the traditional Otto cycle. The internal-combustion engine primarily acts as a generator to charge the battery, but it can also drive the front wheels via two ratios in certain scenarios. Most of the time, the wheels are driven by an electric motor, and the engine is aided by an electric starter-generator. Our colleagues at Car and Driver describe it as a very complicated three-speed automatic and say it works effectively. Total system output is 204 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque, and while that's down on the 2.0T's 252 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, real-world performance should be great, thanks to the electric motor's torque. Plus, it should bring substantial gains in fuel economy.

LX and EX trims get the 1.5-liter turbo, while the hybrid system is standard with Sport, EX-L, Sport-L, and Touring. All cars get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with the LX and EX getting a 7-inch infotainment screen, and all higher models getting a 12.3-inch screen. All cars come with a digital gauge cluster as well. Honda expects 50 percent of Accord sales to be hybrid models. All models benefit from a stiffer chassis and suspension tweaks. The previous Accord was great to drive, so we have high expectations for this one.

Pricing hasn't been announced yet, though we don't expect the Accord to cost substantially more than the 2022 model. For reference, the base 2022 Accord LX carries a $27,615 MSRP, while the top-trim Touring costs $39,545.

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2022-11-10T15:10:31Z dg43tfdfdgfd