Photo: Honda Typical mid-priced sedans usually handle the superhighways with aplomb and then expose their cost-conscious limits on the curves. Well, the Honda Accord EV plug-in hybrid seems just the opposite to us.
We're not going to cover the pluses of the Honda's technology. Everyone knows the sedan's potential for the 124 city/105 highway miles per gallon that Honda promotes. No, what we're looking at is the daily driving experience and we don't like what we see.
In one word, the Honda -- given its heft -- feels cheap on the smooth roads where most drivers of this car will spend the majority of their time. The cheesy (pardon the pun) mouse-colored interior feels and looks the same, and it's clear the almost $40K base price has gone more to the technology than the amenities. (Why can't all manufacturers understand that even environmentalists might like a little luxury now and then?)
Where the Honda is transformed is on the curves. (The original news release on the car does talk about its "athleticism.") The steering is so responsive and direct that this sedan turns into an entirely different vehicle. It feels surprisingly good as you go around a bend. Yet not all reviewers would agree with us, even on that.
So if you worry about climate change and the environment, and your commute and your errands require some winding routes, then this may be the car for you. But if you're just toodling around town or hitting the expressway every day, this Accord could offer a bit more than just extraordinary fuel mileage for the price.
BY THE NUMBERS
Price: $39,780
Horsepower: 141 (gas), 55 (electric)
0-60: 7.7 secs (Motor Trend)
Curb weight: 3,799 lbs
TO LEARN MORE
Honda
Car and Driver
Motor Trend
We're not going to cover the pluses of the Honda's technology. Everyone knows the sedan's potential for the 124 city/105 highway miles per gallon that Honda promotes. No, what we're looking at is the daily driving experience and we don't like what we see.
In one word, the Honda -- given its heft -- feels cheap on the smooth roads where most drivers of this car will spend the majority of their time. The cheesy (pardon the pun) mouse-colored interior feels and looks the same, and it's clear the almost $40K base price has gone more to the technology than the amenities. (Why can't all manufacturers understand that even environmentalists might like a little luxury now and then?)
Where the Honda is transformed is on the curves. (The original news release on the car does talk about its "athleticism.") The steering is so responsive and direct that this sedan turns into an entirely different vehicle. It feels surprisingly good as you go around a bend. Yet not all reviewers would agree with us, even on that.
So if you worry about climate change and the environment, and your commute and your errands require some winding routes, then this may be the car for you. But if you're just toodling around town or hitting the expressway every day, this Accord could offer a bit more than just extraordinary fuel mileage for the price.
BY THE NUMBERS
Price: $39,780
Horsepower: 141 (gas), 55 (electric)
0-60: 7.7 secs (Motor Trend)
Curb weight: 3,799 lbs
TO LEARN MORE
Honda
Car and Driver
Motor Trend
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