The redesigned Accord is a sensible midsized sedan that’s roomy, fuel-efficient, and blessed with super-easy controls and decent outward visibility. Owners are also likely to benefit from the Accord’s history of solid reliability. The conventional EX trim we tested, which uses a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, did well in our testing. But the hybrid model scored even better, thanks to its superior fuel economy and more pleasant power delivery.
In a nod toward Honda’s “electrified” future, the four upper Accord trims all use a 204-horsepower hybrid powertrain, while the bottom two rungs—the LX and EX—utilize a 192-horsepower, 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The conventional model works well, has good scoot for most situations, and its CVT does a nice job keeping engine revs low when you’re just cruising casually around town. But overall the powertrain feels lazier than the hybrid, owing to the fact that it lacks an electric motor to help “fill in the gaps” during certain driving situations, and because its CVT rarely performs simulated upshifts like the Accord Hybrid’s two-motor setup, which gives it a more natural feel.