Honda's revamped Accord to offer 3 well-equipped hybrid trims

Honda is placing another big bet on hybrids.

The 11th-generation Accord, which mixes the sedan's classic fastback styling with a new air of elegance and forward-thinking tech, will offer three well-equipped gasoline-electric trims in Canada — four trims south of the border — that are expected to draw half of all buyers in both countries.

The Japanese automaker projects 50 per cent of shoppers will opt for the hybrid models positioned at the top of the 2023 Accord's simplified lineup.

Much like the revamped 2023 CR-V hybrid, arriving in dealerships now, and the forthcoming Civic hybrid, likely to launch early next year, stoking interest in the latest Accord's hybrid models is part of Honda's plan to shift customers into electrified powertrains. Honda aims to achieve global carbon neutrality by 2050.

In addition to checking a key box on Honda's electrification strategy, Lance Woelfer, Honda's assistant vice president of sales, says that the redesigned Accord, unveiled Thursday, will "reinvigorate" the shrinking midsize segment.

Steve Hui, assistant vice-president of Honda Canada, called the vehicle “ an integral piece of our North American electrification strategy.”

SEGMENT SHRINKS

The U.S. midsize car segment fell below 1 million units in 2021 and is off another 16 per cent this year through September, as consumers migrate to crossovers and other light trucks.

At the same time, Canada’s midsize car segment fell below 35,000 units in 2021 and is off another 22 per cent this year through September.

"While dynamics are changing and the segment isn't the powerhouse it once was, it remains important to the industry and important for Honda, which has been a mainstay of the category," said Stephanie Brinley, associate director at S&P Global Mobility.

U.S. sales of the Accord slid 30 percent to 122,214 this year through October. Along with the venerable Civic, and more recently the HR-V subcompact crossover, the Accord remains a key entry point to the Honda brand for many U.S. households.

"The difficulties for Accord sales of the past two years are as much about external factors than a lack of competitiveness or strength for the Accord," Brinley said.

The Accord holds the No. 2 place on the midsize car leaderboard behind Camry, according to the Automotive News Data Center. The Camry is No. 1 with 214,403 U.S. deliveries in 2022 through September and Nissan's Altima is No. 3 with sales of 106,122.

The updates to the 2023 Honda Accord are designed to keep it competitive. When it goes on sale in January, it will still offer buyers a sporty and practical package with a spacious interior but updated styling.

In total, the latest Accord comes in three trims: EX, Sport and Touring.

The EX keeps the current turbocharged 1.5-litre, four-cylinder engine mated to a continuously variable transmission that delivers 192 hp and 192 pound-feet of torque. Honda says the carryover powertrain has been updated for improved fuel economy.

The other trims use Honda's new fourth-generation 2.0-litre, inline four-cylinder engine with a pair of electric motors mounted side by side. The hybrid engine makes 204 hp and 247 pound-feet of torque. The new hybrid system is more responsive and refined, especially at highway speeds, according to Honda.

Honda did not release fuel efficiency ratings for either powertrain.

The Accord's new body has been stretched 2.8 inches (7.1 centimetres) longer, emphasized by front-to-back upper character lines along the side and a longer hood. The fastback roofline is still intact but with cleaner lines because of laser brazing versus welding technology.

The front end has been completely revised with a new upright grille and LED headlight design. New straight LED taillights on the rear highlight the Accord's broader stance — up 0.4 inches (one cm).

The Sport trims and the top Touring get 19-inch black wheels and the EX gets 17-inch gray wheels. Other styling cues set the trims apart such as silver and black exterior trim on the Touring and black side mirrors and spoiler on the Sport models.

Interior dimensions remain close to the outgoing Accord. Passenger volume is 105.7 cubic feet (2,911 litres) while rear-seat legroom is a smidge more generous at 40.8 inches (103.6 cm), up .04 inches (one cm). The trunk space stays the same at 16.7 cubic feet (473 litres); fold-down rear seats are standard.

New technology features prominently on the 2023 Accord. All trims but the base EX are equipped with a giant 12.3-inch touchscreen with a physical volume knob and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.

Touring models feature Honda's first integration of Google, which has three levels: Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play. Google Assistant can help with in-car functions such as climate control or navigation via Google Maps. The Touring model also offers a 6-inch head-up display and 12-speaker Bose premium audio system.

All Accords are equipped with an updated version of the Honda Sensing suite of advanced driver-assistive technology, which includes a new camera with a wider 90-degree field of view and a wider-angle radar with a 120-degree field of view, that improves collision prevention performance.

Blind-spot information has been expanded to include 82 feet — or 25 metres — of range. For the first time, traffic jam assist is standard on the Accord, and adaptive cruise control with low speed follow and lane keep assistance have been updated. Traffic sign recognition is now standard and low-speed braking control is available on the Touring.

The Accord also now includes a rear seat reminder and a rear seat belt reminder.

Honda has not released pricing.

The 11th-generation Accord will be built in Honda's assembly plant in Marysville, Ohio.