This vehicle, which develops 255 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 232 pound-feet of torque at 5,000 rpm is the most powerful Honda product produced to date ! When we think about it, it's pretty incredible. So, it
seems as though the Honda company wanted to end the discussion about hybrids being boring to drive and were slow. For that, I can only say: mission accomplished!
For having tested its standstill acceleration capabilities and top-gear acceleration on the highway, I can conclude with an argument that it's a great tourer with plenty of power underfoot to scare yourself. It's powerful, stable, holds the road well and is very quiet; it's actually particularly quiet. This car is really fun to drive.
From a more practical standpoint, the location where the battery is lodged, which is between the rear seatback and the trunk, prevents the rear seat from folding down to haul long objects. Well, the system in the Toyota Prius is set up in a way that you can fold down the entire rear seatback, and since it's a hatchback, it is possible to haul a bigger variety of objects.
For someone who's looking for a hybrid vehicle for which fuel economy is the main function, the lowest production of greenhouse gases and polluting emissions, The Toyota Prius is obviously a better choice.
However, with a 215 km/h top speed and the ability to hit 100 km/h in 7.4 seconds, we can say that the Honda Accord Hybrid is actually a compromise between performance and efficiency. Although it is more economical that all of the gas-powered competitors in its category, it is otherwise less economical than the Prius. But I understand that many people are not comfortable with the looks of the Prius or its uninspiring road manners.
I have the impression that a representative, an older driver, more conservative without being too much so, or a business traveler would feel more comfortable driving in or arriving at his customers or friends, these people working or often revolving around relatively conservative environments, at the wheel of a Honda Accord Hybrid than a Toyota Prius. It is both well-known and appreciated from the majority of people including a hybrid technological touch, it's green, it's got 255 horsepower and leather seats, and doesn't look weird like the Prius, to some people's tastes.
During a conversation that I had with a representative from the Honda Company about the Accord Hybrid, he said that the company's direction told them that this car costs them close to $40,000 to build. That's possible. Considering the hybrid system, the cylinder deactivation system, the 5-speed automatic transmission and the plethora of standard comfort gadgets, it is possible that they are right.
I couldn't help myself from asking him why they didn't adopt this system on an Acura brand vehicle instead of a Honda, if the price was so high? He couldn't answer me.
In short, I hope this car will mark a change in the opinion that sceptics have about hybrid vehicles regarding the performance potential of this type of technology. However, I hope that this new car will not start a new trend of producing hybrid vehicles biased towards performance rather than economy. I would find particularly dumb that after the horsepower race that the majority of automotive manufacturers are currently in, we'd have to assist a power race against different hybrid vehicles.
Having better performing hybrid models, I can accept it, but we'd better still privilege the best possible efficiency for the majority of future models. It's not because most of the influent people politic and economic levels don't want to face the truth about global warming and the approaching end of the oil reserves that this truth doesn't exist. If it's in a brutal and unpleasant manner because of our inability to plan a transition, or in a softer way because we were expecting this, all will depend on our upcoming choices.
But one thing that is certain, it's that it is quickly approaching.
 |
| 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid (Photo: Honda) |
For having tested its standstill acceleration capabilities and top-gear acceleration on the highway, I can conclude with an argument that it's a great tourer with plenty of power underfoot to scare yourself. It's powerful, stable, holds the road well and is very quiet; it's actually particularly quiet. This car is really fun to drive.
From a more practical standpoint, the location where the battery is lodged, which is between the rear seatback and the trunk, prevents the rear seat from folding down to haul long objects. Well, the system in the Toyota Prius is set up in a way that you can fold down the entire rear seatback, and since it's a hatchback, it is possible to haul a bigger variety of objects.
For someone who's looking for a hybrid vehicle for which fuel economy is the main function, the lowest production of greenhouse gases and polluting emissions, The Toyota Prius is obviously a better choice.
However, with a 215 km/h top speed and the ability to hit 100 km/h in 7.4 seconds, we can say that the Honda Accord Hybrid is actually a compromise between performance and efficiency. Although it is more economical that all of the gas-powered competitors in its category, it is otherwise less economical than the Prius. But I understand that many people are not comfortable with the looks of the Prius or its uninspiring road manners.
I have the impression that a representative, an older driver, more conservative without being too much so, or a business traveler would feel more comfortable driving in or arriving at his customers or friends, these people working or often revolving around relatively conservative environments, at the wheel of a Honda Accord Hybrid than a Toyota Prius. It is both well-known and appreciated from the majority of people including a hybrid technological touch, it's green, it's got 255 horsepower and leather seats, and doesn't look weird like the Prius, to some people's tastes.
During a conversation that I had with a representative from the Honda Company about the Accord Hybrid, he said that the company's direction told them that this car costs them close to $40,000 to build. That's possible. Considering the hybrid system, the cylinder deactivation system, the 5-speed automatic transmission and the plethora of standard comfort gadgets, it is possible that they are right.
I couldn't help myself from asking him why they didn't adopt this system on an Acura brand vehicle instead of a Honda, if the price was so high? He couldn't answer me.
 |
| 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid (Photo: Honda) |
Having better performing hybrid models, I can accept it, but we'd better still privilege the best possible efficiency for the majority of future models. It's not because most of the influent people politic and economic levels don't want to face the truth about global warming and the approaching end of the oil reserves that this truth doesn't exist. If it's in a brutal and unpleasant manner because of our inability to plan a transition, or in a softer way because we were expecting this, all will depend on our upcoming choices.
But one thing that is certain, it's that it is quickly approaching.
Article Gallery