2014 Honda Accord Hybrid now being driven

[dalesky]

While not available until at least January, the new Accord Hybrid is proving that it can reach and exceed their EPA mileage rating. It basically has no transmission, and a very large electric motor.

Green Car Reports and Motor Trend have driven it extensively.

They both report that its mileage is excellent, and leads the pack for mid sized sedans. It equals the "P", which is no mean feat for a sedan that size.

The interior is close to or on a par with the Fusion, its driveability is almost Fusion quality. At least according to these early reports.

The drive train is pretty smooth, but it whines loudly under brisk acceleration apparently.

 

I noticed that the center stack is kind of amazingly large and confusing. It starts with what appears to be an 8 inch screen, under a flared section of the top of the dash.

.

Under that is a very traditional looking radio module, with a touch screen, except for a large volume know on the left.

Then under that is the full panel of climate controls.

Finally, at the bottom is some kind of control panel that may be for Nav/phone/settings?

 

I can't wait to see what Consumer Reports has to say about all those areas. If they hated the Fusions they should really dislike the Accords.

 

They appear to have hit a home run.

Edited December 8, 2013 by dalesky

[hybridbear]

Has Car & Driver released a review? I don't think I've seen that one yet.

[dalesky]

Has Car & Driver released a review? I don't think I've seen that one yet.

Edmunds and Greencarreport have driven it, as have the Nydaily news and Tree Hugger. They have some great photos of the engine, electric motors and battery pack.

Also Pupular Mechanics, Motor Trend and Auto Week. Car and Driver hasn't yet that I know of. I corrected my previous post- thanks for questioning that- I misspoke.

The Motor Trend article is perhaps the most revealing and in-depth.

Here are the details on their mileage results:

Honda Accord Hybrid fuel economy

San Antonio, TX to Vega, TX -- 502 miles, 39.2 mpg (mostly at 75 mph)

Vega, TX to Alamosa, CO -- 429 miles, 37.7 mpg (climbing elevation, 65-70 mph)

Alamosa, CO to Kingman, AZ -- 596 miles, 45.8 mpg (a lot of 65-mph driving)

Kingman, AZ to Los Angeles, CA -- 323 miles, 44.0 mpg (mostly at 70 mph)

Total -- 1850 miles, 41.5 mpg, 63 mph average speed

 

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/alternative/1310_2014_honda_accord_hybrid_touring_first_test/#ixzz2muBcKmVo

Edited December 8, 2013 by dalesky

[B25Nut]

These MPG numbers are the same, if no a little less, than the numbers I'm currently getting with my FFH. Maybe the new Accord won't be a game changer, but it still appears to be a great car and will probably add a significant number of first time hybrid drivers since the Accord name has such a great reputation.

[KLH]

I'll just say this...

 

[Da0ne]

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2014-honda-accord-hybrid-test-review

[acdii]

 

 

You’ll notice that we didn’t talk about the new Accord hybrid’s transmission because, technically, it doesn’t have one.

 

Technically it "does" have a transmission, dork, doesnt realize that in order to transmit power from a store or generator it needs some form of "transmitting" the power. Journalists, hummph. Also noticed they compare it to the Camry as its arch rival, which is still an outdated platform. No mention of the Fusion, which is superior to the Camry in many ways.

[lolder]

There seems to be a concerted effort by some gear-head car magazines to describe the Toyota-Ford eCVT transmissions as "intricate". Nothing could be further from the truth. The eCVT is a very clever elegant design the basis of which is the planetary gear which has been around from the first vehicles and is a very simple, durable arrangement that is still at the heart of most automatic transmissions which have several of them each. The Honda system is certainly a "transmission" and the electric clutch which must engage at precisely the right time is certainly more "intricate" than our eCVTs. They also keep talking about the "rubber band" effect of the ICE. They're still wedded to direct gear drive antiquity. The computer is calling for the engine to produce the power you've asked for. The rpm just doesn't vary if you don't move you foot. The electronic control system of eCVTs is intricate but mostly bulletproof with nothing to wear out.

Edited December 13, 2013 by lolder

[acdii]

So true. The CVT's only drawback is how much power you can put through it before it grenades. It is a very efficient means of getting engine power to the wheels, and is used on quite a few other vehicles,like Snowmobiles, and go carts. The Ford Freestyle used one, and I did test drive one, It was smooth, and unnerving all at the same time since it was the first CVT(prior to me getting a Prius) that I drove, and I was expecting the engine RPM to drop as it shifted(it doesnt), and I look down and I am doing 45 in a 35 without realizing it. I do believe that is why most people are afraid of them, shifts are embedded in their brains. Now when I drive my Flex, I'm like, why is it revving so high?

[lolder]

You can design a planetary gear eCVT for any amount of power with well known methods. The Ford eCVTs are actually much bigger than Toyota's even allowing for the different weights and powers. The Ford systems seem to have been designed from the beginning for all EV higher speed plug-ins. The motors were big and powerfull even from the 2004 Escape. To get the higher EV speeds necessary with a plug-in, Toyota added a second planetary gear in the MG1-sun gear path to shift the MG1 speed lower when they went to 86 mph top EV speed. I don't think Ford had to do that. Toyota's are lighter and they get better mileage-different design target. Ford really got burned trying to take on the Prius V mpg with the C-Max. I wonder if they'll ever get serious and try to challenge the Prius mpg with a ground up hybrid design.

[hybridbear]

There seems to be a concerted effort by some gear-head car magazines to describe the Toyota-Ford eCVT transmissions as "intricate". Nothing could be further from the truth. The eCVT is a very clever elegant design the basis of which is the planetary gear which has been around from the first vehicles and is a very simple, durable arrangement that is still at the heart of most automatic transmissions which have several of them each. The Honda system is certainly a "transmission" and the electric clutch which must engage at precisely the right time is certainly more "intricate" than our eCVTs. They also keep talking about the "rubber band" effect of the ICE. They're still wedded to direct gear drive antiquity. The computer is calling for the engine to produce the power you've asked for. The rpm just doesn't vary if you don't move you foot. The electronic control system of eCVTs is intricate but mostly bulletproof with nothing to wear out.

You can design a planetary gear eCVT for any amount of power with well known methods. The Ford eCVTs are actually much bigger than Toyota's even allowing for the different weights and powers. The Ford systems seem to have been designed from the beginning for all EV higher speed plug-ins. The motors were big and powerfull even from the 2004 Escape. To get the higher EV speeds necessary with a plug-in, Toyota added a second planetary gear in the MG1-sun gear path to shift the MG1 speed lower when they went to 86 mph top EV speed. I don't think Ford had to do that. Toyota's are lighter and they get better mileage-different design target. Ford really got burned trying to take on the Prius V mpg with the C-Max. I wonder if they'll ever get serious and try to challenge the Prius mpg with a ground up hybrid design.

Ford and Toyota should promote this information more to show people that the benefits of hybrids go beyond just fuel savings. Automatic transmissions are very expensive to replace and seem to have a high rate of failure for modern automotive parts, especially if the fluid isn't regularly changed. The eCVT design in our hybrids is much less likely to fail and is a much simpler machine. Just like how electric motors are much more reliable than internal combustion engines because they don't have hundreds of moving parts! These are some of the ancillary benefits of hybrids that I try to espouse to people when they ask about the FFH.

[dalesky]

 

Technically it "does" have a transmission, dork, doesnt realize that in order to transmit power from a store or generator it needs some form of "transmitting" the power. Journalists, hummph. Also noticed they compare it to the Camry as its arch rival, which is still an outdated platform. No mention of the Fusion, which is superior to the Camry in many ways.

I've read that it has 3 ways of transmitting power to the wheels. Honda has done some nice engineering here it seems.