2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid: First Drive Page 2
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The 2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid will go on sale early next year in selected markets, California being one of the main ones. It will be followed in a few months by the regular 2014 Accord Hybrid (no plug), which will be sold nationally from the start.
No prices have been announced, but you can expect the plug-in hybrid to be the most expensive Accord. It's got essentially every feature of the top-of-the-line Accord EX-L, plus the plug-in hybrid system--so we expect it to leave the lot at $40,000 or more.
Its large battery pack qualifies it for a $3,750 Federal income-tax credit, and it will--Honda says--qualify for single-occupant access to California's HOV Lanes, making it even more valuable to harried Golden State commuters.
Honda provided airfare, lodging, and meals to enable High Gear Media to bring you this first-person drive report.
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The added e-range is a plus over the PiP, but a little hard to explain why 15 mile range is so much better than an 11 mile range.
Still, it is nice to see more cars in this more space.
What I want to know is if the PiP uses more fuel during its 11 mile (blended mode) trip than the Accord Plug-in during its 15 mile (blended mode) trip. Seems like the PiP is worse because it uses the gas engine more often. However, this difference in behavior is hard to judge except for EREV case where no fuel is used.
We should know when EPA window sticker is revealed.
Prius score poorly on performance (not just 0-60, but handling, braking....etc) for many people who won't ever drive a "poor" performing car.
Check out this link for the combo ranking...
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Car-rankings-new-twist-3845798.php#photo-3417689
Kind of a thoughtless scoring system anyway.
If they really feel people want fuel economy AND performance, and if the Prius scored an F in performance, then the overall score is an F not a C.
When will people learn that the sum total on a perceptual scale is the worst of all the rated items, not the average.
I have seen Volt numbers as low as 8.5 seconds and Prius numbers as high as 10.3 seconds... But that is another arguement...
On the other hand, the Honda Civic hybrid underperformed the Prius (11.3 vs 10.5).
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/hybrid/112_0604_hybrid_sedan_comparison/viewall.html
Of course, more notable is how much better the Accord/Camry are then the Civic/Prius.
The styling is there, and so is the technology. People is crowded freeways/highways such as LA and NYC/NJ will find this hybrid a useful commuter tool. I'm an Accord owner, so I also lean more toward Honda/Acura products than others.
The most direct competitor for the Honda Accord Hybrid and PHEV is the Ford Fusion Hybrid (4Q 2012) and Fusion Energi PHEV (1Q 2013). There is no Altima hybrid, although one is coming (for 2014?).
The 2014 Accord hybrid has changed radically from the earlier effort. Honda now has a full hybrid capable of moving the car under electric power. The prior hybrid used an integrated starter-generator (Hondaspeak "IMA") mild hybrid which was not nearly as robust.
Nevertheless, mid-sized sedan hybrids (Camry, Fusion, Sonata) historically have annual sales only a small fraction of what Prius sells every year. Perhaps as electrification increases that might change, but Prius is firmly entrenched.
If it is below $35k with $3750 rebate and HOV access, it will match at least the PIP's sales number. If it is in the Volt's price, then it will sell like a Nissan Leaf...
So, Accord shouldn't have issues of selling as long as its price is reasonable. Knowing Honda, I imagine its performance will be way better than Camry or Prius...
Have an opinion?Join the conversation!