Honda Accord Hybrid 2021 review: VTi-LX

The Honda Accord VTi-LX Hybrid we’ve tested wears a pricetag of $55,800 before on-road costs, but those that can do without the electric assistance can score one for just $52,800.

The Honda Accord VTi-LX Hybrid we’ve tested wears a pricetag of $55,800 before on-road costs.

A $50,000-plus asking price for a Honda sedan might seem steep, but the VTi-LX grade comes with all the fruit you’d expect out of a car in this price range.

As standard, the Accord comes with an 8.0-inch multimedia system with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto support, satellite navigation and digital radio, outputting to an excellent 10-speaker sound system.

Seriously, this isn’t something we usually bring up in reviews but the Accord’s sound system is truly great, offering clear and crisp audio whether listening to the radio or streaming music via Bluetooth.

As standard, the Accord comes with an 8.0-inch multimedia system with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto support.

Other key specification appointments include automatic LED headlights, dual-zone climate control, auto-folding side mirrors, woodgrain interior dashboard, electronic sunroof, black leather upholstery, electronically adjustable front seats, heated front seats, wireless smartphone charger, active noise cancellation, 7.0-inch driver display, 6.0-inch colour head-up display, keyless entry, push-button start, and remote engine start.

It’s a long and exhaustive list of equipment, but what about the options?

Well, there aren’t any.

The petrol model comes with a choice of four colours (two metallic and two pearlescent), while the Hybrid option adds ‘Passion Red’, but each hue comes at no extra cost.

Likewise, the standard 18-inch wheels are the only ones available across the Accord range, with no option to black them out or go an inch or two up in size.

The standard 18-inch wheels are the only ones available across the Accord range.

Sure, those that want a frugal petrol-electric hybrid powertrain at a cheaper price can opt for the Camry Hybrid (priced from $33,490-$46,990), but the fit and finish of the Accord VTi-LX does feel a step above what Toyota has to offer.

It's worth pointing out that the top-spec Camry Hybrid features a powered tailgate and cooled front seats, which the Accord misses out on, while the former also boasts a larger 9.0-inch multimedia screen.

Measuring 4904mm long, 2137mm wide, 1450mm tall and with a 2830mm wheelbase, the 2021 Accord is actually pretty close in size to the Holden VF Commodore.

Up front, the electronically adjustable seats offer plenty of variability to get into the perfect position.

And it flexes its bigger dimensions with a roomy and spacious cabin, regardless of where you are sitting.

Up front, the electronically adjustable seats offer plenty of variability to get into the perfect position, and the driver’s seat also has a memory setting if you are sharing the Accord with different people.

The door bins are a little on the smaller size and struggle to fit a full-sized water bottle, but the centre console boasts a deep cavity, with two cupholders also featured next to the shifter.

The wireless smartphone charger position , which is between the shifter and climate controls, does eat up an entire storage hole because once you put your phone down, you don’t want to put your keys or wallet on top of it and risk scratching your screen.

In the rear, space is excellent for occupants of all shapes and sizes.

it would have made more sense for the wireless smartphone charger to be placed under the armrest, like it is in BMWs, to retain another storage option.

In the rear, space is excellent for occupants of all shapes and sizes, affording plenty of head, shoulder and leg room.

In the back, there are two air vents.

The middle seat can be a little squeezy, but the soft-touch leather and seat shape offer plenty of support and would be supremely comfortable over long journeys.

In the back, there are two air vents, two charging ports and a fold-down centre armrest with two cupholders.

Opening the boot reveals a cavity that will accommodate 570 litres of volume, but the back seats can be folded down to stow longer objects.

The rear seats are one piece, rather than split fold, meaning you’ll have to choose between having rear passengers or taking that trip to Ikea.

Opening the boot reveals a cavity that will accommodate 570 litres of volume.

There is a lockable ski tunnel through the middle, though, which means long and narrow items can be carried without folding down the rear seats.

Two bag hooks are found in the boot, which helps keep your groceries in the bag and not all over the boot floor.

The back seats can be folded down to stow longer objects.

Powering the Accord VTi-LX Hybrid is a 2.0-litre petrol engine and dual-electric motor combo, for a total output of 158kW/315Nm.

Drive is sent to the front wheels via a continuously variable automatic transmission.

Compared with the Camry Hybrid, the Accord is down 2kW in power, but out in the real world it is very hard to tell the difference in outputs.

Being a petrol-electric hybrid powertrain, there is no need to plug in the Accord Hybrid as the petrol engine works to charge the battery.

Powering the Accord VTi-LX Hybrid is a 2.0-litre petrol engine.

One key to the Accord VTi-LX Hybrid’s appeal is its ultra-frugal fuel consumption figure of just 4.3 litres per 100km, and low 98 grams of CO2 emitted per kilometre.

In our week with the car, we managed an average of 6.1L/100km in a mix of varying drive modes, including ‘Sport’.

No doubt if we were hypermiling that figure would be much closer to the official numbers, but our time with the Accord consisted of various short inner-city trips (where the hybrid powertrain excels) and a blast down some country roads (where the hybrid powertrain does not excel).

Regardless, the fuel economy figure is still a respectable one for a hybrid, especially one of this size and with this much practicality.

The Accord VTi-LX Hybrid is both more fuel efficient and less pollutant than the top-spec Toyota Camry Hybrid SL, which returns 4.5L/100km and 103g/km respectively.

It's also worth nothing that it’s 48-litre fuel tank will be enough to get around 1000km of driving range before requiring filling with 91Ron petrol.

The fuel economy figure is still a respectable one for a hybrid.

Like all new Hondas, the Accord comes with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty plus six years of anti-corrosion assurance.

After the first free 1000km service, the scheduled maintenance intervals for the Accord VTi-LX Hybrid are every 10,000km/12 months, whichever occurs first.

According to Honda’s tailored service price guide, the first five years/50,000km of ownership will total $1816 in maintenance costs, which averages out to be about $363 per year.

While the 10,000km service intervals are a little short compared with the Camry’s 15,000km period, the Accord is actually quite cheap to get serviced.

Each of the Honda’s services for the first 100,000km costs only $312, with costs going up depending on additional service items.

However, the Toyota Camry Hybrid still edges ahead with its longer intervals and $220 per service costs for the first five years, although the numbers increase dramatically after that.

The cheap service pricing combined with the excellent fuel economy of the hybrid engine mean the Honda Accord VTi-LX Hybrid keeps running costs down.