Temple of VTEC Rumors and News - 2018 Accord Hybrid announced with starting price of $25,100

Honda has announced pricing for the superb new 2018 Accord Hybrid. Its low starting point of $25,100 seems to have caught plenty of people off guard, especially considering some of the premium features that are included at that price. The Accord Hybrid employs Honda's brilliant 2-motor i-MMD (Intelligent Multi-mode Drive) hybrid powertrain, which combines 2 electric motors with a 2.0L DOHC inline-4 cylinder Atkinson-cycle engine. Combined output is 212hp and the Accord Hybrid delivers solid performance as a result. For 2018, the Accord Hybrid is now offered in 5 different trim levels - all of which deliver 47mpg in the city, highway, and combined cycles. We drove an early production prototype of the Accord Hybrid back in September and came away very impressed with the overall package of efficiency, style, comfort, technology, and performance. Little did we know back then that it would be priced so aggressively. Press release follows

All-New 2018 Honda Accord Hybrid Arrives in Showrooms as the New Benchmark Among Midsize Hybrids

Mar 16, 2018 - TORRANCE, Calif.Hybrid version of 2018 North American Car of the Year debuts with best-in-class cabin space, power, and cargo space
Trim levels expanded from three to five
More affordable than ever thanks to lower starting price

The 2018 Accord Hybrid will begin arriving in dealerships starting March 23 as the latest addition to Honda's growing portfolio of electrified vehicles. Boasting class-leading power, cabin space, and cargo space, the next-generation Accord Hybrid wholly embodies Honda's unique approach to electrification � infusing fun-to-drive performance, efficiency, premium feature content, and comfort in a sophisticated and affordable package.

To suit a wider variety of hybrid sedan shoppers, the Accord Hybrid lineup now comes in five trim levels: Hybrid, EX (new), EX-L, EX-L Navi (new), and Touring. Better yet, the new Accord Hybrid is more affordable than ever thanks to a starting Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)¹ of $25,100 (excluding $890 destination and handling), reflecting a $4,505 drop compared to the previous model. Despite this lower entry point, the Accord Hybrid still offers a lengthy list of standard equipment, such as 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights (low beam) and taillights, dual-zone climate control, Smart entry with Push-button Start, a 7-inch TFT digital driver's meter, a multi-angle rearview camera, and the Honda Sensing� suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies, which bundles together Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow, Collision Mitigation Braking System�, Road Departure Mitigation, Lane Departure Warning, and Traffic Sign Recognition.

The 2018 Accord Hybrid is powered by the third generation of Honda's innovative two-motor hybrid powertrain, which pairs a 2.0-liter DOHC i-VTEC� Atkinson-cycle inline-4 engine with 40-percent thermal efficiency to an electric propulsion motor that churns out 232 lb.-ft. of torque for a class-leading total system output of 212 horsepower. As before, the Accord two-motor system operates without the need for a conventional automatic transmission.

Helping to maximize energy generation are steering wheel-mounted Deceleration Selectors. Similar to transmission paddle shifters, the Accord Hybrid's Deceleration Selectors allow the driver to easily toggle between four levels of regenerative braking performance. The right selector increases regenerative braking and the left selector reduces regenerative braking. The system simultaneously helps reduce stress on the brakes while increasing battery charging via regeneration.

The Accord Hybrid's powertrain operates by seamlessly shifting between three distinct drive operations: EV Drive (100-percent electric motor), Hybrid Drive (electric motor and gasoline engine [driving the generator motor]) and Engine Drive (gasoline engine), utilizing power from the gasoline engine and electric motors to accommodate the current driving conditions.

2018 Accord Hybrid Pricing & EPA Data

Trim	MSRP	MSRP Including $890 Destination²	EPA Fuel Economy Ratings (city / highway / combined)³
Accord Hybrid	$25,100	$25,990	47/47/47
Accord Hybrid EX	$28,890	$29,780	47/47/47
Accord Hybrid EX-L	$31,440	$32,330	47/47/47
Accord Hybrid EX-L Navi	$32,440	$33,330	47/47/47
Accord Hybrid Touring	$34,710	$35,600	47/47/47

The 2018 Accord Hybrid benefits from a 2.16 inch longer wheelbase and a 32-percent smaller intelligent power unit (IPU) that is now mounted under the rear floor instead of in the trunk, allowing for the inclusion of a 60/40-split rear seat. As a result, the Accord Hybrid provides the same people- and cargo-hauling space and flexibility as its conventionally-powered counterparts. Add it altogether and the 2018 Accord Hybrid delivers class-leading cargo space (16.7 cubic feet), interior space (122.3 cubic feet), and rear legroom (40.4 inches) all while reducing its overall footprint.

The newest Accord Hybrid joins an expanding line-up of electrified Honda vehicles that includes the Clarity series � Clarity Fuel Cell, Clarity Electric and Clarity Plug-In Hybrid � and forthcoming 2019 Insight compact hybrid sedan. These models represent the next generation of Honda vehicles as the company advances toward its global initiative to grow electrified vehicle sales to two-thirds by 2030.

The new Accord Hybrid joins the Accord 1.5T and 2.0T in Honda's all-new, award-winning 10th-generation Accord lineup. The new Accord has been called "America's Best Sedan" by Car and Driver magazine, and in January was named 2018 North American Car of the Year. On the heels of claiming Kelley Blue Book KBB.com's prestigious Overall Best Buy Award for 2018, the Accord has also earned a KBB.com Best Resale Value Award.

The 2018 Accord Hybrid for the North American market is manufactured using domestic and globally-sourced parts exclusively at Honda's Marysville, Ohio auto plant⁴ alongside the Accord 1.5T and Accord 2.0T. Its hybrid powertrain, including the 2.0L Atkinson-cycle, is produced at the nearby Anna, Ohio engine plant, Honda's largest engine plant. The intelligent power unit (IPU), containing the hybrid battery pack, also is assembled in the Marysville Auto Plant. More than 11 million of the 13 million Accords purchased by U.S. car buyers over the past 41 years have been made in America since Honda started U.S. automobile manufacturing in Marysville, Ohio in November 1982.

For More Information
For more information as well as high-resolution photography and video, please visit http://hondanews.com/honda-automobiles/channels/accord-hybrid. Consumer information is available at https://automobiles.honda.com/accord. To join the Honda community on Facebook, visit facebook.com/honda.

About Honda
Honda offers a full line of reliable, fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive vehicles with advanced safety technologies sold through over 1,000 independent U.S. Honda dealers. The Honda lineup includes the Fit, Civic, Accord and Clarity series passenger cars, along with the HR-V, CR-V and Pilot sport utility vehicles, the Ridgeline pickup and the Odyssey minivan.

Honda has been producing automobiles in America for more than 35 years and currently operates 19 major manufacturing facilities in North America. In 2017 more than 90 percent of all Honda brand vehicles sold in the U.S. were made in North America, using domestic and globally sourced parts.

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1. MSRP excluding tax, license, registration, $890 destination charge and options. Dealer prices may vary.

2. MSRP plus $890 destination charge, excluding tax, license, registration and options. Dealer prices may vary.

3. Based on 2018 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions and other factors.

4. Accord Hybrid vehicles and engines are manufactured using domestic and globally-sourced parts.