The 2025 Honda Accord Hybrid Is Still Really Good: Review

The Honda Accord was a great car when it debuted as the brand’s first upmarket vehicle in 1976. It was a great car when it became the first Japanese vehicle built in America in 1982. It remained a great car for the next eleven generations of production. Now, in its forty-ninth year of production, it is—shockingly—still a great car. 

The Accord received tiny updates for 2025, but it really didn’t need any. The hybrid is one of the smoothest-driving and most-efficient vehicles at its price point. It looks good, it’s easy to drive, it gets good gas mileage, and it’s comfortable. The competition is strong enough that the Accord is still worth cross-shopping, but it makes a solid case to be the top choice.

The Accord Hybrid is mechanically unchanged for 2025. It retains the same brilliant series/parallel hybrid system introduced in 2023, which pairs a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder with two electric motors (a generator and a traction motor). Notably, the Honda hybrid system lacks a traditional transmission; in low-speed driving, the gas engine and generator charge the battery while the electric propulsion motor drives the front wheels. At highway speeds, the gas engine uses a direct drive system to turn the front wheels.

Photo by: Victoria Scott / Motor1

Photo by: Victoria Scott / Motor1

Photo by: Victoria Scott / Motor1

Pros: Excellent Drivetrain, Roomy & Clean Cabin Design, Fantastic Fuel Economy

This novel engineering solution has several tangible benefits. First off, the Accord Hybrid is extremely efficient. This Touring trim is rated at 44 miles per gallon combined; the smaller-wheeled EX-L achieves 48 combined mpg. Second, the Accord Hybrid is one of the smoothest hybrids I’ve ever experienced. It’s serene. Honda’s superb hybrid drivetrain tuning means that both the gas and brake pedals are predictable and feel “right” 100 percent of the time—something that can’t be said for many other hybrids.

The interior matches the bar set by the drivetrain. All Accord Hybrids offer a 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster and a 12.3-inch center touchscreen. The gauge cluster deserves special commendation for how easy it is to read at a glance while still offering enough information. The touchscreen, which is complemented by physical steering wheel buttons and a volume knob, runs quick-responding software with its features easily accessible. A customizable shortcut menu permanently on-screen allows drivers to switch tabs without excessive distraction. 

Photo by: Victoria Scott / Motor1

Photo by: Victoria Scott / Motor1

Photo by: Victoria Scott / Motor1

The rest of the roomy cabin is similarly straightforward. Climate control—including standard heated seats and the Touring trim’s optional ventilated seats—is all managed via physical buttons and dials. The shifter is a traditional PRNDL stick. Selecting EV-only mode is a single button press; switching drive modes is via a centrally located switch. If you want a modern car that can be driven without a weekend studying an owner’s manual to learn every menu, the Accord delivers.

I found the front seats plenty supportive on longer drives, and even at a very leg-intensive 6-foot one-inches, there was plenty of space to splay out. Rear passengers reported similar roominess (and, as a new addition for 2025, they get their own A/C vents). The trunk, with a gargantuan 16.7 cubic feet of space, swallowed two weeks’ worth of Winco groceries without issue. 

The ride is comfortable but firm—stiff rather than floaty, especially in hard turns. Steering feel is adequate, but not overly communicative. This, combined with the hybrid drivetrain’s tendency to pull power when trying to push hard through corners, means that the Accord skews restrained, not lively. 

Photo by: Victoria Scott / Motor1

Cons: Loud Ride With 19-Inch Wheels, Not Very Thrilling, No All-Wheel Drive

If you’re a sporty V-6 Accord devotee, its handling will disappoint. But for getting from point A to point B (and on the weekends, point C), the Accord is a perfectly cromulent car. The sole disappointment in comfort comes from the Touring’s 19-inch wheels. The low-profile tires are noisy and the wheels make the ride rougher than it should be. I’ve driven a Sport (which has smaller 18-inch wheels) in the past, and it was smoother than this model. 

Given that the Touring runs over $40,000—more than most competitors in its class—and the Accord is such a solid car overall, this complaint can easily be cured by buying a less-expensive lower trim. I did enjoy the Touring’s 12-speaker Bose sound system and heated steering wheel, but I think the best buy is the $36,035 EX-L. Smaller wheels, a smoother ride, and better mileage for less money play well to the Accord Hybrid’s strengths.

It’s worth noting that—unlike the Toyota Camry Hybrid and Hyundai Sonata Hybrid—the Accord is only offered with front-wheel drive, which could be a dealbreaker for cold-climate buyers. The Camry is such a solid car that choosing between it and the Accord could be a coin-flip decision for some buyers. 

Photo by: Victoria Scott / Motor1

For me, however, the Accord’s simplicity and styling make it my personal favorite. I have already owned two generations of Honda Accord; if I were shopping for a new car today, I’d happily make a 2025 my third.