2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Sedan Review: Green Luxury on Wheels

 

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring Model: Green Luxury
2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring model took us around Los Angeles. Photo: Patty Holliday

As a long time Honda lover and owner, I had big expectations for the 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Sedan Touring model.

You see, there’s been a Honda parked in my driveway since 1992. We’ve owned Accords, Civics, Pilots and my current “Vader Van,” a 2008 Honda Odyssey. (By the way, it still drives like a dream- and now you know why I love my Hondas.) My current van won’t last forever, but that’s OK because the 2018 Odyssey model looks practically perfect in every way!

But, on a recent trip to Los Angeles, I ditched the minivan to drive the 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring model around town. This four door sedan hybrid offered a smooth ride with great gas mileage on the LA freeways as we took on our a mini-tour of the area.

Who the Accord Hybrid Is For

  • Commuters
  • Small Families (5 or less)
  • Green drivers looking for great gas mileage
  • Luxury Seeking Empty Nesters
  • Road Trip Warriors

What this car costs

The Accord Hybrid comes in a base model, EX-L model, and touring model.

  • The base starts at $29,605 and comes with Honda Sensing, LaneWatch, remote engine start, and 10-way power seats.
  • The EX-L model starts at $32,905 and it includes everything that the base offers, plus leather trimmed seating, one-touch power moon roof, display audio interface, and heated front seats.
  • I drove the Touring model. This model came with a $35,955.00 sticker price and included everything on the EX-L plus satellite navigation, LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors, and rain-sensing windshield wipers. We didn’t encounter any rain, which was a shame because I would love to see how these work!

Honda is a brand I count on and the Accord Hybrid Touring adds luxury to reliability

What I love about the Honda brand is a long list, but I’ll bottom line it here: reliability and consistency. I know what I’m going to get when I’m behind the wheel of one of these cars, and I know I’ll more than get my money’s worth from them.

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring Model: Green Luxury
Driving a Hybrid around LA means saving money and the environment. Win-win. Photo: Patty Holliday

When considering the gas mileage and longevity of a Honda, this hybrid might be one of the smartest purchases a driver can make. In fact, the 2017 Honda Accord made our list of the six best hybrids to buy.

This Accord allowed me to indulge in a little luxury with eco-friendly street cred to boot!

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring Model: Green Luxury
This car is a hybrid that doesn’t scream HYBRID. Photo: Patty Holliday

The luxury came through for me with a gorgeous leather trim interior, and a leather wrapped steering wheel. The seats felt like butter when I slid behind the wheel and took the car out on the road.

It was a smooth ride and I hardly noticed when the gas engine stopped and the electric motor took over (or vice versa). That’s an improvement over the hybrid we owned in the past where it was obvious when the gas kicked in!

See our list of the 6 best hybrid cars to buy.

Commuters Should Drive This Honda

The Honda Accord Hybrid Touring sedan would be ideal for the city commuter. We covered a lot of highways when we were in LA and even got to experience the lovely rush-hour in the Honda Accord Hybrid.

Since it has a hybrid engine combining gas and electric, it gets crazy good gas mileage. We averaged 52 miles per gallon during our trip, which was above the estimated 48 MPG combined city/highway average.

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring Review: Green Luxury On Wheels
The distinctive Honda brand: reliability and consistency. Two things this mom loves in a vehicle. Photo: Patty Holliday

I’d take that all day any day–and so would my budget.

I also would not mind spending a long commute on the city streets in this amazingly quiet vehicle. After a long day at the office, the silence of the cabin and the comfort of the driver’s seat is just the gentle luxury I need while unwinding on the way home.

Moms Will Love This Honda

Moms who crave a little luxury: this sedan is for you.

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring Review: Green Luxury On Wheels
Room to spare in the Honda Accord Hybrid. Photo: Patty Holliday

As a mom who spends a lot of time hauling kids around to school, activities, and sports tournaments, this car would work on every level (if I had one less kid that is- see minivan above).

The Accord will comfortably seat five people.

My purse rode shotgun when I didn’t have a passenger, but with one I was able to quickly reach it right behind the center console in the back seat.

The back seat offers plenty of space for children and adults, with LATCH for child seats. Additional safety for the kiddos in the back comes with the child-proof rear door locks.

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring Model: Green Luxury
Cup holders for the back seat passengers, or flip the arm rest up for a seat for a fifth passenger. Photo: Patty Holliday

 

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring Model: Green Luxury
Three LATCH options for back seat babies. Photo: Patty Holliday

Carpooling my oldest son and his tall friends would be easy, even with those long legs, in this roomy sedan. The back seat has 39.3 inches of leg room and 38.3 inches of headroom.

The trunk offers 13.7 cubic feet of room for sports bags, strollers, or a huge suitcase or two for travel. I tend to overpack wherever I go and was thrilled to see so much trunk space available for #allthethings.

In short: you can haul three kids and their gear around town with room to grow!

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring Model: Green Luxury
Plenty of room for a 28-inch hard case and more! Photo: Patty Holliday

While the exterior is a beautiful shape, the inside is where moms “live” and this interior allows momma to get a little pampering while she’s running the errands and chauffeuring the kiddos.

I love feeling at home in a car, and this one made me feel a little spoiled. Mommas gotta take advantage of that feeling when we can get it!

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring Review
My fellow tourist, Renee, stretched out in the passenger seat. Full recline for those mid-soccer practice power naps!

Or taking a little nap when you recline the passenger seat all the way back during a long soccer practice. The front seats give the driver and passenger 37.6 inches of headroom and 41.2 inches of legroom to stretch out.

Push-button start means we can get in and get moving that much faster as moms on the go!

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring Model: Green Luxury
The power start button: I love it! Photo: Patty Holliday

The leather is plush, and the features are well appointed. All the controls were easy to work and within easy reach of the driver and there was not a lot missing from the front seat. We had USB connectors for the phones as well as cup holders and vanity lights on the visor mirrors.

It didn’t take long for me to get comfortable behind the dashboard.

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring Review: Green Luxury On Wheels
7-inch display makes navigation & backing up a breeze. Photo: Patty Holliday

Favorite Safety Features: The Cameras

Safety on the road is increasingly important in this high-speed world. The 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring model aims to keep you safe while driving with its crystal clear display and cameras.

There’s a massive 7-inch display with touchscreen and a multi-view rear camera. The rear-view camera tech is such a game changer making it easier to pull into and out of parking lots and driveways safely.

A new tech feature for me was the passenger mirror camera. Honda LaneWatch comes standard on all models.

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring Review: Green Luxury On Wheels
The side-mirror camera, Honda LaneWatch, helps keep you safe when changing lanes. Photo: Patty Holliday

I’ve been in vehicles that alert me via a flashing indicator if there is a car in my blind spot, but this Accord took things a step forward.

The display screen showed me what I couldn’t see in that blind spot.

 

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring Model: Green Luxury
Don’t worry- my passenger took this picture for me: my hands were firmly on the steering wheel at 10 and 2.

When I turned on my right blinker, this is what came onto the display screen in front of me and I thought this was super helpful!

What You Need to Know

  • 2.0-Liter DOHC 16-Valve i-VTEC 4 Cyl. Earth Dreams Engine
  • Electric Continuously Variable Transmission (eCVT)
  • 4-Wheel disc breaks
  • ECO Assist System
  • Driver’s and front passenger airbags (SRS and side airbags)
  • Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA)
  • Anti-lock brakes (ABS)
  • Leather trimmed seats and leather wrapped steering wheel
  • Premium audio system with 7 speakers including subwoofer
  • CarPlay/Android Auto Integration
  • Siris XM Satellite radio
  • Bluetooth handsfree enabled
  • SMS text messaging functionality
  • Heated rear and front seats

Compare the Accord to the Ford Fusion titanium.

Final Thoughts

There were few surprises for the Honda lover in me with the 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring sedan.

It handled as expected, but offered some new tech I did not know about. And I loved how quiet the cabin was when we were stopped in traffic.

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring Review: Green Luxury On Wheels
This Accord is on my short list for me when my minivan days are over! Photo: Patty Holliday

I wish it were a smidge less expensive as pushing $36,000 can be tough to budget for a family vehicle. But knowing it will last for years on the road helps make the price tag easier to accept.

It was much more luxe than I expected and offered this minivan mom a glimpse of her future; when a few kiddos move on, I’ll be moving back into the Accord I love.

With the price and gas mileage this Hybrid offers, this one is easily on the short list.

Not ready to give up the minivan? Check out our review of the 2018 Odyssey.

 

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring Review: Green Luxury On Wheels

 

Disclosure: Honda provided the Accord Hybrid Touring for my review; all opinions are my own.

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring Review

 

Patty Holliday
Patty Holliday

Patty Holliday is a wife, mother of four, and lover of a candid confession. Find her in Virginia or anywhere her trusty Honda Odyssey takes her. That's 35 states and counting! With her teen, two tweens and first grader, her world is loud, sassy, hilarious as she balances family, work, and travel. If you need straight talk about mom'ing and traveling, she’s the one to call. She blogs at My No-Guilt Life.

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