Honda refreshes 2021 Accord and adds new 40+ mpg hybrid model

“The new Honda Accord Hybrid is really the Accord to buy, offering customers more of everything they like about Accord -- more power, refinement and, of course, excellent fuel economy ratings,” said Dave Gardner, executive vice president of National Operations at American Honda. Previous Accord hybrids were about power and not efficiency, but the 2021 Accord Hybrid gives you both, more power (212 hp, 232 lb./ft. of torque, more than the base Accord) and EPA mpg ratings of 44 City/ 41 Combined/ 43 Highway for the Touring model and 48/48/48 for all other hybrid models. That is one of the differences this time around. The Hybrid option can be had on just about any of the Accord flavors, like the base Accord, EX. EX-L, and Touring. Prices for the Accord Hybrid start at $27,375 (plus taxes, license, fees, destination and options) to $37,195+ for the Hybrid Touring. All Accords received upgrades this year like revised styling with a new grille that offers better integration for Honda's radar unit (if so equipped), new alloy wheels designs, new colors (depending on trim selected), and new LED headlights (depending on trim level selected).  The 8-inch dash display is now standard on all models and a rear-seat reminder along with a new low-speed braking control system (on upper levels). Tech is also updated. You can read about all the changes in the media release as well as the spec charts after the "read more" jump. Accord is still offered with the 1.5-liter ICE and the 2.0-liter turbo four (top power choice, but mpgs are cut dramatically) mated to a continuously-variable transmission (AKA rubber-band transmission). The 2021 Honda Accord seems to be better at just about everything than it's predecessor. Revised styling, better tech, and better efficiency (hybrid). Check with your local dealer about availability if the new '21 Accord seems like it could be your thing. Check out the Honda video in the next post.

Source: Honda - Pics, media release

Media Release:

2021 Honda Accord Gets Refreshed Styling, Updated Hybrid Variant, New Sport Special Edition Trim, plus Wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ Integration

• All Accords benefit from upgraded styling, tech and safety features
• Accord Hybrid gets unique updates including stronger, more responsive acceleration and upsized 19-inch alloy wheels for Touring trim
• New Sport Special Edition adds premium features to popular Sport 1.5T

Widely regarded by experts as the benchmark midsize sedan, Honda raises the Accord's game for the 2021 model year with a refresh that includes updates to styling, technology, drivability and safety features. In addition, unique upgrades were made to performance and design for the ultra-efficient and refined Accord Hybrid. On-sale at Honda dealerships beginning Oct. 13, the 2021 Accord will carry a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) starting at $24,770 (not including destination and handling), while the 2021 Accord Hybrid will be available at a starting MSRP of $26,370. 

“The new Honda Accord Hybrid is really the Accord to buy, offering customers more of everything they like about Accord -- more power, refinement and, of course, excellent fuel economy ratings,” said Dave Gardner, executive vice president of National Operations at American Honda.  

2021 ACCORD UPGRADES

For the 2021 model year, all Accords boast a wider, restyled grille for an even more sophisticated look, along with improved integration of the Honda Sensing® system's radar unit. Flanking the new grille on Sport and above trims (EX and above on Hybrid) are new LED high- and low-beam headlights with longer and wider down-the-road illumination. Also new are smaller openings for the fog lights. Additionally, LX, EX-L and Touring trims all receive new alloy wheel designs, while a new color is available for Sport, Sport Special Edition (SE) and Touring trims: Sonic Gray Pearl.

Inside, further enhancements to the class-leading style and sophistication of Accord's cabin include an 8-inch Display Audio touchscreen entertainment system now standard on all trims (previously, EX and above). Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ integration also are now standard (previously EX and above), and EX-L and Touring trims (EX and above on Hybrid models) get new wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ integration.

The combination of wireless charging and wireless smartphone integration eliminates the extra step of physically connecting the phone, making Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ ready to go and freeing up an additional USB port for charging a separate phone. Front USB ports on all grades have been moved to the front of the center console for easier access, and Sport and higher trims (EX and higher trims for Accord Hybrid) now include dual 2.5-volt USB ports for rear seat passengers.

All Accords also receive a new Rear Seat Reminder, while upper grades gain a new Low Speed Braking Control system.

ACCORD HYBRID

The 2021 Accord Hybrid benefits from updates to the innovative Honda two-motor hybrid system for a more direct and immediate throttle response with a more natural acceleration feeling as engine revs climb in concert with the driver's throttle input. With a peak total system output of 212 horsepower and peak torque delivery of 232 lb.-ft. right off idle, Accord Hybrid has the most power and torque in its class, with a top fuel economy rating of 48 mpg2.

Thanks to the unique configuration of the two-motor hybrid system, the Accord Hybrid also can spend more time operating solely on electric power than competing hybrid models, imbuing Accord with a smoother and more refined driving feel. Also, Accord's sophisticated brake-by-wire technology offers more natural and consistent braking performance and pedal feel versus competing models, seamlessly blending mechanical and regenerative braking force.

Honda's two-motor hybrid system uses a propulsion motor and a generator/starter motor built with a patented Honda design made with magnets using no heavy rare-earth metals. This reduces magnet cost and weight, while also reducing reliance on rare-earth metals, helping avoid the often negative environmental impact of mining them.

The hybrid powertrain control system manages the power delivery between each component and seamlessly switches between EV Drive, Hybrid Drive and Engine Drive for maximum efficiency with no input from the driver. Accord Hybrid drivers can further maximize fuel efficiency, or power, by selecting between Sport, EV and ECON modes using the three buttons behind the push-button gear selector.

Already, Honda leads all full-line automakers in fleet-average fuel economy and low CO2 emissions according to the U.S. EPA, with 27 vehicles that received EPA combined fuel economy ratings of 30 mpg or higher.

Visually, Accord Hybrid adds its own unique touches to the styling updates made to the entire 2021 Accord lineup, including a blue H-mark on the grille and Hybrid badges on the front fenders and trunk lid. This year, Accord Hybrid Touring grade features 19-inch wheels, giving it an upscale and sporty appearance.

NEW SPORT SPECIAL EDITION

The Accord Sport SE is new to the lineup for 2021, replacing Accord EX 1.5T and expands on the popular Sport trim with additional sought-after features. The new Sport SE adds leather seats, heated front seats, a four-way power passenger seat to complement the addition of 12-way power driver's seat, heated mirrors, Smart Entry, and remote engine start to the popular Accord Sport 1.5T grade. This is in addition to the already generous equipment on the Sport 1.5T, which includes dual rear USB ports, leather-wrapped steering wheel with paddle shifters, leather-wrapped shift knob, and an 8-speaker audio system. Visually, Accord Sport and Sport SE are distinguished from the other trims by a rear trunk lid spoiler, trim-specific 19-inch wheel design, LED fog lights, dark-chrome grille and chrome exhaust finishers.

2021 Honda Accord Pricing & EPA Fuel Economy Ratings

Model / Trim	Drivetrain	MSRP1	MSRP1 Including $955 Destination Charge	EPA Mileage Rating (City/Hwy/Combined)2
Accord LX	1.5T/CVT	$24,770	$25,725	30 / 38 / 33
Accord Sport	1.5T/CVT	$27,230	$28,185	29 / 35 / 32
Accord Sport SE	1.5T/CVT	$28,720	$29,675	29 / 35 / 32
Accord EX-L	1.5T/CVT	$31,090	$32,045	30 / 38 / 33
Accord Sport 2.0T	2.0T/10AT	$31,910	$32,865	22 / 32 / 26
Accord Touring	2.0T/10AT	$36,700	$37,655	22 / 32 / 26
Accord Hybrid	Hybrid	$26,370	$27,325	48 / 48 / 48
Accord Hybrid EX	Hybrid	$30,320	$31,275	48 / 48 / 48
Accord Hybrid EX-L	Hybrid	$32,690	$33,645	48 / 48 / 48
Accord Hybrid Touring	Hybrid	$36,240	$37,195	44 / 41 / 43

1 MSRP (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price) excluding tax, license, registration, $955 destination charge and options. Dealer prices may vary.
2 Based on 2021 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions, battery pack age/condition (Hybrid only), and other factors.

POWERTRAIN AND DRIVING DYNAMICS

In addition to the updates made to Accord Hybrid's two-motor system, the 2021 Accord's two turbocharged engines receive updated engine management software for more linear and responsive throttle control. In addition, the 1.5-liter turbo has improved Idle Stop performance, with quicker engine start-up when the driver releases the brake.

A 192-horspower 1.5-liter VTEC Turbo® engine is standard in Accord LX, Sport, Sport SE and EX-L grades, while Accord Sport 2.0T and Touring are available exclusively with a 252-horsepower, 2.0-liter VTEC Turbo®.

The braking system has also been updated for smoother engagement, especially at low speeds such as in stop-and-go traffic and in parking situations.

Powertrain Specs

	1.5T	Hybrid	2.0T
Engine	1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder	2.0-liter, DOHC, i-VTEC® Atkinson-cycle inline-4 engine; AC Synchronous Permanent-Magnet Electric Motor	2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder
Transmission	CVT	NA	10AT
Horsepower @ rpm (SAE net)	192 @ 5,500	212 @6,200 (total system; not SAE net)	252 @ 6,500
Torque @ rpm (lb.-ft., SAE net)	192 @ 1,600-5,000	232 @ 0-2,000 (not SAE net)	273 @ 1,500-4,000
Recommended fuel	Regular Unleaded	Regular Unleaded	Regular Unleaded
CARB emissions rating	LEV3-SULEV30	LEV3-SULEV30	LEV3-SULEV30
Tune-up interval	100,000 +/- miles tune-up interval	100,000+/- miles engine tune-up interval	100,000 +/- miles tune-up interval

 

SAFETY AND DRIVER-ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES

For the 2021 model year, all Accords receive a new Rear Seat Reminder and a rear seatbelt reminder as standard equipment. The Rear Seat Reminder chimes when the car is turned off, with a notification on the digital meter reminding drivers to check the rear seating area when exiting the car for children, pets or other precious cargo. The rear seatbelt reminder uses a warning on the digital meter to let drivers know if rear seat passengers have not fastened their seatbelts.

Accord Touring and Hybrid Touring trims now feature a new front and rear braking system called Low Speed Braking Control. Using sonar-based parking sensors, the new system can sense solid objects at low speeds, such as in parking situations, and warn the driver or apply the brakes to help avoid or mitigate a collision.

Honda Sensing® receives updates to Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Lane Keeping Assist system (LKAS). For 2021, ACC now has smoother braking when following another vehicle, while LKAS offers more effective and natural lane centering. Additionally, the steering wheel and dash controls for ACC and LKAS now feature industry-standard icons.

The 2021 Accord targets a 5-star Overall Vehicle Score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), including the highest available rating of GOOD in all collision tests and SUPERIOR for frontal cash prevention. Also, the updated standard LED headlights have been designed to achieve a GOOD rating in the rigorous IIHS headlight standard.

Accord Key Features

Feature	LX	Sport	Sport SE	EX-L	Sport 2.0T	Touring
Performance
VTEC Turbo® 1.5-liter, DOHC direct-injected inline-4 engine with 192 HP/192 lb.-ft. torque	•	•	•	•
VTEC Turbo® 2.0-liter, DOHC direct-injected inline-4 engine with 252 HP/273 lb.-ft. torque					•	•
Continuously Variable Transmission	•	(with paddle shifters)	(with paddle shifters)	•
10-Speed Automatic Transmission					(with paddle shifters)	(with paddle shifters)
Remote Engine Start			•	•	•	•
Exterior
LED high/low beam headlights	Low beam	•	•	•	•	•
Auto on-off and auto high beam headlights	•	•	•	•	•	•
17-inch Aluminum Alloy Wheels	•			•
225/50R17 All-Season Tires	•			•
19-inch Aluminum Alloy Wheels		•	•		•	•
235/40R19 All-Season Tires		•	•		•	•
LED Fog Lights		•	•	•	•	•
Rear Spoiler		•	•		•
Chrome Exhaust Finishers		•	•		•	•
Rain-Sensing Wipers						•
Heated Side Mirrors			•		•	•
Side Mirrors with Turn Signals				•		•
Reverse Auto-Tilt Mirrors						•
Interior
Push Button Ignition	•	•	•	•	•	•
Dual-Zone Climate Control	•	•	•	•	•	•
Automatic Headlights	•	•	•	•	•	•
Bluetooth® Hands Free Link®	•	•	•	•	•	•
USB Audio Interface	•	•	•	•	•	•
8-Inch Display Audio	•	•	•	•	•	•
160-Watt Audio System with 4-Speakers	•
180-Watt Audio System with 8-Speakers		•	•		•
450-Watt Premium Audio System with 10-Speakers Including Subwoofer				•		•
HD Radio™ and SiriusXM® Satellite Radio			•	•	•	•
Wired Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ Integration	•	•	•	•	•	•
Wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ Integration				•	•	•
Wireless Phone Charger				•	•	•
TFT Color Meter	•	•	•	•	•	•
Driver's Seat with Manual Height Adjustment	•
12-Way Power Driver's Seat		•	•	•	•	•
Memory Driver's Seat				•		•
Cloth Seats	•
Combination Seat		•			•
Leather Seats			•	•		•
Heated Front Seats			•	•	•	•
Heated and Ventilated Front Seats						•
Heated Outboard Rear Seats						•
4-Way Power Passenger Front Seat			•	•		•
Leather-Wrapped Steering Wheel				•
Leather-Wrapped Steering Wheel with Paddle Shifters		•	•		•	•
Rear USB Chargers (2.5v)		•	•	•	•	•
Leather-Wrapped Shift Knob		•	•	•	•	•
Sport Pedals		•	•		•
Smart Entry			•	•	•	•
Remote Engine Start			•	•	•	•
One-Touch Power Moonroof with Tilt Feature				•	•	•
Automatic-Dimming Rearview Mirror with HomeLink®				•	•	•
HondaLink®						•
Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System™						•
Head-Up Display						•
Safety and Driver-Assistive Technologies
Honda Sensing®	•	•	•	•	•	•
Multi-View Rear Camera	•	•	•	•	•	•
8 Airbags, Including Driver and Passenger Front Knee Airbag	•	•	•	•	•	•
Blind Spot Information System				•	•	•
Cross Traffic Monitor				•	•	•
Parking Sensors				•	•	•
Low Speed Braking Control						•

Accord Hybrid Key Features

Feature	LX	EX	EX-L	Touring
Performance
2.0-liter, DOHC, i-VTEC® Atkinson-cycle inline-4 engine; AC Synchronous Permanent-Magnet Electric Motor; 212 total system horsepower, 232 lb.-ft. torque	•	•	•	•
Remote Engine Start	•	•	•	•
Exterior
LED High/Low Beam Headlights	Low beam	•	•	•
Auto on-off and auto high beam headlights	•	•	•	•
17-Inch Aluminum Alloy Wheels	•	•	•
225/50R17 All-Season Tires	•	•	•
19-Inch Aluminum Alloy Wheels				•
235/40R19 All-Season Tires				•
LED Fog Lights		•	•	•
Rain-Sensing Wipers				•
Heated Side Mirrors	•	•	•	•
Side Mirrors with Turn Signals			•	•
Reverse Auto-Tilt Mirrors				•
Interior
Push Button Ignition	•	•	•	•
Dual-Zone Climate Control	•	•	•	•
Automatic Headlights	•	•	•	•
Bluetooth® Hands Free Link®	•	•	•	•
USB Audio Interface	•	•	•	•
8-Inch Display Audio	•	•	•	•
160-Watt Audio System with 4-Speakers	•
180-Watt Audio System with 8-Speakers		•
450-Watt Premium Audio System with 10-Speakers Including Subwoofer			•	•
HD Radio™ and SiriusXM® Satellite Radio		•	•	•
Wired Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™	•	•	•	•
Wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™		•	•	•
Wireless Phone Charger		•	•	•
TFT Color Meter	•	•	•	•
Driver's Seat with Manual Height Adjustment	•
12-Way Power Driver's Seat		•	•	•
Memory Driver's Seat			•	•
Cloth Seats	•	•
Leather Seats			•	•
Heated Front Seats		•	•	•
Heated and Ventilated Front Seats				•
Heated Outboard Rear Seats				•
4-Way Power Passenger Front Seat			•	•
Steering Wheel with Paddle Shifters	•	•
Leather-Wrapped Steering Wheel with Paddle Shifters			•	•
Rear USB Chargers (2.5v)		•	•	•
Smart Entry	•	•	•	•
Remote Engine Start	•	•	•	•
One-Touch Power Moonroof with Tilt Feature		•	•	•
Automatic-Dimming Rearview Mirror with HomeLink®			•	•
HondaLink®				•
Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System™				•
Head-Up Display				•
Safety and Driver-Assistive Technologies
Honda Sensing®	•	•	•	•
Multi-View Rear Camera	•	•	•	•
8 Airbags, Including Driver and Passenger Front Knee Airbag	•	•	•	•
Blind Spot Information System		•	•	•
Cross Traffic Monitor		•	•	•
Parking Sensors			•	•
Low Speed Braking Control				•

About Honda
Honda offers a full line of clean, safe, fun and connected vehicles sold through more than 1,000 independent U.S. Honda dealers. Honda has the highest fleet average fuel economy and lowest CO2 emissions of any major full-line automaker in America, according to the latest data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Honda lineup includes the Fit, Civic, Insight, Accord and Clarity series passenger cars, along with the HR-V, CR-V, Passport and Pilot sport utility vehicles, the Ridgeline pickup and the Odyssey minivan. Honda's electrified vehicle lineup includes the Accord Hybrid, CR-V Hybrid, Insight hybrid-electric sedan, and the Clarity Fuel Cell and Clarity Plug-In Hybrid.

Honda has been producing automobiles in America for 38 years and currently operates 19 major manufacturing facilities in North America. In 2019, more than 90 percent of all Honda vehicles sold in the U.S. were made in North America, using domestic and globally-sourced parts.