I've always wondered if the Accord Hybrid really does any better than a standard Accord V6. It doesn't seem like the 6 to 3 cylinder mode would activate very often (like how lean burn doesn't work in a Civic, unless you're *really* light on the pedal). So what numbers are you seeing?

 

I drive a 2006 Honda Accord Hybrid. I have 62,000 miles on it of which I estimate 65%-70% to be city miles and I live in Colorado where winter temperatures routinely dip into teens or lower in the mornings. I have very short commute (<5 miles) with one stop in between at kids' school. What I am trying to describe is that I drive my car under rather unfavorable for mpg conditions

My lifetime mpg is 28.3. From my observation, I average 38 mpg on the highway and 23 mpg in the city. I also drive a 2006 Honda Accord EX-V6, essentially a non-hybrid equivalent of Accord hybrid. My lifetime mpg on that car with 51,000 miles and same driving conditions is 24.3.

BTW, I do see "ECO" light come on on the hybrid very often (any time I am driving at mostly steady speed, city or highway). Supposedly engine is almost always in 3-cylinder mode when ECO comes on.

 

If the non-hybrid Accord had VCM, then it would be equivalent. But in its present state? Not really. Different engine.

I think carmakers do this on purpose because they don't want you to see that two identical cars (the only difference being the motor/battery) will get the same highway MPG and just slightly different city MPG.

So your savings between these two cars, if you ran them 150,000 miles until trade-in would be 873 gallons or $2700 dollars.

 

Compare the former generation of the Odyssey. 3.5L standard engine vs 3.5L w/VCM. If I recall correctly, the VCM version resulted in about a 1-3 MPG improvement. Not huge savings, but savings nonetheless. It's not one single technology that you should focus on, but rather a combination of technologies. The little savings here and there will add up after awhile.

Bottom line: buy the best car that fits your needs, with the best value you can find, with the best fuel economy you can get. Don't buy strictly because a vehicle is a hybrid, or has VCM, or has plaid seats... ; )

 

You asked if any one was seeing any difference between hybrid and "standard" Accord V6. I gave you my concrete numbers. Whether Those differences mean anything or not is very subjective I paid only $400 more for the hybrid compared to my then standard Accord V6, so I have my notion of whether it was worth it or not.

 

Someone on the HCH threads has comparable standard engine and hybrid engine Civics. If I recall correctly, he did a road trip with both cars at the same time and the hybrid version got better fuel economy by a pretty good margin. Rrroger, if you're that interested, go over there and see if you can find that thread. It might just answer your questions.

 

I can consider myself as a Accord Hybrid Guru. I took MPG to this car seriously and trust me when I say I have pretty much tried everything possible to make this car a fuel saver while having fun with the V6 power.


I posted my thoughts before but since this is very in-topic to what I posted in another thread, I can explain again.

This Accord Hybrid to be frank is just another crappy mild-hybrid system from Honda to what they called IMA. This is a laughable system really. Reason why HCH is having gas savings is really NOT because IMA works and that Honda did a wonderful job on their Hybrid product. The sole reason HCH is saving fuel is mainly due to the combination of 1.3L engine...not so much from the IMA electric motor.

1.3L vs. 1.8L on the regular Civic from last generation is a no brainer. 1.3L is tuned to lean burn and LESS displacement. This equals less fuel used, right? 1.8L doesn't do any Hybrid wizardry and will not Auto Stop at all. When idle it will burn and waste fuel. At HWY speed however, HCH will do worse because engine will always be revving high RPMS and the motor will not help unless you want to accelerate and pass. At cruising, you are revving that poor little 1.3L engine with no IMA assisting. Lastly, the CVT help out a lot also to fuel savings. With that said, HCH saves fuel mainly from 1.3L and the CVT...that's it. IMA is not the solution here!

Now back to our Hybrid Accords that we are interested in. Again here from the years I have driven my HAH I can solidly say...Accord Hybrid is the best Hybrid offering from Honda you can buy PLUS the best Accord you can buy before 2013 Accord Hybrid/PI Hybrid comes to our showrooms.

My thoughts are as follows on why Accord Hybrid works...don't misunderstand though that we are still using the same crappy IMA System offerfng from Honda...still a crappy system and perhaps even worse for Accord Hybrid:

1) Of all IMA offerings, our Accord Hybrid offers the 2nd weakest electronic motor good only for 15HP attached to a huge V6 motor (13HP for Honda Insight+1st Gen Civic Hybrid). Civic Hybrid 2nd Gen. offers 20HP!

2) Battery is quite good for this application in the Accord Hybrid considering it is powering the 15HP motor as well as other accessories and most importantly starting the engine as well. The HAH battery is biggest among all IMA applications (Civic, Insight, CR-Z)

3) This is most important aspect why Accord Hybrid can save more gas than the conventional V6 Accords. This is due to 3 letters...VCM! With ECO mode which is first of any Honda (I think) to add this (later on to Odyssey). ECO mode is the KEY to saving gas. If you know how to drive the Accord Hybrid to use mostly ECO mode, then this is your fuel savings there. If you don't know how to put the HAH to ECO mode, then you can kiss your MPG goodbye...simple as that.

4) Here is to face one reality of this Accord Hybrid...Simple:

a) Driving this car in the CITY in traffic (the heavier the WORSE)...you will NEVER ever get any fuel savings. In fact this Accord is heavier than conventional V6...and "Auto Stop" which is your last and only hope to save any additional fuel in comparison WILL NOT LAST. Before you know it, the battery will be drained due to AUTO STOP and starting the engine when you can move a few inches. STOP and START the engine kills the Hybrid battery way more than having A/C or HEAT on all the while. So in short, NO MPG gains in heavy traffic. Accept it...simple as that.

b) Driving the HAH in CITY with no OR not so much in traffic where you can cruise driving most of the time at any legal given city speed equals to FUEL SAVINGS. The only way this can happen is while you cruise, ALWAYS stay in ECO mode! That's the only way to save fuel, simple as that.

c) Highway in traffic...you will be in the same fate as point a). Same thing exactly....no fuel saving...no MPG gains...sorry.

d) Highway smooth sailing....MAXIMUM FUEL SAVING. In fact, INSANE fuel savings the longer distance you drive. All I am saving here is by comparison to other IMA car offerings in Honda house, fuel savings is INSANE considering you are riding on a MUSCULAR Accord with V6! My near 600km commute from Toronto to Ottawa...with mostly smooth driving between City and Highway...I got 6.3L/100kms (about 37.3MPG) with cold A/C on. I have a Fusion Hybrid as well and considering in summer days equivalent route from Toronto to Ottawa to be 5.6L/100kms (41.3MPG) with cold A/C on, The Accord Hybrid is comparable to the Fusion, agreed?



This is my single tip on how to drive HAH in maximized ECO mode...play with the pedal. This is key to success. You know you already have TONS of power with this V6 beast...you sure don't need to be reminded when your goal is to maximize fuel savings, right? So if you respect the accelerator pedal of the HAH, it will give you ECO mode, ok?

In city drive as smooth as possible to maintain cruise speed...accelerate from stop to the desire speed SMOOTHLY without any change in pedal pressure. If you drop the hammer to accelerate then MPG will fly away without question. If you respect the pedal and accelerate moderately to the speed desired...then key is to EASE the pedal slight barely touching it...let the HAH go to 5th gear (overdrive) and ECO will come constant. If you encounter hill...accelerate a little more and then ease of the pedal to ride the hills...if you do it properly you will still be in ECO mode it the speed slowly decrease. Once you are up the hill maintain light pressure and it will reward you with more ECO mode constantly.

In highway driving, simple accelerate to your desired speed and then let 5th gear come...ease the pedal and cruise. Guess what...ECO mode will be rewarded to you again.


That's it...any questions feel free to ask.

One last word...in COLD Winter...be prepared to loose all the Hybrid benefits, ok? The colder it gets, the more it will be a normal V6 Accord. This Accord Hybrid is NOT designed to handle winter too well...Honda set the IMA system pretty well to use V6 most of the time in traffic. Only chance is cruising in ECO mode which will save you fuel yet again HAH's strongest suit to save fuel.

As for the ECO mode in Odyssey...it is tuned differently but if you follow my rules above...driving the Odyssey can gain extra fuel savings...just don't expect as much as HAH, ok?

Hope this helps as I use all my finger energy to type this...hope someone will benefit from this!

 

I had the chance to drive the 2005 Accord hybrid last weekend, and by setting the cruise control to 50 miles/hour, I was able to hit 55 mpg on the highway. (I also drove a nonhybrid 2014 Accord and got the same 55mpg.) I didn't pay any attention to the ECO light, but I read elsewhere it turns on whenever the instant mpg is 24 or better.

I disagree that Honda's IMA system is poor. The whole idea is to enable a tiny 1.0 or 1.3 engine to be put inside a car, without making it feel sluggish. Prius is the same way..... I've driven both my Insight and the Prius without the battery assist, and they felt like they wanted to stall. The engine acting solo was like a lame horse.

The hybridization helps "hide" the weak power of the tiny gas-sipping engine.

 

My 2005 HAH gets
41mpg on the highway @60 mph
37mpg on the highway @75 mph
23mpg mixed
18mpg purely city driving

What I like my 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid is: it's more of a performance car (255 horse power)than gas saving hybrids with low horse power.

 

Yesterday on the way home from my work, 50 miles, I put the cruise control on once I got on the highway, 50 miles later, 57.8 mpg. All on cruise control doing 60 mph.

Today I was able to get 55.3 mpg all highway all on cruise control at 60 mph.