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Prius vs. Accord Hybrid Review

Toyota Prius vs. Honda Accord Hybrid Review

Are you trying to decide between the two highest MPG production cars sold in the USA? They are the Toyota Prius and Honda Accord Hybrid Hybrid. This Web page will hopefully help you decide. The reviewer has road-tested both cars. The best features or specs in each category are highlighted in green.

1. Fuel/MPG

The EPA ratings for these cars are below. Actual mileage will differ due to many reasons, for example running of heaters or air conditioning. It is best to use an accepted standard to compare, such as the US Government EPA rating. They are below (green showing winner). The Prius mileage varies by model (so a range is given):

	City	Highway	Combined
Toyota Prius	44-58	40-53	42-56
Honda Accord Hybrid	47	49	48

Note that the EPA 'Actual Driver MPG' for the Prius averages 50.8, and the Accord averages 39.8 (the latter significantly higher than the EPA's own tests).

The bottom line is:

- The Prius is optimized for city driving, so is significantly more efficient in mostly-city-driving situations

- The Accord is optimized for highway driving, where it is much closer in MPG to the Prius (and nearly equal using the 'Actual Driver MPG' statistics)

There is a plug-in version of the Prius which can dramatically improve MPG for commuters who have relatively short drives to work and can charge their battery overnight. For more information, see:

Toyota's Prius plug-in page

2. Price

The prices for both vehicles are very competitive. The comparison of base model MSRP is as follows:

	MSRP
Toyota Prius	$25,000-$30,000
Honda Accord Hybrid	$29,600K

As typical with cars, added options, destination fees, and dealer markups can substantially increase the above prices.

3. Driving

There are many aspects of usability, having both pluses and minuses. The table below summarizes the opinion of this reviewer:

	Aspect	Plus	Minus
Toyota Prius	Ignition	Opt. Remote Engine Start, car can be set to open by proximity of key kept in pocket, and started via pushbutton	Drivers who have never driven a Prius may be confused on how to start it
Honda Accord Hybrid		Car starts just like a non-hybrid, by inserting and then turning an ignition key (familiar to all drivers)	If engine is started and there is a delay before driving the car, gas is wasted
Toyota Prius	Visibility	Rear visibility is poor due to spoiler but partially compensated by opt. backup camera and opt. rear wiper	Front visibility is obscured by oversize dashboard; rear visibility is poor
Honda Accord Hybrid		Both front and rear visibility are acceptable
Toyota Prius	Gauges	Shows instantaneous MPG, trip MPG, and regeneration (diagram)	Diagram can be distracting to the driver
Honda Accord Hybrid		Shows instantaneous MPG, trip MPG, and regeneration level
Toyota Prius	Nav System	Opt. satellite nav system w/color touch-screen and speech recognition
Honda Accord Hybrid		Opt. satellite nav system w/color touch-screen and speech recognition
Toyota Prius	Traction/Control	Std. Antilock Brakes (ABS) Std. Front and Side Airbags Opt. Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) Opt. Dynamic Radar Cruise Ctl Opt. Pre-Collision System (2010)
Honda Accord Hybrid		Std. Antilock Brakes (ABS) w/Electronic Distrib. (EBD) Std. Multi-Angle Review Camera Std. Dual-Stage Front and Side Airbags Opt. Veh. Stability Assist (VSA, new in 2013) Opt. Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Opt. Fwd. Collision Mitigration Braking System (CMBS) Std. Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS) Std. Road Departure Mitigation System (RDM) Std. Honda LaneWatch Auto High-Beam Headlights
Toyota Prius	Rear-View Mirror	Opt. rear camera; span style='background:#CCFFCC;>Opt. dimming rear view mirror w/compass; Opt. Intelligent Parking
Honda Accord Hybrid		Opt. rear camera
Toyota Prius	Cruise Control 'Economy' button	Opt. cruise control 4 driving modes (2010)
Honda Accord Hybrid		Std. Cruise control
Toyota Prius	Anti-Theft	Opt. Anti-Theft system
Honda Accord Hybrid		Std, Anti-Theft system

4. Reliability

Regarding reliability of components, both Toyota and Honda have an excellent repair history. There are many new components involved in hybrids, and both of these models have not been out long enough to determine longevity of those components. Both use high quality NMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) drive batteries, along with charge controllers, which should make them last over 10 years. Here are the manufacturer warranties:

	Overall Warranty	Drivetrain Warranty	Hybrid Battery Warranty
Toyota Prius	3 yrs / 36,000 mi	5 yrs / 60,000 mi	10 yrs / 150,000 mi *
Honda Accord Hybrid	3 yrs / 36,000 mi	7 yrs / 60,000 mi	10 yrs / 150,000 mi *

* Warranty is 10yr/150,000mi in CA, MA, NY, NJ, VT, CT, ME, NM and RI; all other states 8yr/100,000mi.

5. Engine

Acceleration is slightly better for the Prius (0-60 in 10.1 sec for Prius, 10.2 for Accord), and both models are unremarkable compared to fully-gas-engine-driven sports cars.

The gasoline engine size on the 2009 Prius is 1.8L. The Accord's engine size is 1.3L. Both are 4-cylinder, and both contribute torque in combination with the electric motor(s).

Both models drive very smoothly. The Accord has a slightly smoother suspension, noticeable only on rough roads.

The turning radius is better on the Prius (34.1 for Prius, 38.1 for Accord). Both transmissions are continuously variable, so for example there are no 'clanks' from shifting. The Prius transmission has planetary gears, vs the Accord is chain-driven.

6. Comfort

The Prius has a luggage volume of 16 to 67 square feet depending upon the model. The Accord has a luggage volume of 15.8 square feet. The Prius is a hatchback, so the larger volume number is measured with the rear seat folded down. So both cars have about the same overall volume.

Both cars can seat up to 5 passengers. Comfort aspects are largely a matter of personal opinion; these are mine:

	Aspect	Plus	Minus
Toyota Prius	Seats	Seat is comfortable and adjusts forward/backward and tilt; Opt. heated front seat or leather-trim; Rear seat has 60/40 split fold down	No lumbar or up/down adjustment
Honda Accord Hybrid		Seat is comfortable and adjusts forward/backward, tilt, and up/down	no lumbar adjustment; Rear seat does not fold down
Toyota Prius	Moonroof	Opt. Moonroof with solar charger to ventilate parked car
Honda Accord Hybrid
Toyota Prius	Steering Wheel	Steering wheel is adjustable	Center console hits elbow for tall people
Honda Accord Hybrid		Steering wheel is adjustable; adequate space in driver seat on all sides
Toyota Prius	Radio	Std. AM/FM/CD 6-spkr w/MP3 jack; Opt. JBL AM/FM 9-spkr 6-disc CD changer w/XM or Sirius satellite radio (w/subscrip), MP3 jack, Bluetooth	Has dials for radio, but climate controls are all thru touch console
Honda Accord Hybrid		Std. AM/FM/CD 6-spkr with 18 Preset Scan channels and MP3 jack, XM satellite radio (w/subscrip), Bluetooth

7. Colors

Both the Toyota Prius and Accord Hybrid have a limited number of body colors available, due to their limited production. Here they are:

Toyota Prius

Super White (mdls 1/2/3/C)

Moonglow (mdls 1/2/3/4/C)

Blizzard Pearl (mdls 5/P/V)

Classic Silver Metallic (all mdls)

Black (mdls 1/2/3/4/C)

Barcelona Red Metallic (mdls 5/V)

Sea Glass Pearl (mdls 5/P/V)

Nautical Blue Metallic (mdl 5)

Winter Grey Metallic (mdls 5/P)

Magnetic Grey Metallic (mdls 1/2/3/4/C/V)

Absolutely Red (mdls 1/2/3/C)

Habanero (mdls 1/2/3/C)

Summer Rain Metallic (mdls 1/2/3/4/C)

Blue Streak Metallic (mdls 1/2/3/4/C)

Honda Accord Hybrid

Lunar Silver Metallic

Modern Steel Metallic

Crystal Black Pearl

Vortex Blue Pearl

Crimson Pearl

Mandarin Gold Metallic

Bue Sky Metallic

White Orchid Pearl

Another determinant is body style. The Toyota has an unusual exterior style that does not resemble other cars on the road; the Honda has a more conventional appearance. The choice is up to individual taste.

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