The trip began in Guaruja with the usual ritual: opening the trunk, placing the bags, stacking the toiletries, sorting the souvenirs, arranging the orders, and seeing how snugly everything fit. The Honda Accord Hybrid has 574 liters of luggage space. It seems like overkill until you need it – and that was exactly the case for us.
Chris Prado and I left early. Destination: Londrina. Mission: 1200 km round trip. On the way there, it’s just the two of us. On the way back, there were four passengers – two of them over 80, my parents, Flavio and Dirs. A complete and real journey, full of nuances that only become apparent as the car crosses countries and continues through the day into the night.
And there was no surprise: the Accord Hybrid had just confirmed (again, but now on a long journey) what I already knew since the launch of the Japanese model in Brazil, in October 2023.
Unlike other tests, there was no suspense here. The Honda Accord Hybrid has a reputation for drinking a little. I know Honda engineering, I know the powertrain, and I know the results in other scenarios. What the trip did was confirm everything precisely.
- 18.6 km/l on the road
- 17.8 km/l return (more load, more heat, more traffic on one lane)
- 20 km/l on the best stretch, on the Castelo Branco highway
What’s impressive is not the isolated number, but the consistency. It didn’t matter who was behind the wheel – me or Chris. The Accord Hybrid did its job quietly. It is strange to refuel (only once every 1200 km), as the tank is very small, only 48 litres.
The engine that really drives: 184 horsepower of electricity
The secret is in Honda’s hybrid package, which has a small 1-kilowatt-hour battery that doesn’t need to be charged at a socket. The electric traction motor is the star of the car: with 184 hp (or 135 kW) and 315 Nm of torque.
The 2.0 combustion engine, with 146 hp and 174 Nm, works most of the time as a generator and as occasional support. He is almost a behind-the-scenes maestro: he leaves the stage to the electricity, but ensures that everything works in harmony. The result is a combined 207bhp and an impressive 334Nm of torque.
This arrangement gives the Accord the behavior of a large sedan with the soul of an electric car: It accelerates smoothly, responds quickly and keeps the revs low. Proof of this: at 120 km/h, the combustion engine registered only 2,200 rpm, something that was difficult to realize, also thanks to the electronic CVT transmission.
Castelo Branco: 20 km/l under clear skies
The scene was captured: a black Accord shining in the sun, a blue SP-280 license plate, a clear skyline, and that soothing feeling of the road. Here is the best average: 20 km/l.
The Castelo Branco Highway favors efficiency, but the Accord seems designed for that. Impeccable directional stability, a smooth ride, almost absolute silence on board – and look, you’ve just broken the all-electric BYD seal.
Chris Prado and I took turns directing. This rotation always provides a truer reading of the vehicle.
Cris, who took a less observant approach to consumption, benefited from the Accord’s silence and naturalness. It accelerates from 0 to 100 in 8.8 seconds. I, who like firmness when overtaking, but try to do it with good efficiency, noticed how the electric motor gives confident responses even when the car is full.
The Accord’s dynamic behavior is pure balance: stable in the curves, comfortable on the straights, predictable in every way. The sedan is large, but it never feels large, at least to those who drive it. Well, in some garages that’s not quite the case, given its length of 4.97 metres.
Night on the road – and the automatic high beams think slowly
The journey involved a long overnight drive on a winding two-way road in Paraná (BR-369). There’s one detail that stood out: the automatic high beam takes a while to react. It goes down quickly and consistently, but takes a while to appear when the introduction is clear.
With successive curves and many ups and downs on straight sections, I preferred control: high beam, low beam, high beam, low beam. Nothing serious, but noteworthy in a car so refined and costing R$332,400.
Sometimes the true test of a car reveals itself in the reactions of those sitting in the back seat. And with two elderly people over 80 years old, any vibration, noise or disturbance quickly becomes apparent. The agreement passed this test with flying colors:
- Very low vibration, even on patchy asphalt;
- Noise is almost non-existent, so much so that we can talk without raising our voices;
- Suspension is balanced and firm without being harsh;
- Wide, laminated and stable seats.
The biggest complaint came from the strong sun on the way back: there was no curtain on the back window. A simple detail, but it burned my father’s back. The back is very elongated and the sun is low and hot on the way from west to east.
The main new feature of the 2026 Honda Accord is the arrival of the integrated Google Assistant system. The digital dashboard still has a 10.2-inch display, and provides the driver with many options. The central screen is 12.3 inches, and has the option to use Google, instead of the traditional Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There are also all the safety features of Honda Sensing, which are easy to use.
The agreement also has a soul – and it appears at night
During one of our overnight stops, we parked near a revitalized old train station, at the friendly Posto Kafé, near Santa Cruz do Río Pardo (SP). Under the yellow lights, the Accord Hybrid looked like another car — sleek and luxurious, almost like an executive hatchback.
The horizontal lanterns illuminating the stone sidewalk created an unexpected cinematic scene. Those little breaks on the road are just as important as the journey.
18-inch wheels and 235/45 tires attracted attention due to their aesthetics and low noise during rolling, without drying effects. The aero package, despite its wide and low profile, did not compromise on comfort – one of the advantages of Honda’s calibration.
Bottom line: a hybrid sedan that’s a pleasure to drive
After 1,200 kilometers, you get the feeling that the Accord Hybrid is not trying to surprise, but rather trying to persuade. And he convinces:
- Big without being gross;
- Silent without isolation;
- Economical without being slow.
- Comfortable without being soft.
It’s a sedan for those who love the road. Most importantly, a sedan that makes no mistakes in the basics: efficiency, stability, silence, comfort and predictability. He did not become the hero of the journey. He was not the hero of the novel. But it was the perfect companion – and that’s exactly what a good road car does.