TOKYO: Honda has introduced Accord Sport Hybrid for the Australian market, two years after its world debut. Globally, the car is only on sale in the US, Japan, Thailand and now, Australia. The eco-friendly D-segment sedan premieres an all-new range of ‘Earth Dreams‘hybrid powertrains.
Externally, the Accord Sport Hybrid differs from its conventionally-powered siblings with the adoption of a blue-tinted front grille and headlamp assemblies. Other differences include unique 18-inch wheels, a smattering of ‘Hybrid’ badges, LED tail lights with blue accents and an exclusive rear diffuser. On the inside, the only glaring difference is a reworked instrument cluster with Eco Assist display.
Under the bonnet, lies a 2.0 litre i-VTEC port-injected petrol engine that’s hooked up to a pair of electric motors, a 1.3 kWh lithium-ion battery and a DC-DC converter, tucked under the floor, behind the fixed rear seats. The powertrain, dubbed Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive (i-MMD), is more or less the same one residing under the Accord Plug-in Hybrid, sans the plug-in element.
The petrol mill itself pumps out a total of 141 hp and 165 Nm of torque. Mated to an e-CVT setup, total power output is rated at 196 hp and 307 Nm of torque. Said transmission is not exactly a CVT in the truest sense but more of a setup comprised of various components that mimic a CVT’s operation.
Three driving modes are available – EV, Hybrid and Engine modes. In EV mode, the car operates purely on electric power but only at low speeds and up to a measly range of 2 km. The minute one puts his/her foot down, the system switches over to Hybrid mode. In Hybrid mode, the petrol engine is used to juice up the second motor in the i-MMD system to create electricity, allowing access to maximum torque from zero rpm.
Finally, in Engine mode, the electric motor gets decoupled while the Atkinson-cycle engine propels the car via the single-speed e-CVT. Said mode kicks in only once the car has reached a speed of 70 km/h, presumably because sufficient momentum would have been gathered by then.
Honda Australia has, understandably, decided to remain mum on performance figures. With that said the 2015 Honda Accord Sport Hybrid touts a fuel consumption figure of just 21.7 km/l on the Australian-spec combined cycle – bettering the 2.4 and 3.5 Accord’s figure of 12.7 and 10.9 km/l, respectively.
The Accord Sport Hybrid will be available in a single, high-spec trim. As such, it is priced at AU$58,990 (RM170, 148) – making this variant the flagship of the Accord range in Australia. To justify its price tag, the car will arrive equipped as standard with a multi-angle reverse camera, front and rear parking sensors, automatic wipers and headlights, keyless entry with start-stop and a 360-watt sound system with six speakers.
Standard safety equipment and tech include six airbags, adaptive cruise control, Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS), blind spot monitoring system and Emergency Stop Signal (ESS) system.
