The Chronicle Herald (Provincial)
Hard choice between Camry, Accord hybrids
With automakers falling over themselves to launch their newest and shiniest electric vehicles, with Nasa-like battery technology and ever-increasing range, it’s easy to dismiss plain old hybrid expertise — the type successfully pioneered by Toyota with its Prius line of cars some 20 years ago — as a simple way to achieve decent fuel economy and lower emissions.
Admittedly, hybrids are a mere stepping stone to the totally green transportation envisioned by 2050, but they’re also a lot more affordable, less complicated and therefore more palatable to a greater percentage of consumers.
However, hybrid powertrains still aren’t an overly popular sell, especially in cars. Toyota Canada in particular notes that 16 per cent of its Camry sales are the Hybrid, Honda Canada stating less than 10 per cent of its Accord sales are hybrid.
That said, it’s heartening to see some manufacturers refusing to give up, including adding the technology to their lines of popular crossovers.
Still, for this Tale of the Tape, we’ll look at the former — two mid-sized, highly respected sedans from two highly respected automakers. While not brand new, both the 2021 Accord and Camry hybrids receive mid-cycle refreshes, with minor cosmetic tweaks along with updates to various driving and safety features.
MODELS
The 2021 Accord Hybrid is available in two trim levels, the base and the fancier Hybrid Touring. Toyota counters with four trim levels for the Camry Hybrid, starting with the LE, then continuing with the sportier SE, the sport/luxe XSE and the top-line.
STYLING
For the 2021 model year, all Accords boast a wider, restyled grille along with improved integration of the Honda Sensing system’s radar unit. Flanking the new grille are new, full LED headlights with longer and wider down-the-road illumination.
Also new are smaller openings for the fog lights. Visually, the Accord Hybrid adds its own touches, mostly unique badging all around. This year, the Hybrid Touring features 19-inch wheels for a more upscale and sporty appearance.
The 2021 Camry, whether gas- or hybrid-powered, see very subtle styling tweaks. The front fascia for the “comfortoriented” LE and XLE has a more defined lower intake area compared with SE and XSE. In addition to the different front fascia, the new XSE trim comes with gloss black 19-inch wheels.
POWERTRAIN
There are more similarities than differences between Honda and Toyota’s approaches to their hybrid setups, the size of their respective four-cylinder gas engines and the terminology used being the biggest distinctions.
Honda notes updates to its “two-motor” hybrid system, which consists of a 2.0-litre, DOHC, I-VTEC Atkinsoncycle engine and an AC synchronous permanent-magnet electric motor. The company says these changes result in “a more direct and immediate throttle response with a more natural acceleration feeling as engine revs climb in concert with throttle input.”
Peak total system output is 212 horsepower, and with a peak torque delivery of 232 pound-feet of torque right off idle, Honda claims the Accord Hybrid provides the most power and torque in its class. Power is fed to the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission.
The hybrid powertrain control system switches between EV Drive, Hybrid Drive and Engine Drive for maximum efficiency with no input from the driver. Honda notes that drivers can further maximize fuel efficiency or power by selecting between Sport, EV, and Econ modes using the three buttons behind the pushbutton gear selector.
Meanwhile, the Camry Hybrid’s powertrain centres around Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive, “the most popular and proven advanced power train on the planet,” the company boasts. This system combines a 2.5L DOHC Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder producing 176 hp and 163 lb-ft of torque.
Paired with the 118-hp electric motor, the total hybrid system net output is 208 hp. It’s mated to an electronically controlled CVT that mimics a six-speed automatic transmission via paddle shifters (on SE and XSE trims) or with the console-mounted shift lever.
Along with the traditional Normal, Eco, and EV drive system modes, a Sport mode allows for an increase in power from the hybrid system for improved acceleration.
One interesting feature is
Auto Glide Control (AGC), which helps to improve fuel efficiency by calculating “efficient coasting logic.” AGC can be activated only when the Camry is being operated in Eco, limiting the loss of vehicle speed through engine braking and acting more like a neutral gear to allow longer coasting.
FUEL EFFICIENCY
Well, this is really what it’s all about, isn’t it? Foregoing fanfare, the official results from NRCAN are thus: the Camry Hybrid is rated 4.9 L /100 kilometres in the city and 4.8 on the highway. The base Accord Hybrid is rated at 5.0 L/100 km for both city and highway, the Touring version a little thirstier at 5.3 and 5.7 in the city and highway, respectively.
DIMENSIONS
It’s a matter of mere millimetres difference between these two four-door, mid-sized sedans in terms of major dimensions — length, height and wheelbase, with the Accord Hybrid just a teensy bit larger overall. However, in terms of interior room, there’s slightly more stretch-out space in the Accord, more so for rear-seat passengers who get a couple of extra inches of legroom. The
SAFETY
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the U.S. has given both sedans a five-star safety rating.
VERDICT
It would be hard to find two more similar vehicles that are virtually identical in exterior dimensions, and close enough in interior dimensions, powertrain outputs, and pricing.
The Accord is a bit quicker, the Camry a little more fuel efficient. Though neither could be called luxury sedans, their respective topline trims offer an impressive list of features.
Consumer Reports recommends both cars, but lauds the Camry as “one of the best models among midsized sedans thanks to a comfortable ride, quiet cabin, good fuel economy, and easy-to-use controls.”
All things considered, one of the only reasons to give the nod to the Camry Hybrid is that it offers four specific trim levels to the Accord Hybrid’s two, with price points lower at both the base and top end.