2020 Honda Accord Hybrid vs 2020 MINI Cooper

The 2020 MINI Cooper stood out on the road with its unique design, featuring wide-eyed LED headlights, a grinning front grille, and vibrant color options. The Union Jack taillights were a crowd favorite, adding to the car's charm without appearing wasteful or gaudy. Initially available as a two-door hardtop, the MINI Cooper evolved to include a convertible variant, a four-door body style, and an all-electric SE trim. The SE trim maintained the design elements of the Cooper S but sat slightly higher to accommodate the battery cells. Inside, the MINI Cooper's design was dominated by circular elements, from the speakers to the air vents, and the premium feel was unmatched in cars of its size.

In contrast, the 2020 Honda Accord Hybrid looked almost identical to its non-hybrid counterparts, with only subtle "Hybrid" badges and aerodynamic 17-inch aluminum wheels setting it apart. This approach was smart, as it avoided the odd design cues that often discourage buyers. The Accord Hybrid was available in four trim levels: Hybrid, Hybrid EX, Hybrid EX-L, and Hybrid Touring, with prices starting at $25,620. The Hybrid EX trim, priced at $29,520, offered a comprehensive package of driver-assistance and infotainment technologies, making it a recommended choice. The interior featured comfortable leather seats and simulated matte-finish wood trim, giving the car an upscale look and feel.

The 2020 MINI Cooper SE excelled in performance with its 181-horsepower electric motor and 199 pound-feet of torque, powered by a 32.6-kilowatt-hour battery pack. These figures were just below the Cooper S's 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine, which generated 189 hp and 207 lb-ft. The SE felt quick off the line due to the immediacy of the electric motor's torque delivery. The SE also featured regenerative braking, which could be aggressive but helped keep the battery charged. Despite a 300-pound weight penalty due to the battery, the SE maintained a low center of gravity, providing a planted feel in corners. The SE used a single-speed gearbox, while gas-powered Coopers employed either a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission or an eight-speed automatic in the John Cooper Works trim.

The 2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, with its 2.0-liter 4-cylinder and two-motor hybrid powertrain, delivered 212 combined horsepower and 232 lb-ft of torque. During testing, the Accord Hybrid achieved 42.6 mpg in combined driving, slightly below the EPA's estimate of 48 mpg. The car returned 44.1 mpg in city and suburban driving and 41.2 mpg after a spirited drive in Sport mode. The Accord Hybrid was quick enough to lead traffic from a stoplight and felt responsive in Sport mode, though the electronic continuously variable transmission (eCVT) produced a noticeable drone under hard acceleration. The added weight of the hybrid system helped lower the car's center of gravity, but it lacked grace on undulating pavement. Overall, the Accord Hybrid provided a blend of ride, handling, and road communication that made it enjoyable to drive.

The 2020 MINI Cooper hatchback was not ideal for carpooling or long road trips due to its limited interior space. The front seats offered good space, but the backseat was tiny and best suited for children. The two-door Cooper provided 8.7 cubic feet of cargo space, while the four-door variant offered 13.1 cubic feet. The Convertible had only 5.7 cubic feet of cargo space. Dropping the rear seats in the SE trim provided a maximum of 25.8 cubic feet. Despite the limited space, the MINI Cooper featured thoughtful design elements, such as two-zone automatic air conditioning, chrome toggle switches, and high-quality materials.

The 2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, on the other hand, offered a full-size interior and trunk, making it an appealing family sedan. The backseat provided exceptional thigh support, rear air-conditioning vents, and available USB charging ports. However, the front seats lacked height adjustment, which could be an issue for taller drivers. The seat cushions were comfortable, and the Touring trim included front heating and ventilation and rear heating. The Accord Hybrid's trunk offered 16.7 cubic feet of space, enough to fit four full-size suitcases and additional smaller items. The car also featured a 60/40 split-folding rear seatback for added utility.

The 2020 MINI Cooper SE featured an "eDrive" driver-information display connected to the steering wheel, which could be adjusted via the seat controls. The display showed vehicle speed, time, mileage, remaining charge, and drive mode. The SE's 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment display included Bluetooth connectivity, navigation, and Apple CarPlay. The SE Iconic trim added an 8.8-inch screen, a wireless charging pad, and a head-up display.

The 2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, starting with the EX trim, offered a robust Display Audio infotainment system with a power and volume knob, a tuning and scrolling knob, and shortcut buttons. The system included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, HD Radio, basic HondaLink services, and quick-charge USB ports. The EX-L trim added a premium sound system, while the Touring trim included navigation, HD digital traffic data, a wireless smartphone charger, Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, a WiFi hotspot, and expanded HondaLink service plans. HondaLink features included in-car delivery of Amazon packages, a Find My Car function, a stolen-vehicle locator, and smartphone remote locking, unlocking, and engine starting. The Touring trim also featured a head-up display (HUD) visible with polarized sunglasses.

The 2020 MINI Cooper SE lacked advanced safety features, with only front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera included in the Iconic package. Forward-collision warning was standard, but automatic emergency braking was unavailable. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) did not rate the MINI Cooper, but the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave it top marks with "Good" scores in all crash tests.

The 2020 Honda Accord Hybrid included Honda Sensing, a suite of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) such as adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, traffic-sign-recognition technology, and a road-departure-mitigation system. The Accord Hybrid also featured automatic high-beam headlights, a multi-angle reversing camera, and SmartVent front side airbags. The EX trim and higher included a blind-spot-warning system with rear cross-traffic alert. The Accord received the highest possible ratings from the IIHS and 5-star crash-test ratings from the NHTSA.