2021 Honda Accord Hybrid vs 2020 Volkswagen Passat

The 2020 Volkswagen Passat bore a striking resemblance to its predecessors from 2012 to 2019, as well as the recently redesigned VW Jetta. It adopted Jetta's styling cues, giving it a familiar yet refreshed appearance. Inside, the Passat's dashboard retained the architectural T-square design of the previous model, featuring a modest 6.3-inch touchscreen infotainment screen. The interior was dominated by cheap, glossy plastic, which, while easy to clean, lacked the sophistication of newer VW models. The Passat was designed to be user-friendly, with easy access, simple controls, and a comfortable driving experience. It was available in four trims: S, SE, R-Line, and SEL, with prices ranging from $22,995 to $31,095.

In contrast, the 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid was a visually appealing car with a well-proportioned and stylish design. Minor front styling changes for the year included a new grille, revised bumper, and new headlights. The Touring trim level featured new 19-inch aluminum wheels and a new Sonic Gray Pearl paint color. The test vehicle, an Accord Touring in Lunar Silver, had a dark undertone that avoided the typical brightness of silver metallic paint. The interior was upscale, with simulated matte-finish wood trim, robust controls, and polished metallic accents. The Accord's cabin was spacious, with logically arranged controls and excellent outward visibility. The 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display included both a volume knob and a tuning knob, making it user-friendly.

The 2020 Volkswagen Passat was equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, producing 174 horsepower and 206 pound-feet of torque. It used regular gasoline and was paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission that powered the front wheels. The Passat's powertrain was simple, with a Sport transmission setting and steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. The car's torque allowed it to accelerate smoothly, although the transmission occasionally upshifted too eagerly. The Passat averaged 26 mpg, just shy of the EPA's 27-mpg rating. The steering was light and precise, and the brakes were effective, though a bit grabby. The suspension tuning was a mixed bag, with a stiff ride over sharp bumps and a floaty feel over undulations. Despite these issues, the Passat conveyed important road surface information, thanks to its German engineering.

The 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid featured a two-motor hybrid system with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine, a generator/starter motor, and a separate electric drive motor powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. This setup produced a combined 212 horsepower and 232 pound-feet of torque, with torque available immediately and remaining constant up to 2,000 rpm. The Accord Hybrid accelerated to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds and achieved 48 mpg in combined driving, except for the Touring trim, which earned a 43-mpg rating due to its larger wheels and tires. The powertrain operated in three modes: EV Drive, Hybrid Drive, and Engine Drive, with additional driver-selectable modes for EV, Econ, and Sport. The 2021 model year saw improvements in throttle response and overall refinement. The Accord Hybrid Touring averaged 42.8 mpg, matching the EPA's rating. The car handled well, with excellent grip and a compliant ride, and the brake-by-wire regenerative braking system was effective.

The 2020 Volkswagen Passat was designed with American consumers in mind, offering a spacious interior with wide, comfortable seats, large door openings, and ample room for five passengers. The car featured sizable cupholders, plenty of storage bins and trays, and excellent outward visibility. Cloth upholstery was standard on the Passat S, while the SE and R-Line trims had V-Tex leatherette seats. The SEL trim came with genuine leather sport seats. The trunk offered 15.9 cubic feet of space, with a flat load floor and the ability to accommodate full-size suitcases and compact folding strollers. The trunk lid opened fully with the key fob, and grips on both sides made it easy to close.

The 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid impressed with its spacious interior, competing as a midsize sedan but offering full-size sedan space. The 12-way power-adjustable driver's seat and enormous back seat provided excellent leg support. The Touring trim included heated and ventilated front seats and heated rear seats. Interior storage was generous, with a large center console bin, a covered compartment with an available wireless smartphone charger, and large door panel bins. The Accord Hybrid's trunk measured 16.7 cubic feet, larger than any competitor in the segment, and featured 60/40 split-folding rear seats for added utility.

The 2020 Volkswagen Passat lacked the latest infotainment and Digital Cockpit technologies, but its 6.3-inch touchscreen display included App Connect, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, HD and SiriusXM satellite radio, a CD player, and Bluetooth. The SEL trim added navigation and a Fender premium sound system. The infotainment system was simple and user-friendly, with physical buttons and knobs. The test car also had an optional remote engine start system, and the SEL trim offered a parking steering-assist system.

For 2021, Honda made its 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system standard on the base Accord Hybrid, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The EX trim added wireless connectivity for these platforms, improved USB port access, and quick-charge USB ports for rear-seat passengers. Wireless smartphone charging was standard on EX trim and higher. The EX-L trim featured a premium sound system, while the Touring trim included navigation, HondaLink subscription services, and a WiFi hotspot. The system worked well, but voice commands required specific prompts. The navigation system struggled to locate the nearest hospital, highlighting a limitation in voice-activated functionality.

The 2020 Volkswagen Passat came standard with forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, and an automatic post-collision braking system. The SE trim added adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist, while the SEL trim included parking assist sensors and adaptive headlights. The Passat earned the top rating of Good in crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid aimed to earn a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS by redesigning its LED headlights and making them standard across all trims. The car also included a rear-seat reminder and rear seatbelt reminder system. The Touring model gained low-speed braking control and front and rear automatic emergency braking. The Honda Sensing suite of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) received refinements for smoother operation. However, the system remained somewhat intrusive, and the low-speed automatic braking system needed recalibration. The lane departure warning system also required improvement.