2023 Honda Accord Hybrid vs 2024 Honda Civic

The 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid, especially in its top-tier Touring trim, evoked a sense of nostalgia during its test drive in New York’s scenic Hudson Valley. The village of Accord, N.Y., served as a fitting backdrop, reminiscent of the original Accord’s U.S. sales brochure from 1977. The new Accord, with its elegant exterior, often drew comparisons to luxury sedans like the Audi A7, thanks to its sleek lines and refined design. The updated model, stretching nearly three inches longer, featured a redesigned front grille, blacked-out LED headlights, and taillights that spanned the rear width, giving it a planted stance accentuated by a long, flowing roofline.

In contrast, the 2024 Honda Civic Si continued the legacy of compact, quick, and fun cars, reminiscent of the sporty 1983 Volkswagen Rabbit GTI. The Civic Si, approaching its 40th anniversary, maintained its stealth-mode styling, featuring LED headlights, a gloss-black lip spoiler, dual exhaust outlets, and 18-inch matte-black wheels. Inside, the Civic Si was more expressive with red seat and door panel inserts, metal mesh trim hiding the dashboard air vents, and a combination of gloss black surfaces and polished metal detailing. The base price of the Civic Si was $29,100, with our test car’s Blazing Orange Pearl paint adding to the overall cost.

The 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid was equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with two electric motors, delivering 204 horsepower to the front wheels via a continuously variable automatic transmission. Despite lacking all-wheel drive, the Accord Hybrid offered smooth and efficient performance, seamlessly switching between electric and gas power. The suspension effectively absorbed road imperfections, providing a balanced ride. The regenerative braking system, upgraded to six levels, allowed for fine-tuning, enhancing the driving experience. The Accord Hybrid’s agile handling made it relaxing to drive in various environments, and its increased length did not hinder its maneuverability in tight spots.

The 2024 Honda Civic Si, on the other hand, featured a high-output version of the turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 200 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque. Paired with a close-ratio six-speed manual transmission, the Civic Si offered an engaging driving experience. The drivetrain included a single-mass lightweight flywheel and a helical limited-slip differential, enhancing cornering performance. Larger brakes, thicker suspension stabilizer bars, and an Si-only dual-pinion variable-ratio steering system contributed to its sporty handling. The Civic Si’s driving modes, including Normal, Sport, and Individual, adjusted throttle response and steering effort, making it a fun and responsive car to drive. However, the braking system showed signs of overheating during intense driving, which was a concern.

The 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid’s cabin adopted the layout from Honda’s Civic and CR-V models, featuring a strip of honeycomb mesh trim hiding the dash-mounted air vents. The infotainment screen was prominently placed atop the dashboard, with convenient buttons and dials for climate control within easy reach. The traditional gearshift replaced the previous button system, providing a more intuitive experience. The front seats offered excellent support, and the rear seats provided generous legroom and shoulder room, though headroom was slightly compromised by the sleek roofline. The trunk space was ample at 16.7 cubic feet, with a low load floor for easy access.

The 2024 Honda Civic Si balanced practicality with performance, featuring sport-bolstered front seats and a manual transmission. The front seats, wrapped in cloth, provided secure support during spirited driving, though entering and exiting the car required more effort due to its low stance. The Civic Si included single-zone automatic climate control, heated exterior mirrors, and a power sunroof, but lacked heated front seats and rear-seat air conditioning vents. The rear seats were surprisingly roomy, with generous legroom and a supportive cushion. The trunk offered 14.4 cubic feet of cargo space, with the ability to stow full-size suitcases on their sides and a 60/40-split folding back seat for longer items.

The 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid came with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless device charging pad, “Hey Google” virtual assistant, Amazon Alexa, and a head-up display. The Touring trim included a 12-speaker Bose audio system, HD radio, and four USB ports. The intuitive menus and physical volume knob and climate control buttons made the system user-friendly.

The 2024 Honda Civic Si featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, lacking a native navigation system but including Bluetooth, text-messaging support, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, HD Radio, and HondaLink connected services. The system was easy to use, with a knob for stereo power and volume, buttons for tuning radio stations, and steering wheel controls for volume and track adjustments. The 12-speaker Bose Centerpoint premium audio system provided impressive sound quality.

The 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid came with a comprehensive suite of active safety features, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, pedestrian and cyclist detection, and a rear-seat reminder. The Touring trim added a multi-angle rearview camera, front and rear parking sensors, and a head-up display. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were optional. The Accord Hybrid earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS, scoring “Good” in all crash tests.

The 2024 Honda Civic Si included the Honda Sensing suite, with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high-beam headlights. However, the lane-keeping and lane-centering assist systems were not always reliable. The Civic Si earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA.