2023 Honda Accord Hybrid vs 2024 Nissan Sentra

The 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid, especially in its Touring trim, showcased a blend of nostalgia and modern elegance. During a test drive in New York’s Hudson Valley, the car’s sleek exterior drew numerous positive responses. Its design, reminiscent of luxury sedans like the Audi A7, featured a redesigned front grille, updated LED lighting, and a longer body, giving it a refined, near-luxury appearance. The interior boasted a new dashboard design, a 12.3-inch touchscreen, and a black leather finish, enhancing its upscale feel.

In contrast, the 2024 Nissan Sentra received updated styling for a more modern look. The wider grille, new headlight design, and chrome trim gave it a broader appearance. The Sentra’s design avoided the eccentricity of some competitors while maintaining a stylish flair. The interior featured large round air vents inspired by the Z sports car, a plunging dashboard, and a flat-bottom steering wheel. The SR trim added red-orange accent stitching and optional leather upholstery, providing a distinctive design.

The 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid was powered by 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 (CVT). Despite lacking all-wheel drive, the Accord Hybrid offered smooth and efficient performance, seamlessly switching between electric and gas power. The suspension provided a balanced ride, absorbing road imperfections without being overly firm or soft. The regenerative braking system, with six levels of regen, allowed for fine-tuning, enhancing the driving experience.

The 2024 Nissan Sentra, on the other hand, featured a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 149 horsepower and 146 pound-feet of torque, also paired with a CVT. The reengineered CVT aimed to improve fuel efficiency and smooth operation. While the Sentra focused more on efficiency than performance, it offered pleasant driving dynamics with precise steering and a comfortable suspension setup. However, the CVT exhibited an unexpected surge of acceleration around 45 mph, which might be addressed in production models.

The 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid’s cabin adopted a layout similar to the Civic and CR-V, featuring a strip of honeycomb mesh trim hiding the air vents. The dashboard housed a 12.3-inch touchscreen and physical controls for climate and audio settings. The front seats provided excellent support, while the rear seats offered 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 Nissan Sentra offered decent interior space, particularly in the front row, with comfortable Zero Gravity seats and excellent forward visibility. However, rear-seat legroom was less than its rivals. The Sentra’s interior featured practical elements like large cupholders, a phone slot, and a small change slot. The All-Weather Package added heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and dual-zone climate control. The trunk space was 14.3 cubic feet, with a 60/40 split-folding rear bench seat for added versatility.

The 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid came with a 12.3-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless charging pad, and a head-up display. The Touring trim included advanced tech features like Amazon Alexa, “Hey Google” virtual assistant, and a 12-speaker Bose audio system. The intuitive menus and physical controls for volume and climate made the system user-friendly.

The 2024 Nissan Sentra’s base model featured a 7-inch touchscreen and a 4.2-inch instrument cluster display with analog gauges. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, but only wired versions. Higher trims offered an 8-inch touchscreen, a 7-inch instrument cluster display, and a six-speaker audio system. The Premium Package added an eight-speaker Bose audio system and Wi-Fi connectivity. However, the graphics on the screens appeared dated compared to competitors.

The 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid came with a comprehensive suite of safety features, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and traffic sign recognition. The Touring trim added a multi-angle rearview camera, parking sensors, and a head-up display. The Accord Hybrid earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS, scoring “Good” in all crash tests and achieving high marks for its safety features.

The 2024 Nissan Sentra’s safety ratings were less impressive. It received mixed ratings from the IIHS, with “Good” in the original side-impact test but only “Acceptable” in the updated version. The Sentra’s headlights received a “Poor” rating. The NHTSA provided five stars for rollover and side crash tests, but other ratings were unavailable. The Sentra included standard safety features like forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-departure warning. Higher trims added adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera system.