2017 Honda Accord Hybrid

Regardless of whether you select the base Hybrid, the volume EX-L, or the range-topping Touring, you're picking up a mid-size sedan that returns an EPA-estimated 49 miles per gallon city and 47 mpg on the highway, with a combined rating of 48 mpg. Those are genuinely impressive fuel economy stats, allowing the Accord Hybrid to cover just over 774 miles on a single tank of fuel.

Those numbers are possible thanks to a thrifty 212-horsepower powertrain that pairs a 2.4-liter gas engine with a pair of electric motors and a lithium-ion battery. The Accord Hybrid sends its power to the front wheels via a complicated ballet of electronics and mechanicals that mimics the behavior of a continuously variable transmission.

Despite coming in three trims – Hybrid, EX-L, and Touring – Honda covers a relatively narrow swath of prices with the Accord Hybrid, starting at $30,480 and topping out at $36,830 (including $875 in destination charges). Befitting of the high-ish price, even the base Accord Hybrid comes with a healthy roster of standard equipment, including:

• Honda's advanced Sensing safety system
• Rear-view camera
• Dual-zone climate control
• Push-button start
• 10-way power driver's seat
• Bluetooth phone/audio connectivity
• 17-inch alloy wheels

• Because electric motors produce their maximum amount of torque instantly, the Accord Hybrid is surprisingly quick off the line.
• With the electric motors doing a lot of the leg work, the Accord Hybrid is impressively quiet, especially at freeway speeds.
• Despite a weight penalty for the hybrid powertrain and a comfortable ride, this is still a fun sedan to tackle a twisty road with.

• There are numerous reports of the Accord Hybrid failing to hit its EPA-estimated numbers.
• Dig too heavily into the gas pedal, and the unusually buzzy engine dominates the driving experience. It's noisy and very un-like Honda, a brand revered for its silky smooth engines.
• The electronic CVT doesn't help the engine noise problem, keeping the engine speed in the noisy part of the tachometer.

• Interior fit and finish is exactly what we expect from Honda – the Accord Hybrid feels solid and well built.
• Both front and back seats are comfortable over longer distances.

• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are only available on EX-L and Touring models.
• The Accord's interior is well built, but it's starting to feel stale, relative to the more expressive cabins on competitive models.
• The Hybrid loses a few cubic feet of cargo space compared to the standard Sedan.

Alongside the Mazda 6, the Accord has long been the most engaging mid-size family sedan. That Honda managed to retain that charming driving character while delivering segment-leading fuel economy is an impressive feat. This hybrid isn't boring.

The EPA's promised fuel economy figures are notoriously difficult to achieve in most cars, but the reports of the Accord Hybrid's underachievement – one CarsDirect staffer reported meager fuel economy in the mid 30-mpg range – is startling.

The Accord Hybrid is a gamble. While fuel prices are affordable now, purchasing Honda's fuel-sipping mid-size sedan is a smart way to financially insulate yourself from wild pricing swings. But even if fuel prices stay the same, a $30,000 family car that promises well over 700 miles per tank – particularly one that drives as well as the Accord Hybrid – is still a smart buy. We'll take an EX-L in Modern Steel with a black interior, please.