Honda Hybrid Stem Wins Wards Auto 10 Best Engine & Propulsion Award

Rairdon’s Honda of Sumner is proud to announce that the latest version of the Honda Two-Motor Hybrid Electric System has received a “Wards 10 Best Engines & Propulsion Systems” award from the experts at WardsAuto. An industry-leading automotive research and intelligence resource since 1924, WardsAuto stands for issuing awards not for entire cars, but rather for important vehicle aspects such as drivetrains and interior design. The award goes to the 4th generation of the two-motor system which can be found in the 2023 Accord Hybrid with a variant in the 2023 CR-V. Hybrid models currently account for over 50% of Accord and CR-V sales. 

What Won the Award?

Honda’s two-motor hybrid system uses a version of Honda’s 2.0-liter Inline-4 using Atkinson-cycle valve timing. The engine is primarily used for powering a generator to produce electricity that is then fed through the battery to a second drive electric motor connecting to the Accord’s or CR-V’s front wheels. Absent in the system is a transmission as the drive motor can smoothly move the car at all speeds from just starting from a stop to highway speeds. At sustained highway speeds, the engine can be clutched in to drive the wheels directly. This means the car is generally electrically powered at anything below cruising speed. 

In the Accord, the system provides 204 combined system horsepower and 247 lb-ft of torque. This makes the 2023 Accord Hybrid the most powerful Accord ever while delivering an impressive EPA-estimated city/highway/combined fuel economy of 51 / 44 / 48 in a large, roomy sedan. The power levels are the same in the CR-V Hybrid where the same EPA figures are 43 / 36 / 40 for the 2WD model and 40 / 34 / 37 with AWD.

WardsAuto praised the system for “combining smoothness, fuel economy, and battery-electric vehicle-like quickness in an affordable package.” WardsAuto Judge Drew Winter said this of the 2023 Accord Hybrid: “Best hybrid I’ve ever driven, and I’ve driven a lot of hybrids in my day.”

Both Accord and CR-V Were New for 2023

The Accord was all new for 2023. The 11th generation of the best-selling sedan is longer and sleeker with a broad stance. It has a premium-brand appearance with a low horizontal beltline and a long, powerful front end. America’s most popular sedan backs up its sleek new looks with more confident and refined dynamics, improved responsiveness, and a more fun-to-drive personality, particularly with the hybrid drivetrain which is the sole drivetrain of the model line’s top four trim levels. The 6th generation CR-V was also new for the 2023 model year in which rear seat passengers gained legroom and can recline their seat backs up to 10.5 degrees and are protected by rear side torso airbags. 

Both these models are already known for doing everything they are expected to do, very well, and now the hybrid models have been recognized with an award-winning drivetrain. If you are considering a new sedan or crossover, A visit to Rairdon’s Honda of Sumner to see the Accord or CR-V is an absolute must.