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2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Motor Wins Wards 10 Best Engine Award

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The 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid sedan yields EPA-estimated fuel economy of 49 mpg on the highway, but still comes with an affordable price tag

With an EPA-rated 48 mpg mileage, the 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid is the most fuel-efficient midsized hybrid sedan on the market. That’s thanks to the vehicle’s second-generation, two-motor hybrid powertrain, which also yields a best-in-class 212 total horsepower.

That blend of power and efficiency has earned the motor a spot on the Wards 10 Best Engines list, with the experts at WardsAuto writing that, “Among hybrids, this may be the best balance yet of performance and fuel economy.”

The Accord Hybrid’s 2.0-liter DOHC four-cylinder dual motor HEV was one of three electrified drivetrains to make the list, along with the Chevy Volt and Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. The remaining seven were all turbocharged engines.

“Automakers see downsizing, turbocharging and electrification as key strategies for delivering no-compromise powertrains that also are fuel efficient, and this year’s list clearly affirms that strategy,” said WardsAuto Senior Content Director Drew Winter.

Editors singled out the Honda Accord Hybrid as a “slam dunk” for the 2017 list, noting that it was the only conventional hybrid to make the cut.

“But this standout powertrain is unconventional in its ability to fool many drivers into thinking they’re not piloting a gas-electric hybrid,” editors wrote. “This system pairs a 2.0L Atkinson-cycle 4-cyl. with a traction motor for total output of 212 hp.

“And the traction motor is rated at 232 lb.-ft. (315 Nm) of torque from zero to 2,000 rpm, making it fun – and easy – to launch the Accord Hybrid with gusto. A second, smaller motor functions as a generator, feeding electricity to the traction motor to charge the car’s lithium-ion battery pack. Despite all that energy lurking under the hood, as well as the Accord Hybrid’s new Power mode to dial up the sportiness, some WardsAuto judges achieved 47 mpg (5 L/100 km).”