2023 Honda Accord Hybrid vs 2024 BMW 5 Series

The 2023 Honda Accord midsize sedan enters a new model year refreshed and rejuvenated, if not exactly revolutionized in comparison to the previous version of Honda’s long-running and highly regarded family sedan. With this, the 11th-generation of the new Accord, Honda wisely didn’t attempt to rewrite the rulebook in how the company set about improving one of its most important and popular models.

In Canada, the new 2023 Accord Hybrid is available in two trims: Sport Hybrid, and Touring Hybrid. Pricing for the Accord Hybrid ranges from $41,000 to just shy of $45,000 not including an $1,830 destination charge, taxes, and other fees. This starting MSRP is higher than its key hybridized five-seat sedan rival, the Toyota Camry, and on par with the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. That’s before digging into the dizzying array of small and midsize SUVs available with hybrid powertrains, including the Toyota RAV4, Ford Escape, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, and even Honda’s own CR-V.

Does the new Honda Accord Hybrid make enough of a splash to be worthy of consideration in such crowded and hotly contested markets? After a shorter drive at the start of the year, a week-long test drive this summer provided the answers.

Long revered for how they make drivers feel, BMWs are credibly marketed as the ultimate driving machines. However, if the future is digital instead of analog, do driving dynamics still matter? And if not, what does BMW bring to the table? What makes one special? Desirable? Gives it a soul? Driving the all-new 2024 BMW 5 Series suggests that aside from design, technology, and comfort, the answer is not much—at least not in the 530i specification.

Verdict: Driving enjoyment is not a requirement in a luxury car. But it is in a BMW. That’s what separates a Bimmer from the crowd. While the new 2024 BMW 530i is a capable sports sedan that does double duty as a plush people mover, joy is missing from the recipe