2023 Honda Accord Hybrid vs 2024 Hyundai Elantra

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.

For nearly 20 years over six generations, the Elantra established Hyundai as a provider of bottom-rung transportation. Not until the current seventh-generation model debuted in 2020 did the Elantra shed its cheap image and stand competitively with other compact sedans from Honda, Toyota, and Nissan. Hyundai always sold on low prices and long feature lists. Now the Elantra is a genuinely sporty, well-constructed car that competes on actual substance — namely, how it drives and feels — and offers a wider range of trim levels. For 2024, a mild refresh brings more style and standard equipment.

Verdict: Get past the strange bodywork and plasticky interior, and you’ll find a well-mannered sedan that is equally adept at being comfortable and economical as it is sporty and truly entertaining.