2026 Honda Accord e:HEV RS review: Long-term conclusion

What is the best car for a modern Australian family?

That’s a good question that is more difficult to answer today than it ever has been, thanks in part to the stampede of SUVs over the past twenty-odd years and the more recent gentrification of dual cab utes, both of which have muddied the waters of what the definition of a family car is in the first place.

Needless to say, with the amount of choice currently available, we’ve never had it better.

But, having spent the past few months behind the wheel of the tenth-generation Honda Accord as part of our long-term evaluation fleet, we’ve been reminded of what’s great about the past too when traditional sedans were the only option.

There’s no pretence about the Accord. It’s not trying to promise you a sense of adventure with the ability to cross the country on the path less travelled.

And, consequently, its character isn’t compromised by pretending to offer more than it can.

Sure, it’s a more conservative choice that won’t win you medals in the race to keep up with the Joneses. But there is a lot to like about the Accord, which we found during our time.

How much does the Honda Accord e:HEV RS cost?

There is only one variant of the Accord offered by Honda in Australia; the e:HEV RS that we’ve had for the past couple of months and costs $64,900 drive-away.

In comparison to its most direct rival, the ToyotaCamry which is available across a much wider range of model variants with prices starting at $39,990 plus on-roads for the entry-level Ascent and topping out at $53,990 plus on-roads for the flagship SL, it was difficult at first to find the extra value in the Accord’s $10k premium.

However, while it would still be intriguing to put the Accord up against the flagship Camry in a head-to-head analysis, our time behind the wheel has revealed more about the Honda that helps justify its pricetag and quasi-premium positioning.

To see how the Honda Accord lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

Let us help you find your new car

Buy your new car without the stress. It's fast, simple and completely free.

Great service from Travis and team, second time I have used this business would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone

Craig C.

Purchased a Ford Ranger in Sunshine Coast, QLD

CarExpert helped Craig save thousands on his Ford Ranger, now let us save you on your next new car.

Find my deal

What is the Honda Accord e:HEV RS like on the inside?

One key element of that is just how comfortable and easy it is to live with.

Sure, the mostly black interior isn’t overly exciting in its design and could do with a splash more colour but the fundamentals are bang on in terms of space, comfort and vision.

The front seats are both supportive and plush and offer an excellent range of adjustment to suit myriad drivers, while the steering wheel falls nicely to hand with simple controls for the cruise control and audio functions on each of the horizontal spokes.

And there’s acres of room in the back for two adults to travel comfortably, with rear vents, USB outlets, a fold-down centre armrest and built-in sun blinds.

And the full length panoramic sunroof bathes the cabin in light, making it feel even more spacious.

One thing that was a little challenging though – even with the sunroof blind closed – is the black leather trim soaked up a lot of heat when parked in the sun, which made the cabin unbearably hot to enter on a bright summer day, and makes the lack of ventilated (or even heated) seats an obvious omission for a car of this price and positioning.

Thankfully, the air conditioning works a treat to cool the cabin down relatively quickly. And, unlike some other hybrids, works just as effectively when running on battery power alone as it does when the petrol engine is ticking over. We love the flat-plane toggles to adjust the air flow too, as they provide a clear point of reference to the direction.

In terms of other practicalities, the cupholders in the centre console work a treat to properly secure a broad size of containers, from large water bottles to small coffee cups; the tray at the base of the centre console has a wireless phone charger that works all the time; and there’s ample door bins in both the front and back.

As for the digital conveniences, the 10.2-inch instrument cluster is clear and easy to read in its most conventional theme with twin dials for road speed and energy usage in percentage terms on either side, with a multi-function section in the centre that can switch displays between trip, audio, safety systems information. Drivers can also choose a bar graph theme that pushes the speed and energy read outs to the outer extremities.

This is particularly handy when using Google Maps for directions as you can display the map and selected route in front of the driver which not only puts the key information in better line of sight but also means the centre touch screen can be set to a different function, such as the audio controls or other apps available through its Google Built-In suite, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The head-up display is also crystal clear and projects the right information in front of the driver.

As for boot space, we tested out the Accord’s 570L of storage space with weekly grocery runs and a long weekend getaway. And it is more than capable of handling any family activity, with a generous aperture and relatively low loading height.

To see how the Honda Accord lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What’s under the bonnet?

The Accord is powered by a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four cylinder with two electric motors sandwiched within the continuously variable automatic transmission that drives the front wheels. Together, they produce 135kW of power and 335Nm of torque which, to be honest, doesn’t sound all that exciting and questions the presumably sporting intentions of its RS badge.

However, the reality is this a remarkably flexible and refined powertrain that feels more muscular than its numbers suggest.

Around town, it taps into the battery more often than you’d imagine considering it only has just over 1kWh of capacity, providing instant response and a generous dose of acceleration away from a standstill. If you use the throttle pedal sparingly, it will maintain electric-only drive right up to cruising speeds. But, if you ask for more, the petrol engine will also kick into life seamlessly and deliver spritely acceleration.

The engine management system smartly uses the second smaller electric motor in the gearbox as a generator, which ensures there is always enough energy to use. And its small capacity also means it can quickly be replenished – both under power and when decelerating.

Honda claims the Accord has an average fuel consumption of 4.3L/100km which we almost matched with a final figure of 4.5L/100km after more than 2000km of driving in mixed conditions.

To see how the Honda Accord lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How does the Honda Accord e:HEV RS drive?

Over that distance, we put the Accord to the test as an everyday family car – from running errands, weekly grocery trips and general around-town commuting – as well as a couple of long-distance getaways over the holiday period.

In every scenario, it continued to impress with its superb dynamic character that highlights Honda’s engineering prowess.

While all the gubbins under the bonnet might seem fairly complex, the Accord is remarkably easy to drive. There’s nothing complicated about its start procedure; you don’t have to manage the relationship between the petrol and electric motors to get the maximum benefit of its hybrid powertrain; the CVT transmission is smooth; and the brakes have a more natural feel than many other hybrids when regenerating power to the battery.

The steering is light yet feels positive with good on-centre stability and the suspension is expertly calibrated with a beautiful balance between comfort and composure. Yes, it will reveal its front-drive configuration when pushed hard but I suspect many Accord owners will back off well before it reaches the summit of its grip.

Up to that point, and even without any tricky multi-mode dampers, the Accord feels surefooted and secure and soaks up road irregularities with ease.

It’s a very nice car to drive over a long distance, whether it’s running to the shops, commuting to work, bombing along on a freeway, or taking the road less travelled.

In this day and age, one element really stood out above all else, and that’s the way its safety systems are so well tuned.

Functions like lane keeping assistance, speed sign recognition and driver attention monitoring can be so overzealous that they are either annoying or, worse, so distracting that you immediately want to de-activate them the moment you start driving. Which, in itself, is counterproductive to the intended benefit of having them there in the first place.

But we found it was the opposite with the Accord, and only noticed any intervention when it was absolutely necessary. Which is exactly how it is meant to be.

To see how the Honda Accord lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What do you get?

As you’d expect for the price, and being available only in a single specification, the Accord comes loaded with a decent list of standard equipment.

2026 Honda Accord e:HEV RS equipment highlights:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• LED headlights
• Keyless entry with push button start
• Dual-zone climate control with rear vents
• Power windows
• Panoramic sunroof
• Synthetic leather interior trim
• Power adjustable front seats
• LED ambient interior lighting
• 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster
• Head-up display
• 12.3-inch infotainment touch screen
• Bluetooth connectivity
• DAB+ digital radio
• Wireless smartphone mirroring for Apple and Android devices
• Built-in Google functions; Maps, Assistant and Play Store
• Over-the-air system updates
• 12-speaker Bose audio system with active noise cancelling

To see how the Honda Accord lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

Is the Honda Accord e:HEV RS safe?

The current Honda Accord has yet to be tested by ANCAP despite the fact it has been on sale in Australia for a couple of years now.

But it does come fitted with all the latest safety systems under the banner of Honda Sensing Technology that would likely see it score a maximum five-star rating, including:

• Autonomous emergency braking
• Forward collision warning
• Lane keeping assistance
• Traffic jam assist
• Adaptive cruise control
• Speed sign recognition
• Driver attention monitoring
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Adaptive high beam headlights
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Rear cross traffic alert
• 360-degree parking display
• Eight airbags

It also features the latest Honda Connect telematics and smartphone app, which (when connected) automatically calls a customer service representative in the event of a collision and will alert the emergency services, providing the exact location of the vehicle, if the owner doesn’t respond to a call, or asks for assistance.

We used the Honda Connect app more often than expected during our long-term evaluation, but for its convenience features rather than, thankfully, the safety aspects, such as activating the air conditioning to cool down the cabin before leaving the house (which was a godsend) and pre-loading map data for the sat nav system.

To see how the Honda Accord lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How much does the Honda Accord e:HEV RS cost to run?

The Accord is covered by Honda’s five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty with free roadside assistance. The battery pack and electric motors are guaranteed for eight years.

Beyond that, it is extremely affordable to maintain with the first five visits capped at just $199 each, with maintenance required every 12 months or 10,000km.

To see how the Honda Accord lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

CarExpert’s Take

The 2026 Honda Accord is an interesting prospect. Looking through a wide-angled lens, it appears in this white space between yesterday’s traditional family sedan and today’s genuinely premium Euro brands.

While there are too many dollar signs in the background at first, over time they disappear as the Accord reveals itself as an excellent machine that is superbly engineered, comfortable, quiet and efficient to drive, spacious inside and reasonably well equipped – although with a few notable omissions for its price.

As far as modern mid-sized sedans go – what few they are left – the Accord is an underestimated and often overlooked contender. And a reminder of how effortless it is to own a great car.

CarExpert can save you thousands on a new Honda Accord. Click here to get a great deal.

Click the images for the full gallery

MORE: Explore the Honda Accord showroom