We are overdue for a new car purchase. It is just for me and the wife and I am 74. What has delayed me is the lack of V6 options (I DON'T want a turbo either) with Honda Accord and Camry but looks like that will never happen. Anyhow we will definitely keep the 2014 Accord EX-L V6 which only has 130K on it and that will be my car . I have opened up to getting a hybrid sedan and the choice is between the 2026 Accord EXL or the Camry XLE. Both are very close in price, about 35K before taxes and fees, and features. Seems like availability has gotten better on both and even paying below suggested retail. For me a plus with the Camry is that it comes with spare, has 10 year warranty on hybrid battery (versus 8 year for Honda), and reported quieter in the cabin which is very important to the wife. Accord plus include a bit sportier handling from reports that I am used to and nicer interior. I have seen a lot of the videos on comparisons between the two. One concern I have is that some report the Accord has noticeably more comfortable front seats than the Camry but that certainly is subjective but any experiences on that would be appreciated too.

Anyhow just wondering if anyone here owns a 25/26 Accord or Camry hybrid and what your thoughts are on your experiences pros and cons and in general are you happy with your purchase. Thanks for sharing any thoughts.

My 2024 Camry SE allows plenty of road noise inside the cabin depending on the road surface. I'd take a lengthy test ride of both vehicles you are considering across different road surfaces to see which one is quieter. Another thing to be aware of is all cars after 2026 are required by law to have a kill switch so something to check before making a final decision.

quote:

Originally posted by calugo:
My 2024 Camry SE allows plenty of road noise inside the cabin depending on the road surface. I'd take a lengthy test ride of both vehicles you are considering across different road surfaces to see which one is quieter. Another thing to be aware of is all cars after 2026 are required by law to have a kill switch so something to check before making a final decision.

Thanks for that. I don't know why wife is that concerned with road noise as she has the sound system turned up loud anyhow and we both have tinnitus. Yeah that nanny state crap sucks and it is only going to get worse. I have also noticed choice of tires can make a big difference in road noise.

I have been doing research on both of these hybrid models as well.

If AWD is a requirement for you, then the Camry is an easy decision.

The Camry also has better exterior aesthetics. (sportier looking)

Both cars traditionally have had top-tier reliability and re-sale ratings. MPG's are similar - slight edge to the Camry.

The Accord has a more refined ride, quieter cabin and in my opinion, a higher quality interior.

As mentioned, test drive them both.

Either way, I think you will be happy with your purchase. Good luck.

I've always preferred the Accord to the Camry. These newest ones, I'd say it's a tossup, for me it'd be down to whichever was the better deal. I don't think you could go wrong with either.

quote:

Originally posted by calugo:

all cars after 2026 are required by law to have a kill switch

MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) is pushing for this.

DAMM (Drunks Against Mad Mothers) is against it.

That won’t stop drunk drivers. MADD doesn’t realize the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
DAMM (Drunks Against Mad Mothers) is against it.

They’re not the only ones.

I researched the Hondas last year for the ex-fiance. The Civic and Accord engines are the same so if you want the hybrid from them, get the Civic version and save yourself some money.

The Accord and Civic hybrids are supposed to be good vehicles. The 2.0 liter engine (the gasoline part of the equation ) seems to be a pretty good power plant. Real world MPG tends to be a little less in the Honda's.

Strangely enough we just bought a 2026 Camry XSE for our daughter. Would have NEVER looked at a Camry for anything but it caught her eye and shockingly she loved it. Well you know what.......I love it too. So much so that I may get one for myself.

The Camry turns in better IMO and seems to handle a bit better. (I mean we are talking hybrid appliances here so take that for what its worth). The Accord has a bigger trunk, rear heat seats as an option and has a little better ingress and egress front and back.

I don't find the Camry road noise objectionable at all but thats a little like discussing recoil, my experience will not be yours.

My real world MPG in the Camry after about 5000 miles is about 47 MPG. I have never had a tank be below 46 MPG to this point. (calculated by me, two clicks at the pump, blah blah.) I only tend to do this to see how far the car's computers are off and I am happy to say the Camry's computers are about dead on.

I have been a Honda guy for a long time, but I love this Camry.

Stay away from any Honda 1.5's (I don't think any of the Hybrids use the 1.5 though).

The beauty of the Toyota is that the hybrid system used is basically the same one that has been in the Prius since day one. Yes its been updated but not in radical ways so there is a history of reliability and efficiency there. Also the 2.5 liter engine in the Toyota is basically an old ass, normally aspirated Toyota 4 banger. Doesn't make it the nicest engine put into a car but its simple and reliable.

All in all I think either will do you well but I like Camry alot after I have lived with it for a while.

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:
I researched the Hondas last year for the ex-fiance. The Civic and Accord engines are the same so if you want the hybrid from them, get the Civic version and save yourself some money.

Thanks but the Accord/Camry size is more to our liking.

quote:

Originally posted by cslinger:
The Accord and Civic hybrids are supposed to be good vehicles. The 2.0 liter engine (the gasoline part of the equation ) seems to be a pretty good power plant. Real world MPG tends to be a little less in the Honda's.

Strangely enough we just bought a 2026 Camry XSE for our daughter. Would have NEVER looked at a Camry for anything but it caught her eye and shockingly she loved it. Well you know what.......I love it too. So much so that I may get one for myself.

The Camry turns in better IMO and seems to handle a bit better. (I mean we are talking hybrid appliances here so take that for what its worth). The Accord has a bigger trunk, rear heat seats as an option and has a little better ingress and egress front and back.

I don't find the Camry road noise objectionable at all but thats a little like discussing recoil, my experience will not be yours.

My real world MPG in the Camry after about 5000 miles is about 47 MPG. I have never had a tank be below 46 MPG to this point. (calculated by me, two clicks at the pump, blah blah.) I only tend to do this to see how far the car's computers are off and I am happy to say the Camry's computers are about dead on.

I have been a Honda guy for a long time, but I love this Camry.

Stay away from any Honda 1.5's (I don't think any of the Hybrids use the 1.5 though).

The beauty of the Toyota is that the hybrid system used is basically the same one that has been in the Prius since day one. Yes its been updated but not in radical ways so there is a history of reliability and efficiency there. Also the 2.5 liter engine in the Toyota is basically an old ass, normally aspirated Toyota 4 banger. Doesn't make it the nicest engine put into a car but its simple and reliable.

All in all I think either will do you well but I like Camry alot after I have lived with it for a while.

Thanks Chris, this is great info! We are leaning to the Camry XLE in red, which is wife's favorite car color. After we had a blowout on I65 in Kentucky on our way to Gatlinburg last summer I would really like a spare tire too.

Camry has a spare. Another thing I like. IIRC the accord does not have a spare. We have another family member who has had this Gen Camry for some time now in Maine and they have been completely satisfied. Said her mileage dipped during a cold snap and she was only getting 41 for a couple tanks. I mean ONLY 41 MPG in a mid size 4 door family car with a full size trunk in the dead of winter. I’ve driven trucks and sports cars for the vast majority of my life. ONLY 41 MPG is well passed “that’ll do pig”

One other thing that comes to mind. I feel like the Toyota miles to empty is pretty conservative and leaves pretty good amount of reserve. Just food for thought. I think the last fill up was around. 420 miles or so and a tick under 9 gallons (8.8/8.9). I had a bit less than a quarter tank left on the gauge and miles to empty was like 80-90. The tank is around 13 gallons so TECHNICALLY I had like 4 gallons or so left at that point or more like 160 miles. Just food for thought.

Another observation. If you have the car set up for 2 mobile devices and one of those folks walks away (for example I leave my daughter at school and we Chinese fire drill and I drive home) my phone will not automatically connect and even going to the phone menu and trying to do so is sometimes an issue. I have found that far and away the easiest way to deal with this is to reboot the head unit which is as easy as holding the volume knob in for x seconds. Quick reboot and my phone is automatically picked up. Just a quirk but it came to mind.

You WILL want to tun off the driver attention system. To do so it’s kinda buried in the settings but the instructions are out there. Its far to intrusive if left on.

These are just some observations that have popped into my head. If you have any specific questions or want me to take pictures or video of anything you might want to know beyond the normal sales stuff just drop me a line.

quote:

Originally posted by calugo:
Another thing to be aware of is all cars after 2026 are required by law to have a kill switch so something to check before making a final decision.

Which is why I intend to keep my 2019 Fiesta St for the rest of my life. Got the basic option package so it doesn't have the Nav system or even a Modem. The only GPS system in my cars is the Garmin and if they ever gain the laws to use smart phones to monitor speed then those will get turned off.

quote:

Originally posted by calugo: Another thing to be aware of is all cars after 2026 are required by law to have a kill switch so something to check before making a final decision.

No, they're not. This was something passed years ago that has seen zero action besides being picked up by the mainstream media which spun it into nothing but a lie because that is all they do. As badly as automakers mess things up, one thing they are not is quick on their feet. The amount of R&D, testing, etc. that this tech would take years to implement. Even if the policy had teeth and said "this must happen", it would be 2030-2032 before a single new vehicle had it.

^^^ Good info - kill switch is definitely a deal breaker. I love Hondas, my daily is an 08 Ridgeline, but in this case I'd take Camry AWD. Tried and true - good at everything with a good resale exit strategy. The Accord would not be wrong either

Interesting discussion. I've been thinking about a second car mostly for longer distance traveling and thought I'd narrowed it down to an Acura Integra or Audi A5. Those two mostly because they are sport backs and I like the option of carrying extra stuff.

But this thread has me re-thinking my choices. Regarding the electric portion of the performances, do these drive motors have the same kind of torque/power I've felt driving an all electric car? I read that the electric motor is the primary source of propulsion when starting out and driving at slower touring speeds.

I hope the conversation continues.

6 Guns - the hybrids do not have any where near the electric "off-the-line" starting torque that an all electric vehicle has. However, they do generate more than your typical gasoline engine between 0-30mph. My daughter has a 2025 Civic Hybrid that is just over 200HP total. It will smoke my wifes 2016 Acura RDX (3.5L 279HP) off the line. (the Civic is getting 50 MPG combined)

^^^ Graniteguy, thanks for that. The fact that the Civic hybrid can outdo an Acura RDX sounds very encouraging...for those times when you want to punch it!

If you want AWD then the Camry is it. Otherwise it's a toss up.

Drive both and see which one you prefer.

AT the moment Toyota is slightly more reliable than Honda, but that could change in any given year.