Accord hybrid's pluses wipe out minuses

Rides hard, hates our Windows phone, imposes awkward and unfriendly electronics and sentences you to a life of unpleasant engine revving.

Still, the 2014 Honda Accord hybrid does minimize fuel use, gives you a premium-feeling interior and tells neighbors you're a thoughtful person who cut fuel costs at a not-bad price in a practical car grown-up enough to only subtly note that it's a hybrid.

It's the first gasoline-electric hybrid version of the Accord since the nice-driving but ill-fated V-6 hybrid launched in 2004. Interestingly, that discontinued model had the same base price as the new Accord hybrid.

Honda expects today's Accord hybrid to be its best-selling hybrid, but declines to forecast sales. There's also a plug-in version on sale since January 2013, but only in California and New York.

Honda folks especially disagree with us on the hard-ride issue. They say the hybrid rides as nicely as any other Accord.

However, our two test cars jiggled busily on smooth pavement, hammered over potholes and treated occupants harshly over rills and ridges.

The two test models were a high-end Touring driven in the Detroit area, mostly on highways, and a low-end version driven around Northern Virginia and in traffic-clogged Washington, D.C. Because the ride felt too stiff on different cars, on different roads, it seems unlikely to be an individual-vehicle problem.

The car's shod with 50-series tires, which means they have fairly stubby sidewalls that don't flex a lot. That certainly could contribute to the stiffness.

For context, Test Drive favors a firm ride and spends a lot of time in trucks, so we're not softies when it comes to suspensions.

As long as we're hanging crepe, other bothersome matters are:

CVT: Honda says it not really a continuously variable-ratio automatic transmission -- never mind the name (Honda calls it E-CVT, for Electric Continuously Variable Transmission). It is set to make the most use of electric power for high mileage before bringing the gasoline engine into play. In fact, Honda says, it can keep the Accord hybrid in electric mode up to highway speeds.

No belts or pulleys, as in more familiar sorts of CVTs. But despite its extra sophistication and smoothness, it makes our thumbs-down list. Never met a CVT ("E" or otherwise) we liked, except those you can override and turn into a facsimile of a conventional, step-ratio automatic (as used by Infiniti QX60).

Accord hybrid's is too noisy when accelerating and still feels too much like driving a manual-transmission car that has a slipping clutch.

Electronics: Spoiled by easy-to-use setups on General Motors and Chrysler Group vehicles, the confounding operation and logic of Honda's system, especially models with navigation, simply seems wrong.

After spending what seemed like hours, but surely wasn't more than 15 minutes, trying to configure the navi in the Detroit Touring test car, we gave up. Out came our trusty travel-along, voice-command Garmin 3490. In moments, it was mapping our route and eagerly providing a Bluetooth link to our Windows phone.

Hondas of many kinds seem to treat the Windows phone as a thoroughly unwanted guest. Other types of phones fare a bit better, but the linkup isn't instant, as you get in GM and Chrysler models.

We must note, though, that in trying to make their systems better, GM and Chrysler have begun making them harder to use on newer models and soon could fall from our list of best examples.

Jerkiness: A small matter, mainly in stop-go traffic, where the hybrid jumps ahead a bit more aggressively than you intend as you toe the pedal intermittently to creep forward. In more open situations, it comes across simply as brisk acceleration when the light turns green.

The good stuff:

Interior: Honda has a knack for making the Accord's insides ooze premium-ness. All the pieces that make up the dashboard, door panels and seats seem so well put together. It's not an exaggeration to say the Accord hybrid gives you the impression you're in a near-luxury vehicle.

Plenty of room, too. Back seat leg space is generous, and the front doesn't make your legs feel shoved into a tunnel, as some vehicles do by super-sizing the center console and door-panel power-switch pods.

MPG: The combined city/highway rating is an alluring 47 mpg. While Test Drive got about 37 mpg in combined driving, that's quite remarkable, downright fuel-miserly, under our heavy throttle foot.

We have little doubt that a careful driver whose priority is fuel economy could match the window-sticker rating.

For reference, our driving circumstances and style almost never come up with anything close to the window-sticker fuel-economy ratings. We come closest when driving diesels, have the biggest gap in hybrids.

Agility: Accord has long had a reputation as the sporty choice among family sedans, and the hybrid is no different. Despite the wide 38-foot turning diameter (same as the non-hybrid), it feels easy to park and maneuver. That confidence-inspiring trait can make a car much nicer to drive.

It steers responsively and stops promptly, without the over-boosted and unnatural feel typical of regenerative brake systems that can be so annoying in many hybrids. Regenerative systems recharge the battery as the car slows.

Beyond that, the Accord hybrid does a very respectable job handling tight, fast corners with little body lean. And right now you're thinking, "Of course, dummy; that's why it rides so hard."

Test Drive notes that BMWs and other exceptional corner-carvers, including some inexpensive small Fords, handle very well without slamming your backside.

In our view, if the Accord hybrid had a more accommodating ride and better infotainment system, it'd be awfully hard to beat.

What? Gas-electric hybrid drivetrain version of midsize, four-door, five-passenger sedan.

When? On sale since Oct. 31.

Where? Made at Marysville, Ohio.

How much? Base: $29,945, including $790 shipping. EX-L: $32,695. Touring: $35,695. Test cars were Touring and base.

What makes it go? 2-liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine mated to electric motor, driving the front wheels through E-CVT, which Honda says has no belts or pulleys and works different from the more familiar types of continuously variable-ratio automatic transmission.

Combined total horsepower, 196 hp. Electric motor has 226 pounds-feet of torque from the moment it begins turning through 3,857 rpm. Gasoline engine is rated 122 lbs.-ft. from 3,500 rpm and up.

How big? Same as conventional Accord; toward the big end of midsize. Weighs 3,550 to 3,602 lbs.

Trunk space is compromised by battery pack. Base has 12.7 cubic feet; EX-L and Touring, 12.3 cu. ft. Non-hybrid Accord has 15.8 cu. ft.

Passenger space: 103.2 cu. ft. (base); 100.8 cu. ft. with sunroof.

How thirsty? Rated 50 mpg city, 45 mpg highway, 47 combined.

Touring test car, mainly highway driving: 30 mpg (3.33 gallons per mile). Base test car, mix of city, suburban, highway: 37.2 mpg (2.69 gal/100 mi).

Burns regular, tank holds 15.8 gal.

Overall: Retune the ride and buy infotainment setups from Chrysler or GM and you'd really have something.

What stands out ...

Ride: Ouch! What were they thinking?

Mileage: Satisfyingly high.

Personality: Premium.