Comparison: 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring vs. 2014 Volkswagen Passat TDI Highline

By Kevin Harrison

A while back I did a family sedan comparison of the Mazd6 and Nissan Altima. Both were redesigned and both were promising to be more fuel efficient than the model they replaced.

Both used different methods to achieve better efficiency – one tuned and tweaked the engine itself, while the other focused on the transmission. This meant you could still buy a relatively traditional car without sacrificing too much fuel efficiency.

But an extra MPG here and there sometimes doesn’t do much for people. Sometimes people don’t even see the extra MPG in real world driving.

So I thought it would be neat to pit two forms of family sedans that are supposed to be even more efficient than traditional ones. Both go about achieving these efficiencies in quite different ways as well.

It’s the classic hybrid vs. diesel debate! Our contenders are the 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid vs. the 2014 Volkswagen Passat TDI. Who will win this challenge?

Now, let’s be honest. While neither of these cars could be called ugly, neither are exactly known for their breakthrough styling either. That said, much as I love the flowing lines of the Mazda6, I think there’s still something to be said for handsome understated design – of which both the Accord and Passat excel at. The Accord just went through a redesign which is more of a refresh of sorts. The new grille, headlights and bumper help differentiate it from the year before it along with new wheel designs and a redesigned back-end. The hybrid gains light shiny blue bezels around the headlights and grille for some reason. I still don’t know how I feel about this styling touch and when I asked friends they didn’t seem to have much of a reaction to it either. However, in general the Accord exudes a classy look.

The Passat on the other hand has been soldiering on this its exterior design for a few years now and, again, there isn’t much to talk about here either in terms of breakthrough design. Still it is decidedly Volkswagen with the large grille and matching badge, a conservative side profile and a Volkswagen-esque rear end. The issue is this wasn’t a particularly eye-catching design when it was first launched and without any real updates (not even to colours or wheels) the Passat largely went unnoticed when I was driving around while the upgraded Accord generated a few stares and has more eye catching styling cues.

Exterior Styling Winner: Honda Accord Hybrid

Both Honda and Volkswagen are known as having among the best interiors and this is still the case. The quality in the Passat is still up to par (even though those have criticized this area is lacking in the new model compared to the previous generation). While I agree the design isn’t as eye catching – it pretty much takes its interior styling cues from other Volkswagens – but it still conveys a simple, high quality look.

The Accord’s interior styling is also decidedly Honda, but it seems a bit more futuristic looking than the Passat’s conservative design. The two tiered centre screens flow nicely into the dash and the chucky looking and feeling steering wheel along with high quality feeling materials mean the Accord is interior is likely good enough to wear and Acura badge. On top of that, the interior doesn’t mimic any other Honda model quite so closely as the Volkswagen’s does. I like cars that have individuality so this round also goes to the Accord.

Interior Styling Winner: Honda Accord Hybrid

The Accord’s interior is established as being quite nice, however it does have a bit of a cozy feel to it. Rear legroom and headroom is adequate but trunk space is lacking due to the battery for the hybrid system, but it will still hold everyday items like a few grocery bags just fine.

I had a Passat 3.8 a few years back and one of the first things I noticed was how slow everything was to react in it. This is still the case and to be honest, any charm that had has completely worn off. Now it’s just plain irritating. I understand that I need to hold the start button down in cold temperatures so the diesel can warm itself up, but I had the same experience in the 3.8. Same with operating the centre display screen and same with operating the sunroof (I still don’t like using a dial). I just don’t understand why there should be a delay when you command it to do something. Even the slow indicators are irritating! That said, the overall design allows for easy entry and egress and holy molly that’s a lot of legroom. The trunk size is even more impressive and there are massive cubby holes for all your stuff. And to be honest, being a family sedan, that sort of thing is good enough to earn the Passat a win here.

Interior Functionality Winner: Volkswagen Passat TDI

As mentioned, both of these cars use different methods for power. The Passat sticks with tradition by using a clean diesel which makes 140 horsepower and 236 pound feet of torque. That means lots of low end torque which means you can zip in and out of city traffic with relative ease. The only issue is a bit of turbo lag when you put your right foot down but the sudden burst of power more than makes up for it. Typically diesels tend to lose steam at higher RPM’s and the Passat unfortunately is no different. That said, power is still adequate at higher RPM’s. And a way to really get the most out of this engine is to equip with a six-speed manual transmission. As good as the DSG is, it’s still geared for efficiency in mind and while shifts are super quick in manual mode, I’d still take the manual. The half a second you gain from the DSG matters not one wit in real world driving, after all.

I was fully expecting the Passat to trump the Accord in this category but Honda has come up with a surprisingly peppy hybrid. The CVT surprisingly doesn’t hinder power too much from the 2.0 litre engine which makes 141 horses and 226 pound foot torque. Those numbers alone are pretty close to the Passat but where the Accord has the advantage is the extra horsepower from the electric motor. Combined, you’ll get 196 horsepower. And it’s quite peppy. I’d say even moreso than the Passat. That said, power isn’t as immediate as in the Passat.

In terms of handling, the Passat is a large car and as such it feels like a large car in corners. Handling isn’t awful, but you can’t help but feel a bit overwhelmed with its size which causes you to back off a bit. It still feels decidedly German meaning solid and refined, but Volkswagens should exude confidence in cornering.

By comparison, the Accord is much more nimble and it takes corners which again is surprising considering the big battery at the back. The ride felt competent and balanced. That matched with decent steering feedback and the Accord is much more tossable in the corners than the Passat is. Where the Accord falls short is the solid feel that the Passat has, especially on the highway. While the Accord is capable, the Passat easily trumps it.

So, in weighing the strengths and weaknesses of both for performance, I have no choice but to call a draw on this one.

Performance Winner: Tie

Now for the moment we’ve all been waiting for. Which is more efficient? Well the Accord Hybrid is officially rated at 4.7 L/100 kms city and 5.2 L/100 kms highway. The reason why the highway figure is a bit worse than city (traditionally it’s the other way around) is because the electric motor doesn’t work as much at higher, constant speeds. Anyway, the Accord Hybrid returned 7.1 L/100 kms in real world, mostly city driving. For a car of this size and considering the cold temperatures, that’s quite good.

The Passat on the other hand is rated at 7.8 L/100 kms city and 5.8 L/ 100 kms city. I ended up returning 7.9 L/100 kms in mostly city driving. Again, this was in cold weather and even though it technically was not as good as the Accord Hybrid, it came the closest to its consumption rating, which is quite impressive. Since diesels are inherently efficient on the highway, I would imagine you could even beat its rating with more highway driving.

So, it’s bit tough to decide a winner. Would you want a car that can meet or beat its on paper fuel consumption rating or would you want a more efficient car that didn’t really come close to its official rating. Personally, I’d want something that met or beat the numbers advertised. While 7.1 L/100 kms is pretty efficient for a mid-sized borderline luxury vehicle, I think I would feel more disappointed that it still couldn’t come close to the advertised numbers. And chances are a vehicle’s fuel consumption rating is half the reason why anyone would consider a hybrid these days anyway. So, for coming closest to its official rating, the Passat takes this one.

Real World Fuel Consumption Winner: Volkswagen Passat

If you’ve been keeping score, you’ve likely realized by now that both cars are tied in this comparo. So, ultimately, the decision comes down to the author. In other words, what would I buy if it were my money.

Well there’s a few things to consider here, and I know a lot of you won’t like my answer. Ultimately, I think the Accord is the better car. It’s better looking, has a nicer interior loaded with cool tech, it’s quick, it’s nimble and it’s efficient. What’s not to like?

However if it were my money I’d take the Passat. Aside from the fact that I still like to row my own gears the traditional way – something not offered in the Accord Hybrid, the reason why comes down to technology. While I appreciate and even like certain hybrids, I’m not entirely convinced they make sense long term. With more moving parts it means it’s more likely something could go wrong. Then there’s the lifespan of the battery which admittedly is getting better, however that would still niggle at me near the seven or eight year mark when they supposedly need to be replaced. The diesel has been around for a century and they have proven themselves to be virtually bullet proof. On top of that, if you’re in the right season and the right part of the country, diesel will sometimes cost less than regular gasoline.

But at the end of the day, you won’t go wrong with either and truthfully this new iteration of the Accord is what is signaling the return to well made, well-engineered, premium feeling sporty cars for Honda. I have yet to try to non-hybridized Accord but if it’s anything like the hybrid it’s easily the best in the family sedan segment. In my mind only the Mazda6 meets or beats it. The Passat’s proven history with diesels matched with incredible amounts of space, a simple exterior and interior design with great quality to match makes for a credible argument as well. Which is why, as I mentioned, it really boils down to personal preference. As such, I have no choice but to officially call this one a draw.