Henry Payne » Payne: Gas or electric car? Honda Accord Hybrid vs. Hyundai Ioniq 6 EV

Oakland County — For those of us on the 2024 North American Car, Truck & Utility jury, the expected mid-size truck showdown between Ford Ranger, Toyota Tacoma and Chevy Colorado for Best Truck fizzled this year. Colorado will likely win the class as the Taco and Ranger arrived too late for jury testing.

But there is another intriguing showdown over in the Best Car class: Honda Accord Hybrid vs. Hyundai Ioniq 6 EV.

The Accord, of course, has been one of the best-selling sedans in America over the last five decades and is a three-time finalist and one-time NACTOY winner (2018) over the award’s 30 years. The all-electric Hyundai is a newcomer and a contender to take over the class lead should government bureaucrats have their way and ban gas-fired vehicles like the Accord in coming years.

The 2024 Honda Accord Hybrid is all new with sharp handling, new digital displays , and a hybrid gas engine with a range of nearly 600 miles. Henry Payne, The Detroit News

In short, it is a mano a mano test between the king and the contender. Between gas and electric. Consumer favorite and government favorite.

Despite vastly different powertrains and styling — and 4.5 inches of wheelbase difference (116.1 for I6 and 111.4 for Accord) — the two mid-size sedans share interior dimensions (including palatial rear seats), all-digital displays, generous standard safety equipment, even regeneration paddles (more on that later). And the Accord mimics many of the electric features of the Hyundai as Honda sees its hybrid as a bridge to a government-compliant EV lineup.

But the differences are where it gets interesting.

My sleek, soap bar-shaped Hyundai tester got a lot of attention. “Oooooh, it’s very attractive,” said my Tesla-owning friend Janice. Tesla designers have led the way in crafting new grille-less fascias on EVs that don’t need grilles to feed petrol engines under the hood. Other EV makes like Ford (Mustang Mach-E) and Genesis (G80 EV) have kept faux grilles. But Hyundai (and sister brand Kia) and Porsche have made the obvious leap to mid-engine sportscar-like front ends with attractive tapered noses.

It’s a sporty — and minimalist look — that Hyundai replicates in the tapered tail (think design icon Audi TT). The clever design includes hiding the car’s sonar in a black strip beneath the headlights. Determined to break with tradition, the I6 completes the mod look with sci-fi wheels.

The Accord is hardly a wallflower — “That’s a lovely car, I especially like the color!” — said the security guard at my 910 AM radio station. But Honda achieves its looks the conventional way — by evolving the last-gen Accord’s head-swiveling, coupe-like shape with a more pleasing mouth.

Both cars are effortless to drive.

The rear-wheel-drive Ioniq 6 won’t flatten your face like my all-wheel-drive Tesla Model 3, but its instant 248 pound-feet of torque still gives you the kick in the pants you expect from an EV. I merged with authority onto metro interstates, instantly shot gaps in traffic and ruled stoplight getaways.

My top-line front-wheel-drive $39K Accord Touring model has similar features (plus a sunroof) to the well-equipped Ioniq 6’s SE trim — and is nearly as quick from 0-60 mph with its hybrid 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder/1.3 kWh battery. It’s cheaper than the Ioniq 6 without all that battery pack to pay for — and then uses those savings to try to re-create an EV-like experience with an internal-combustion-engine married to twin electric motors.

Pulling out of my driveway, the Accord ran on battery power alone under 20 mph until I put my boot into it off a stoplight, where its direct-drive transmission showed how it’s carefully engineered to shift like butter through gear changes. Toggle SPORT mode on the console, and the engine’s voice lowers an octave to a satisfying growl (eat your heart out, EVs!). Side note: Accord ergonomics are excellent, with raised toggle switches and tactile rollers that my fingers found without my eyes leaving the road.

The 2024 Honda Accord Hybrid features a remade cabin with digital displays and wireless Android Auto.

But wait, there’s more. The Accord also comes with steering wheel paddles like the Ioniq (pioneered by the Chevy Bolt) that enable regeneration for single-pedal driving. Like instant torque, single-pedal driving is one of the signature features of the EV experience. It’s gimmicky compared to full-electric regen experiences like the Hyundai and Tesla, but it’s fun to try.

Speaking of fun, the Honda ran circles around the Hyundai in the twisties. Maybe it’s the I6’s porkier (by 20%) 4,225-pound curb weight. Maybe it’s Honda’s decades of experience on the racetrack. Whatever, the front-wheel driver is effortless to drive quickly.

But where the Honda is most effortless is on long journeys. With a healthy 583 miles of driving range from its 46-mpg hybrid powertrain, I could go to Mackinaw City and back without visiting a gas pump. When refueling is necessary, I could refill in three minutes at a nearby service station.

The cockpit of the 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6 EV feature twin digital screens and easy-to-use controls.

Conventional wisdom says that EVs just need to match gas-filling infrastructure in order to be competitive. But in truth, driving EVs requires a change in mindset, similar to switching from a wireless mobile phone to a landline. EVs simply aren’t as convenient as gas cars.

The Ioniq 6 Long Range model I tested has an advertised 361 miles of range — but that’s in perfect, 70-degree, 55 mph conditions. At a more realistic 75 mph (and before you get into the subject of cold weather) up I-75, our pals at Car and Driver put the range at 260 miles, meaning you’d need to stop three times to refill from 10%-to-80% of charge. Try to charge to a full 100%, and you’re going to be at the charger awhile.

At an optimal 350 kW charger (if you can find one), Ioniq will charge from 10%-80% (190 miles added) in 20 minutes — compared to the Accord’s 589 miles in three minutes. Cries of “Are we there yet?” from the kiddies might start to get on your nerves.

While on the journey, the Hyundai exhibited superior adaptive cruise (one of the industry’s best this side of Tesla Autopilot or GM’s Super Cruise) to the Honda, which tends to “bowling ball” from side to side in its lane. Both cars exhibit state-of-the-art, wireless Android Auto, wireless charging and head-up displays.

The 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6 EV charged overnight on a 240-volt charger in Detroit News Auto Critic Henry Payne's garage.

Ioniq 6 or Accord? The question comes down to the usual EV vs. gas stereotype. If you have deep enough pockets for a multi-car garage, $10K more to spend and another two grand (that’s a lotta green) to wire your garage with a 240-volt home charger, then the Hyundai is your show horse.

If you need a roomy sedan that can do it all effortlessly, then the gas-fired hybrid Accord is Car of the Year.

Next week: Road trippin’ in the 2024 Kia EV9 family SUV

2024 Honda Accord

Vehicle type: Front-engine, front-wheel drive five-passenger sedan

Price: $28,990, including $1,095 destination ($38,985 Touring Hybrid as tested)

Powerplant: 1.5-liter turbocharged, inline-4 cylinder; gas-electric hybrid with 2.5-liter inline-4 cylinder and two electric motors (as tested)

Power: 181 horsepower, 246 pound-feet torque (turbo-4); 204 horsepower, 246 pound-feet torque (hybrid)

Transmission: Continuously-variable transmission (turbo-4); single-speed transmission (hybrid)

Performance: 0-60 mph, 6.5 seconds (hybrid, Car and Driver); top speed, 125 mph

Weight: 3,532 pounds (as tested)

Fuel economy: EPA est. mpg 46 city/41 highway/44 combined; range, 563 miles (hybrid)

Report card

Highs: Handsome wardrobe; sippy drivetrain

Lows: Regulations have nixed sporty 2.0-liter turbo-4 engine option; gimmicky regen paddles

Overall: 4 stars

2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6

Vehicle type: Battery-powered, rear- and all-wheel-drive five-passenger sedan

Price: $38,615, including $1,115 destination fee ($46,825 long-range, RWD SE as tested)

Powerplant: 53-77.4 kWh lithium-ion battery with single or dual electric-motors; 800-volt charging with 10%-80% fast charge in 18 minutes (mfr.)

Power: 149 horsepower, 258 pound-feet torque (standard range, RWD); 225 horsepower, 258 pound-feet torque (long range, RWD); 320 horsepower, 446 pound-feet torque (long range, AWD)

Transmission: Single-speed direct drive

Performance: 0-60 mph, 6.2 seconds (mfr.); top speed, 116 mph

Weight: 4,225 pounds (as tested)

Fuel economy: EPA MPGe 140 (as tested); range, 240-361 miles (RWD), 305-316 miles (AWD)

Report card

Highs: Unique styling; excellent adaptive cruise for long trips

Lows: Premium price over comparable gas car; charging complicates long trips

Overall: 3 stars

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.