2023 Honda Accord Hybrid vs 2023 Volkswagen Jetta

The 2023 Volkswagen Jetta, despite being affordable, left potential buyers questioning whether to invest in a traditional four-door sedan. Alternatives within its price range offered more utility or style, such as VW’s Taos crossover SUV or the Mazda Mazda3 Hatchback. Volkswagen sold the Jetta in S, Sport, SE, SEL, and GLI trim levels, with prices ranging from $20,665 to $31,585, excluding the $1,095 destination charge. The GLI model, known for its sport-tuned dynamics, was not part of this review. The test car, a Jetta SEL in Platinum Gray Metallic with a Volcano Brown over Titan Black interior, had an MSRP of $29,480, including the destination charge.

The Jetta’s appearance was considered bland, lacking the symmetry and balance of previous generations. However, it remained visually inoffensive and featured a no-nonsense interior. The top SEL trim channeled the VW Group’s Audi luxury brand, offering ambient lighting, genuine leather upholstery, an oversized power sunroof, and larger screens for digital instrumentation and infotainment systems. From the driver’s seat, the Jetta SEL looked and felt upscale, delivering emotional value at less than $30,000.

The 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid, in contrast, showcased an elegant exterior that could easily be mistaken for a luxury sedan. During a test drive in New York’s scenic Hudson Valley, the Accord Hybrid received numerous positive responses from onlookers. The 2023 model, stretching roughly three inches longer than before, featured a redesigned front grille and updated LED lighting. The new model retained the Accord’s identity while offering a more refined and near-luxury look.

The Accord Hybrid Touring, starting at approximately $38,435, came with seven exterior colors and 19-inch alloy wheels with black accents. The interior was updated with a new dashboard design and a standard digital instrument display. The Touring trim included a 12.3-inch touchscreen with features like Amazon Alexa, wireless device charging, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The test car, painted in Canyon River Blue Metallic with a black leather interior, offered a comfortable and upscale driving experience.

The 2023 Volkswagen Jetta drove like a German car, offering turbocharged torque for zippy acceleration and light, responsive steering. It featured a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine producing 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The S and Sport trims came with a six-speed manual transmission, while the SE and SEL had an eight-speed automatic. The automatic transmission, however, had a noticeable delay in acceleration, which could be irritating. The Jetta SEL had an EPA gas mileage rating of 33 mpg in combined driving, but real-world testing averaged 30 mpg.

Despite its quirks, the Jetta SEL provided a rewarding driving experience with accurate steering, faithful brakes, and predictable handling. The all-season tires, P205/55R17 Nexen Nfera AU7, impressed with their performance in curves and corners, offering plenty of communication about the road surface and limits of adhesion.

The 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid featured a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with two electric motors, delivering 204 horsepower to the front wheels via a continuously variable automatic transmission. The Accord Hybrid switched seamlessly between electric and gas power, providing smooth and efficient performance. The suspension absorbed bumps well, offering a balanced ride that was neither too firm nor too soft.

The Accord Hybrid’s regenerative braking system, upgraded from four to six levels, allowed for fine-tuning and improved driver comfort. The car’s agile handling made it relaxing to drive in various environments, and its increased length did not hinder parking in tight spots. The Accord Hybrid proved to be a familiar and relaxing car to drive after only a few minutes behind the wheel.

The 2023 Volkswagen Jetta was no longer a small car, easily accommodating a family of four. It straddled the compact and midsize sedan segments, offering generous interior storage space and a cavernous trunk with 14.1 cubic feet of cargo space. The Jetta SEL featured an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated and ventilated front seats, and a heated tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel. The front passenger seat lacked a height adjuster, but the car’s relatively high seating position made entry and exit easy.

The back seat offered plenty of legroom and a tall, supportive seat cushion, with heated rear seats as a rare feature in the segment. The Jetta had ample storage options, including a large bin under the center armrest, a sizable glove compartment, and storage areas in the door panels. The trunk’s shape and size made it easy to load luggage, and the 60/40-split folding back seat allowed for carrying longer items.

The 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid adopted the layout used in Honda’s Civic and CR-V models, featuring a strip of honeycomb mesh trim hiding the dash-mounted air vents. The infotainment screen was positioned atop the dashboard, with buttons and dials for climate control within easy reach. The Touring trim included heated and ventilated seats, a traditional gearshift, and a dedicated volume control knob.

The front seats provided excellent support and comfort, even during long drives. The rear seats offered generous legroom and shoulder room, though headroom was slightly compromised by the sleek roofline. Trunk space was generous at 16.7 cubic feet, with a low load floor making it easy to stow bulky cargo.

The 2023 Volkswagen Jetta SEL featured a 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro instrumentation panel and an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen. The system included knobs for stereo volume and menu-based functions, as well as shortcut tiles for main system menus. The infotainment system supported wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as SiriusXM 360L premium satellite radio.

However, the infotainment system had some quirks, such as requiring multiple inputs to change the radio station and a less advanced voice recognition system. The Car-Net connected service provided access to a Wi-Fi hotspot and several safety features, but natural voice recognition required an additional subscription. The SEL trim included a Beats Audio premium sound system, which was not as satisfying as previous Fender audio systems.

The 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid came with a 12.3-inch touchscreen and a 10.2-inch digital instrument display. The Touring trim included advanced tech features like wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless device charging pad, “Hey Google” virtual assistant, Amazon Alexa, and a head-up instrument display. A 12-speaker Bose audio system, HD radio, and four USB ports were also standard.

The infotainment system was intuitive and easy to navigate, with physical volume and climate control buttons. The advanced tech features in the Touring trim justified the higher price, offering a comprehensive and user-friendly experience.

The 2023 Volkswagen Jetta SE and SEL came with a standard package of advanced driving assistance systems called IQ.Drive. This included adaptive cruise control, lane-centering assist, and Emergency Assist, which could identify an unresponsive driver and bring the car to a safe stop. The Jetta received a five-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), but only four stars for frontal-impact protection. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rated the Jetta’s safety as Poor in a new moderate overlap frontal-impact crash test and was unimpressed with the car’s headlights.

The 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid came with a comprehensive suite of active safety features, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, pedestrian and cyclist detection, and a rear-seat reminder. The Touring trim added a multi-angle rearview camera, front and rear parking sensors, and a head-up instrument display. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were optional for $550.

The Accord Hybrid earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS, with the highest possible scores in crash tests, headlights, crash avoidance and mitigation, and child seat compatibility. This improved its safety rating to 9/10.