2018 Honda Accord Hybrid FW Drive: Should I? (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

Been a luxury crossover leaser for over the past decade. Been in multiple Cadillac SRX's and currently in a Lincoln MKX.

However, I am retiring in 13 months. My lease on my Lincoln is almost up. I don't need to be driving a luxury vehicle in my retirement years. I actually should be spending less on a lease and still drive something decent.

My brother has a Honda Civic Hybrid. They don't make it anymore. He loves the vehicle. He can drive from North Carolina to NJ in a little over a tank of gas. That's pretty amazing. I think he gets 47 MPG average.

I used to drive an Acura RDX. Loved it. No doubt, Honda makes great cars. The Accord is their top seller.

I still have a year of commuting so the gas savings on a hybrid would be sensational. I am always having to budget for gas when it comes to my Lincoln. To be able to get more than double the MPG with a hybrid is just a crazy attraction for me.

The only concern I have is that the Honda Accord Hybrid is FWD. I am used to having an AWD. Here in NJ, we have some nasty snow storms. I still have to commute next winter.

How do FWD vehicles fare in snow? I know RWD vehicles are really bad in the snow. Should I expect problems with a FWD?

You can also give me your opinion on my choice of vehicle.

Thanks in advance

 

[ChristopherG]

FWD vehicles do pretty good in snow ( i have a ford focus) but its a function of how deep the snow is. assuming you aren't driving when conditions are at their absolute worse I would think you would be pretty happy and safe with FWD. My wife is on her second Honda (first was an Odyssey Van and now its a Pilot) and she swears by them.

 

[Clinton McClure]

I have driven FWD cars since 1993 and they are far superior to RWD cars in snow, however, the snows we usually have in Arkansas are nothing compared to Jersey. AWD would be the best, but FWD is still good.

 

[Malcolm R]

FWD should be fine for Jersey. I live in Vermont where our average storm is probably considered a nasty storm in Jersey. I went to college for four years in northern Jersey and never saw any snowstorm on par with the worst in Vernont. I was driving a RWD car at the time and had no issues there. After returning to Vermont, I drove FWD cars for years with no major problems in winter.

The secret to driving in snow and ice is to use actual winter/snow tires and adapt your driving style to the conditions. AWD will not save you in snow if you have poor tires and you don't slow down and increase following distance. The biggest issue in winter driving is usually stopping, not traction. AWD will not help with that.

Plus, once you retire, you can just stay home when the weather's bad and watch movies.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Thanks, Clinton and Malcolm.

Since I am leasing a vehicle, what kind of tires does the Honda Hybrid come with? Are they all-weather/season tires?

I'd hate to have to go buy new tires and have a dealer put them on for the winter season and then put the originals back on soon after.

 

[Malcolm R]

All cars are sold with all-season tires, and usually cheap ones. If you want winter tires, you will need to buy them separately and have them changed seasonally.

I have my winter tires installed in early November and have the all-season tires swapped back in April (just had them switched last week).

My mother runs all season tires year-round and has AWD option on her SUV. She's usually OK, but does not have to drive much and she did have a couple scary moments this past winter. My stepfather drives a FWD sedan and had no issues.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Thanks, Malcolm!

 

[Scott Merryfield]

First, Ron, congrats on your impending retirement.

Second, I have been driving FWD vehicles since 1985 here in Michigan - - never have owned a AWD, and had a couple of RWD cars before that. How well a FWD vehicle goes through the snow can vary greatly depending on the vehicle. Most do pretty well, but I once owned a 2002 Nissan Altima V6 that was horrible in the snow, even after I replaced the tires with excellent all season Michelin tires. I never felt comfortable driving that car in the snow, but still had it for nine years.

I now have a 2011 GMC Terrain 6 cylinder FWD, and it's great in the snow. I am considering replacing it this spring or summer, as we are driving more than flying when we travel now since I retired. I am looking at the new Terrains, but may need to step up to AWD for the first time - - only because GM doesn't offer the Terrain in FWD with the bigger engine.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Scott,

Thanks for the kind words and the reply as well.

Thanks to you guys I am feeling much better about my choice of going with this FWD vehicle. I am not too happy, though, about spending hundreds on four winter tires along with installation -- but I will take it into consideration if it will keep me safer.

 

[Edwin-S]

My Acura TSX is FWD and I didn't have problems with winter conditions in Canada as long as I was using proper snow tires. However, due to the nature of the work I do and the job sites I have to visit, I switched to using a 4WD pick-up truck because I didn't want to destroy my car.

Edit: Enjoy your retirement. I wish I could retire but c'est la vie.

 

[LeoA]

I've always driven fwd full size passenger sedans in upstate New York, not far from the Snowbelt that Syracuse NY is famous for and just west of the Adirondack Mountains.

I've had very few issues. On main highways, a bit of caution is all that is required. As long as you don't drive like it's July, it's the other drivers that you have to worry about rather than yourself. And that's a concern regardless of what vehicle type you're driving. You can control your own car, but you have no control over the idiots you may encounter.

And on back roads, unless it's something really remote (I learned my lesson after a couple of times where I was leaving an outline of the bottom of my car in deep snow, doing my best to keep my momentum up so I didn't get stuck), I've only stalled out on a few steep hills covered in ice on side roads in the country. Usually just means giving up and going back the way I came and finding an alternate route.

Almost got stuck in a valley though one late Fall day in the Adirondacks, on a 19 mile dirt road with no homes or cellphone coverage when a sudden snowstorm blew up. Took 4 or 5 tries in snow several inches deep, but like the children's story about The Little Engine That Could, I finally made it to the crest and got back to civilization.

Needless to say, I only go on that road in the summer these days.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Ron,

I have not used separate snow tires on a vehicle since getting my first FWD car in 1985 - - even that 2002 Altima I mentioned only had all season Michelin tires. The only times I have ever gotten stuck with any vehicle were actually in my own unplowed driveway or street. I have never been stuck in the snow elsewhere in the 30+ years I have been driving FWD vehicles. Unless you plan on driving through a couple of feet of snow a lot, you will probably be fine with a single set of tires.

 

[Malcolm R]

. Unless you plan on driving through a couple of feet of snow a lot, you will probably be fine with a single set of tires.

Scott may be right, unless you're planning to continue driving a lot after retirement, regardless of weather conditions.

As also mentioned, performance may vary by vehicle. You can always just try out the all-seasons for the first storm or two. Just take it easy in the snow until you find out how your vehicle will handle it. It may be fine, but if you feel uncomfortable you can then decide if you need to invest in special winter tires.

 

[DaveF]

If you prefer AWD, look at Subaru. After driving an Accord for about ten years, I replaced it with a Subaru Legacy in 2016.

Of course, be sure to test drive the Accord. When I was shopping in 2016, the Accord’s interior was ill designed and lower quality than the Legacy and several other sedans I considered.

The Accord has had a redesign for 2018, I think, and looks like it’s been greatly improved. But I haven’t see one in person to know.

 

[DaveF]

As for snow: I drove an Escort and then an Accord in snowy Rochester, NY for years. Most people have FWD. Dealing with snow is more about the driver than the car. Of course, getting snow tires is helpful.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

If you prefer AWD, look at Subaru. After driving an Accord for about ten years, I replaced it with a Subaru Legacy in 2016.

Of course, be sure to test drive the Accord. When I was shopping in 2016, the Accord’s interior was ill designed and lower quality than the Legacy and several other sedans I considered.

The Accord has had a redesign for 2018, I think, and looks like it’s been greatly improved. But I haven’t see one in person to know.

Thanks as always, Dave. Right off the bat, no Apple Play. That's stopped me cold from looking at that vehicle.

Secondly, I really want a Hybrid.

 

[DaveF]

Subaru Legacy 2018 has CarPlay, along with some other models I think.

But hybrid, I’m not familiar with what Subaru’s have that, if any.

(I chose a Legacy without CarPlay over an Accord with CarPlay, as Honda’s implementation in 2016 was too glitchy. )

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Gotcha!

No, I am ready to try a Honda. I had an Acura years ago and loved it. All the reviews I am reading about the 2018 Hybrid are very positive.

 

[DaveF]

If you do a test drive, post your thoughts. I'm curious about the redesigned Accord. It looks nice from the website details.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I guess we know the answer to this one now.

FWIW, when I lived in MA and NJ, I had FWD cars (a Mazda Protege, followed by a Mazda Millenia S), and never bothered with snow tires.