Honda has had some interesting sports cars over the years. The most notable one today is the Honda Civic Si, but there’s another model from the brand that could give the Civic Si a run for its money, which is the Accord Sport Hybrid. Here, we explore both models and show why the Accord offers more. 

The Honda Civic Si’s performance specs

Powering up the 2024 Honda Civic Si is a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 200 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque. Paired with it is a six-speed manual transmission. This combination allows the Civic Si to get 27 mpg on city roads and 37 mpg when traveling on the highway. 

It only comes in front-wheel drive, but you get a three-mode drive system, which lets you select Normal, Sport, and Individual driving modes based on the road surface you’re on. Honda recommends you use Premium fuel to get the most out of the driving experience, but you can still use regular unleaded if you like, according to Honda. 

This model comes with 18-inch Matte Black Alloy wheels and all-terrain tires standard. Also, it has McPherson struts in the front, Multi-Link rear suspension, and a limited-slip differential. The price for this model is about $29,100.

What the Honda Accord Sport Hybrid offers when it comes to performance

The Honda Accord Sport Hybrid model offers a 2.0-liter engine combined with a two-motor hybrid system, which produces a total of 204 hp and 143 lb-ft of torque. Paired with it is an electric CVT, and it only comes with front-wheel drive. Also, only regular fuel is necessary for optimal performance. 

As for fuel economy, the hybrid model offers 46 mpg in the city and 41 mpg on the highway. This version has a four-mode driving system, which offers a selection of Normal, Sport, Econ, and Individual modes. 

The Accord Sport Hybrid has 19-inch Alloy wheels, McPherson struts in the front, and it sports a Multi-Link rear suspension system. To purchase it, you can expect to pay around $27,895 for the base. 

Which model is the better choice?

When you compare the two Honda models, you’ll see that they’re pretty similar in terms of performance. The Honda Accord offers slightly more horsepower, and the Honda Civic Si has a tad more torque. Both versions have front-wheel drive (with no AWD available), and each one has the same suspension systems for the front and rear. 

Where they differ the most is in the transmission, fuel economy ratings, wheels, and price. First, the Honda Civic offers a manual gearbox, while the Accord Sport Hybrid doesn’t. When it comes to fuel savings, that award definitely goes to the Accord version because it gets almost 20 mpg more than the Civic and four mpg more on the highway. 

The Accord Sport Hybrid also offers 19-inch wheels standard, while the Civic Si only has 18-inch ones. Lastly, the price of the Hybrid model is $2,000 less. So, if you’re in the market for a compact sports car, the Civic Si may have impressive sports specs, but the Accord Sport Hybrid has even better features, and you get pretty much the same items as the Civic. The only thing you don’t get is the manual transmission. 

The Honda Civic Si is a decent sports car, but in the long run, is it really worth it? Not really when the Honda Accord Sport Hybrid has nearly identical features when it comes to the way this vehicle performs on the road.