Compare the2024 Honda AccordVS 2024 Toyota Prius

The Honda Accord has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Prius doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Both the Accord and the Prius have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Accord is safer than the Prius:

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Honda Accord is safer than the Prius:

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 11 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated lower.

The Accord Hybrid’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 8 more horsepower (204 vs. 196) than the Prius’ optional 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Accord Hybrid 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Toyota Prius 2.0:

Both the Accord and Prius have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The Accord 1.5T has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The Accord Hybrid’s standard fuel tank has 2.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Prius AWD’s standard fuel tank (12.8 vs. 10.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Accord’s standard fuel tank has 3.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Prius FWD’s standard fuel tank (14.8 vs. 11.3 gallons).

The Accord has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Prius doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

For better stopping power the Accord’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Prius:

The Accord stops much shorter than the Prius:

For better traction, the Accord has larger standard tires than the Prius (225/50R17 vs. 195/60R17). The Accord Sport/Touring’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Prius (235/40R19 vs. 195/60R17).

The Accord LX/EX/EX-L’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Prius LE’s standard 60 series tires. The Accord Sport/Touring’s tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Prius XLE/Limited’s 50 series tires.

The Accord has a standard space-saver spare (not available on Hybrid) so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Prius; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Accord’s wheelbase is 3.1 inches longer than on the Prius (111.4 inches vs. 108.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Accord is 1.3 inches wider in the front and 1.4 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Prius.

The Accord Touring Hybrid handles at .87 G’s, while the Prius Limited pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Accord Touring Hybrid executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Prius Limited (27.1 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 27.5 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

The Accord uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Prius doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Accord Touring Hybrid is quieter than the Prius Limited:

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Accord a Large car, while the Prius is rated a Mid-size.

The Accord has 14.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Prius (105.7 vs. 91.2).

The Accord has 1.5 inches more front headroom, .7 inches more front hip room, 2.6 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear headroom, 6 inches more rear legroom, 3.7 inches more rear hip room and 3.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the Prius.

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the Accord easier. The Accord’s trunk lift-over height is 27 inches, while the Prius’ liftover is 29.2 inches.

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the Accord offers cargo security. The Prius’ hatchback body style, non-lockable folding seat and non-lockable remote release defeat cargo security.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Accord EX/Sport/EX-L/Touring. The Prius doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Accord Touring has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Prius doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Accord’s standard Smart Entry allow you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, open the trunk, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Pushbutton Start standard on the Prius doesn’t offer a sensor on the trunk or any door except the driver’s, so you’ll have to walk to the driver's door to touch the handle. Pushbutton Start is not available on the Prius XLE/Limited.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Accord’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Prius’ headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

The Accord has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. When the ignition turns off, the headlights turn off after a delay timed to allow you to securely get to your front door. The Prius has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the XLE/Limited.

When the Accord Touring is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Prius’ mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Accord EX/Sport/EX-L/Touring’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Prius doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Car and Driver performed a comparison test in its November 2023 issue and the Honda Accord Touring Hybrid won out over the Toyota Prius Limited.

The Honda Accord outsold the Toyota Prius by over five to one during 2023.