Hybrids aren’t known for sounding the best, often prioritizing everyday usability over auditory pleasure. But Americans are built different; we want our hybrids to sound good. Honda, which has been producing hybrids since 1999, is developing its next-generation hybrid system that’ll hit our streets with a specific exhaust tune.
A Honda engineer revealed to CarBuzz that the upcoming powertrain will be louder in the United States. They said, “Americans like loud cars, so we had to make this one extra good for them.” Damn right, we do.
While not a hybrid in the traditional sense, we gushed over the Cadillac V-Series.R, which pairs the whine of its electric motors with the startup of a raucous naturally aspirated V-8. It’s glorious, and the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray comes close to replicating it. But we doubt Honda’s new hybrid will be that extreme.
The new exhaust note will at least sound better than the Prelude, according to the report from Carbuzz, who were able to hear Honda’s new hybrid sound in person. The sound will reportedly offer a “vast improvement” over the coupe.
The prototype he heard reportedly uses the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder hybrid setup as the Accord Hybrid and CR-V Hybrid, with engineers working on a specific exhaust note for the US market.
Honda will put the new 2.0-liter hybrid setup in its most popular models—Accord, Civic, and CR-V—but might limit the availability of the sportier exhaust to specific trims. It’d be great as an option.
The company is also developing a new V-6 engine for its large hybrid models, and we would hope Honda takes the time to tune its exhaust note, too.
The automaker’s current 3.5-liter V-6 powers the Odyssey, Pilot, and Ridgeline, generating 285 horsepower. A throaty V-6 exhaust on an off-road-oriented Pilot or Ridgeline would likely sound amazing.
While Honda, like others, is turning towards hybrids as electric vehicles struggle in the United States, they don’t have to be boring—especially performance-oriented models. The sound is part of the experience, and Americans love it so much that Honda is giving US buyers some special consideration for once—and it feels great.
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