Honda Motor has unveiled its hybrid-only new Accord midsize sedan series for Japan, ahead of its launch there on Friday (21 June) – the first full model change in four and a half years.

Driven by a newly developed petrol-electric hybrid system, the redesigned Accord ‘Sport HybridI-MMD’ has claimed global class-leading fuel efficiency of 30km (20 miles) per litre of petrol, beating the rival Toyota Camry Hybrid’s 23.4km per litre.

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Honda has also developed a plug-in hybrid version which gets a claimed 70km/litre but that will only be available on lease to “corporations” and “government agencies”, the automaker said.

The new car has a dedicated I4 Atkinson cycle petrol engine, electric drive motor and CVT transmission and power is stored in a lithium-ion battery.

There are three drive modes: EV drive, hybrid drive and engine drive; the latter connects the petrol engine direct to the drivetrain for high speed cruising when hybrids are least efficient.

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