Hybrid Sedan Comparison Test: Camry Hybrid vs. Accord Hybrid vs. Fusion Hybrid vs. Jetta Hybrid

Tell someone you drive a hybrid and they will most likely assume there's a Toyota Prius parked out in your driveway. Generally, it's a safe assumption, as nearly 55 percent of the total hybrids sold in 2011 were Toyota Priuses.

Things are changing quickly, however, as an influx of new hybrid models from other manufacturers has cut deeply into the dominance of the Prius. In fact, more hybrids were sold in 2013 than ever before, showing that car shoppers are increasingly looking at hybrids as viable alternatives to more traditional vehicles.

Nowhere is this increased selection more evident than in the midsize sedan segment where hybrid versions are now available for some of the top selling models. With that in mind, we gathered up four hybrid sedans and set out to find how they compare and how much they'll really cost you.

To find out how they stack up, we subjected each hybrid sedan to 735 miles of fuel economy testing, with three different driving "loops" that simulated driving on suburban roads, rural highway and high-speed interstates. We also put them through our usual round of instrumented testing to get a complete picture of how these cars perform in the real world.

The Original: 2014 Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE
The Camry Hybrid established the blueprint for hybrid family sedans, bringing Toyota's fuel-saving gasoline-electric technology to the best-selling car segment in the United States. What was once revolutionary is now quite familiar, but let's briefly recap the basics.

What makes this Camry a hybrid is the presence of both a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor powered by a nickel-metal hydride battery pack located in the trunk. An electronically controlled continuously variable transmission acts as traffic cop dictating how much power is doled out by each source. They can work alone, or in most instances, concurrently. The battery is replenished by the engine and by recouping energy normally lost under braking.

The 2014 Toyota Camry Hybrid has a base price of $26,950 and includes keyless ignition/entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth phone and audio, and an iPod interface. Stepping up to the XLE adds alloy wheels, heated front seats, a power driver seat and a leather-wrapped wheel, while our $35,170 test car came fully loaded (as all the cars save the Fusion were) with a sunroof, leather, navigation system, a larger touchscreen, a JBL stereo, a rearview camera and a blind-spot warning system.

Curiously, however, the XLE also comes with slightly lower EPA fuel economy estimates of 40 mpg combined (40 city/38 highway) versus 41 combined (43/39) for the LE. As we've previously documented, though, mpg is not the best way to calculate fuel economy. Instead, "gallons per 100 miles" is a more accurate method, as it more directly tells you how much it'll cost to fill up your car. The Camry Hybrid XLE is estimated by the EPA to burn 2.5 gallons per 100 miles in combined driving.

The Camry tested is a 2013 model, but there are no significant changes for 2014.

The Pretty One: 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid SE
Whereas the original Fusion Hybrid was a wallflower in terms of styling and sales performance, the new version is a knock-out. It looks fantastic and car shoppers have taken notice, with sales nearing (or even surpassing) the Camry Hybrid every month in 2013.

The Fusion's hybrid system operates in much the same way as the Camry's by combining a gas engine with a single electric motor. In the Fusion, the gas engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder while the electric motor is powered by a space-efficient lithium-ion battery pack.

A base 2014 Ford Fusion Hybrid starts at $26,995 and includes roughly the same equipment as the most basic Camry Hybrid. The SE trim and a slew of packages are available for maximum flexibility while the other cars here are largely pre-packaged when it comes to options. Our loaded SE offered everything our Camry did in addition to driver memory settings, adaptive cruise control, an automated parking system and a lane-departure warning system. There is a higher Titanium trim available, but it's really just a loaded SE with slight visual differences and a Sony stereo.

The EPA estimates the Fusion Hybrid should return a very easy-to-remember 47 mpg combined (47 city/47 highway) which equates to burning 2.1 gallons per 100 miles.

For 2014, the Fusion is mechanically unchanged, but package content is altered and a few new features are available like ventilated front seats.

The New Kid in Town: 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring
The 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid recently beat the 2013 Volkswagen Passat TDI in another comparison test of fuel-efficient family sedans. As we wrote then, "if fuel economy is the main priority of your next vehicle it's hard to do better?[it] is as impressive as a fuel-saving sedan as it is as a family sedan." Let's see how it does head-to-head with its hybrid competitors.

The Accord Hybrid deviates from the hybrid setups used in the Camry and Fusion. In the Accord there are two electric motors. One acts as a generator for the battery and various accessories, while the other powers the wheels in most driving situations. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder gas engine is mostly on hand to replenish the lithium-ion battery pack, but can directly drive the wheels when necessary — say, during a full-throttle launch or at freeway speeds when good-old gasoline power is more efficient. Yes, it's complicated.

Less so is the way Honda packages together content for the Accord Hybrid. For $29,945, the base Hybrid trim gets you roughly the same equipment as the Camry XLE, albeit with a standard rearview camera and the Accord's LaneWatch blind-spot camera. The EX-L adds on a sunroof, leather, heated seats, satellite radio, a touchscreen display and forward-collision and lane-departure warning systems. Our range-topping $35,695 Touring model added LED headlights, adaptive cruise control and navigation (the only way to get this popular option).

The EPA estimates the Accord Hybrid should return 47 mpg combined (50 city/45 highway) or the equivalent of burning 2.1 gallons per 100 miles.

The Welterweight: 2014 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid SEL Premium
"But wait!" you're no doubt saying. "The Volkswagen Jetta is a compact car, the others are midsize! They don't compete at all."

A valid point, perhaps, given the non-hybrid's rock-bottom base price and significantly smaller exterior dimensions. However, the Jetta is not as small on the inside as the outside suggests, with a comparatively sized trunk and backseat legroom that trails the others by mere tenths of an inch. The other metric is price, as a similarly equipped Jetta Hybrid is only about $2,000 less than the others.

The Jetta Hybrid also differs from the others in its hybrid technology. It, too, has a lithium-ion battery in the trunk, but features a seven-speed, dual-clutch automated manual transmission with an electric motor sandwiched in between it and a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder. It's wholly different in design, but similar in that it can operate using either of its power sources or a combination of them both.

The cheapest, $26,015 base 2014 VW Jetta Hybrid is by special order only, so instead consider the $28,080 SE to be the point of entry. The Jetta SE is mostly on par with the base Fusion and Camry, but gets six-way power seats (the others are eight-way), satellite radio and leatherette upholstery. Our SEL Premium stickered at $32,265, which included a Fender audio system, rearview camera and bi-xenon headlights. Advanced safety features like lane departure warning and radar cruise control are not available on the Jetta.

The EPA estimates for the Jetta are 45 mpg combined (42 city/48 highway) or 2.2 gallons per 100 miles for the Jetta Hybrid.

4th Place: 2014 Toyota Camry Hybrid
Even if we ignored fuel economy, the Toyota Camry Hybrid would easily fall below the Fusion and Accord when rating family sedans. Though nearly as quick (0-60 mph in 7.6 seconds) as the Accord, the Camry Hybrid is the least responsive and least enjoyable to drive. The steering is oddly heavy and exhibits an annoying reluctance to return to center. The regenerative brakes also make all sorts of odd noises.

The backseat offers space on par with the Ford and Honda, but the front seat doesn't adjust low enough for taller drivers. The cabin also suffers from cheaper-looking plastics, while the trunk is less useful than the Fusion's.

When fuel economy is taken into consideration, however, the Camry Hybrid manages to fall even further behind. It was the least efficient car in every driving situation and the most expensive to fill up, even though the Jetta requires premium fuel. The fact the Camry was the only hybrid here to meet its EPA combined estimate of 40 mpg is at least a moral victory.

If you were to drive 12,000 miles per year and matched our fuel economy, the Camry would cost you an extra $103 per year to fill up than the Accord Hybrid. That's hardly breaking the bank, but why pay extra at the pump when there are two superior family sedans with similar prices and more available equipment that cost roughly the same?

3rd Place: 2014 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid
The Jetta Hybrid's turbocharged engine is ultimately its best asset and biggest detriment. Electric motors inherently provide a wealth of low-end power that push you into the back of your seat, and since turbocharged engines do as well, the Jetta constantly provides a neat 1-2 punch of torque. This not only makes it feel quick around town and confident during freeway passing, but the engine often sounds and feels less strained than the others. Its torque also helped it achieve the best fuel economy (47.7 mpg) on a hilly section of Interstate 15 between Las Vegas, Nevada, and San Bernardino, California.

Unfortunately, its turbocharged engine comes with the penalty of requiring 91 octane gas. Though the Jetta burned a mere 0.02 gallon more fuel than the Fusion Hybrid over the course of the test, it cost $4.12 more to fill up. Again, not the biggest of margins, but the Jetta lands in 3rd for other reasons.

True, its backseat and trunk give up little in terms of space, and it is $2,000 less than the others when similarly equipped. However, it feels like it should be cheaper still. The Jetta is significantly less substantial and refined, with an interior that, while well equipped, looks and feels Spartan. VW replaces the standard Jetta's hard, overly reflective plastic dash top with a soft-touch unit in the hybrid, but other materials pale in comparison to those in the Ford and Honda. The tiny infotainment touchscreen and its integrated rearview camera also drew complaints.

On the upside, the Jetta feels less hybridlike to drive and even sporty at times thanks to its peppy drivetrain, responsive brake feel and best-in-test stopping distance (117 feet from 60 mph). It also has smaller exterior dimensions and a quick-shifting seven-speed automated manual transmission (though the latter does cause the car to annoyingly roll back on hills). In this way, the Jetta at least offers unique characteristics the Camry does not.

2nd Place: 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid
It was clear from early on that this test was going to come down to the Accord versus the Fusion. The regular, non-hybrid versions are two of our top recommended family sedans and the hybrid models boasted the highest EPA estimates. Our first test, the suburban driving route, widened the gap with the Camry and Jetta even further.

When we filled up the Accord after 102 miles of mundane driving around Orange County, California, our calculations showed a wildly impressive 55.4 mpg. That was by far the best of the bunch, and it would come in 2nd on both highway segments. Overall, the Accord Hybrid was the cheapest to fill up, burning 2.18 gallons per 100 miles and costing $57.35. Yet, since most hybrids spend their lives commuting around suburbia, you may notice even greater long-term cost savings over the Camry and Jetta.

The Accord Hybrid boasts more than fuel economy, however. Its steering is direct and communicative, just like a regular Accord, instilling confidence whether we were driving amongst strip malls in Orange County or through volcanic peaks near Death Valley. The ride is also commendable, offering a substantially better blend of comfort and control than the Camry.

Two editors preferred the seats in the Accord to the Fusion's, with the backseat in the Accord feeling the most spacious. We also ranked its unique electronics interface the best of the bunch, though its combination of touchscreen, physical buttons and a multi-purpose knob still has some ergonomic foibles. We should also point out the Touring model's incredibly bright LED headlights, which trailed only the Luxor pyramid as brightest lights in Vegas.

Those attributes are very much intrinsic to every Accord, though. There are reasons the Accord Hybrid falls just a bit short. The main one is the engine, which loudly drones as it fights to replenish the battery under hard acceleration or when chugging uphill. Around town, the engine noise and your speed disconcertingly don't rise in step as you'd expect, pairing with a numb throttle pedal that offers unrelated engine vibration rather than feedback.

Furthermore, the trunk is also the least versatile and getting navigation requires the selection of the more expensive Touring trim. We still think the Accord Hybrid is as impressive as a fuel-saving sedan as it is as a family sedan, but it's outdone by the Fusion.

1st Place: 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid
As each editor climbed out of the Honda and into the Ford, it was a common refrain that the Fusion is much quieter, more comfortable and even more responsive from behind the wheel. Importantly, it draws less attention to the fact that it's a hybrid, doing without the Accord's excessive engine droning and the Camry's abundance of electric whirring noises. The fact that the Fusion is by far the best-looking and most involving to drive is icing on the cake.

Like the Accord, the Fusion topped the mighty half-century mark in the suburban driving segment at 52.9 mpg. It was also the most efficient on the rural highway route, returning 41.2 mpg, and a very respectable 3rd on the high-speed interstate leg at 44 mpg.

Now, the Accord was indeed cheaper to fill up overall, but the difference was a minuscule 0.5 mpg or 0.12 gallon per 100 miles of driving. That's a difference of 85 cents for the test or about $14 over the course of a typical year. As all things were essentially equal on that front, other attributes became the determining factor.

Among them was the Fusion's useful trunk layout. Though its numerical capacity in cubic-feet is actually less than the Accord and Camry (12.0 versus 12.3 and 13.0, respectively), there is more usable space. The battery chews up the lower quarter of the trunk's forward half, creating a shelf that a suitcase or other items can still sit atop. More importantly, though, the design allows for the 60/40-split rear seat to fold down.

The Jetta's does a similar trick but its shelf is bigger and the pass-through smaller; the second-best Camry provides the equivalent of a mailbox slot; the Accord an impenetrable wall. In this way, like the driving experience, the hybrid Fusion seems like less of a trade-off.

The cruise control was another best-in-test, fastidiously keeping speed both up and down hill. Less impressive is the Fusion's MyFord Touch electronics interface, but we've grown accustomed to it over time and preferred it to the Camry and Jetta's interfaces. In other words, we could live with it.

Which is a pretty good way to sum up the Ford Fusion Hybrid: for those who are new to hybrids, it'll be easy to live with. It feels the most like a normal car, while delivering the fuel economy you'd expect from a hybrid.

More to MPG Than Meets the Eye?or Wallet
Beyond our rankings, this test revealed other telling conclusions. First, only the Camry managed to meet its EPA fuel economy overall, while only the Jetta Hybrid managed to meet its EPA highway number.

Should hybrid owners be outraged or dismayed by this discrepancy? Not at all, because as this test's data shows and as we wrote in greater detail before, the differences in mpg of ultra-efficient cars like hybrids translate into minuscule monetary differences.

Therefore, it's important for car shoppers to note the "gallons per 100 miles" figure now found on every car's window sticker, and keep in mind that there's a lot more to consider when buying a hybrid family sedan than simply a number followed by the letters M-P-G.

The manufacturers provided Edmunds these vehicles for the purposes of evaluation.