A tale of two Accords: Green and golden

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews also can be seen on the Business page of The Sacramento Bee’s website – via the “GALLERY: Reviews of new cars” link at www.sacbee.com/business

Sacramento, California – Here’s a sign of the times: I recently tested two environmentally friendly Honda Accords, and the plug-in version was easily the sexier of the two.

So there, I said it.

Reasons?  Sure, I have them.

The 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring sedan was just great, with all the styling, engineering perfection, fit-and-finish excellence and plentiful standard features you expect in one of the nation’s best-selling cars.

And the superstar fuel mileage figures of 50 miles per gallon in the city and 45 mpg on the highway are likewise great.

But when the 2014 Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid (pictured) showed up at my door, I was fairly smitten.

The sharply-cut, silver-and-black blades on the wheel covers looked like something you’d see on a sports car prototype.  The rest of the exterior sculpting was sporty-appealing. The Plug-in radiated aggressiveness just sitting there.

And naturally, you get the same eye-popping fuel mileage numbers (nearly 50 mpg on both city and highway) with the bonus of an easy-to-use plug-in feature.  The plug-in is the state-of-the-art system that delivers electric power for as long as the charge lasts before the standard four-cylinder engine seamlessly takes over the powering chores.

A regenerative braking system helps boost the vehicle’s electric supply, so if you are a conservative, forward-thinking driver, you’re likely going to be challenged to spend much money on fuel.

The Plug-in starts at around $40,000, but if you intend to keep it and do the long-range math on reduced expenditures at the gas pumps, you should come out ahead, financially speaking, in the long run.

Also included in the deal is a long list of customer-pleasing perks, including a navigation system, rearview camera, automatic on-the-move warning systems and heated front seats.

You also get that cool feature that gives you a long-range, side/rear visual of the right side of your car in the nav screen when you hit the right-turn signal.

Simply put, the already popular Accord now comes in flavors stuffed with the latest driving, safety, comfort and fuel-saving technology. Translation: A good car is even more alluring.

The standard hybrid Accord is a sound purchase, and obviously, I feel the same about the Plug-in with the exterior package that won my heart.

Picking your personal favorite is a gambler’s dream, because no matter what you decide, you can’t lose.