The Evolution Of The Honda Accord

The first generation Honda Accord was launched in 1976 as a two-door hatchback with 68 horsepower (51 kW), a 93. Honda chose the name Accord, reflecting "Honda's desire for accord and harmony between people, society and the automobile. It has achieved considerable success, especially in the USA, where it was the best-selling Japanese car for 15 years (1982-97), and became the first Japanese-branded vehicle to be manufactured in the US. The Accord became the first Japanese car to be produced in the US in 1982, when production commenced in Marysville, Ohio at Marysville Auto Plant where cars were produced and exported back to Japan. The Honda Accord has been sold in most automotive markets throughout the world. The European Honda Accord, also made in Sweden, became very different from its cousins in terms of styling, and was also shorter than the JDM and USDM Accords.

The Car

The Accord was originally planned to be a V6-powered car with a long hood and sporty pretensions. Vastly improved quality control, however, made this one of the most reliable cars on the US market, a position it still holds today. This was one of the first US production cars to feature optic reflectors with completely clear lenses on the headlamps replacing the more conventional sealed beam styled lighting. A little-known fact about the 1998 Accord was that it was assembled in New Zealand at the very end of overall New Zealand CKD car production (due to changes in tariffs for car importation in that country). Now a vastly different car to the worldwide Accord, the North American model grew larger still, gaining more interior room and weight than its international counterpart. The American Accord was only available in sedan and coupe form, becoming the largest Accord to date

The Next Generation

For the first time, Honda offered an "enthusiast" version of the Accord in the US, adding a sports suspension and mating the 6-speed manual transmission from the Acura CL to the V6 Honda Accord Coupe. Modernizing both the interior and exterior, the second generation Accord was mechanically very similar to the original, using the same 75 hp (56 kW), 1751 cc EK1 CVCC engine. Honda introduced the Insight, America's first hybrid vehicle still the fuel economy leader, in December 1999. Honda then took hybrid technology into the mainstream with the introduction of the Civic Hybrid in March 2002.

The 2006 Honda Accord Hybrid, in only its second model year received a number of improvements including exterior updates to further differentiate the Accord Hybrid from other Accord Models. Honda presented to the world the exciting Accord Tourer Concept and the new generation of Honda diesel engines, i-DTEC at the 2007 Frankfurt motor show. In 2008 the Honda Accord was completely redesigned, boasting more power and passenger space. In real-world use, however, the car's fuel economy was disappointing and people balked at its higher price.

In Conclusion

In reviews, it has been found that the latest Honda Accord continues to excel as a family sedan or midsize coupe. Consumers interested in a Honda Accord but limited to a smaller budget could also check out the fourth-generation Accord, which was available starting in 1990. However, the Accord has matured into a larger car now approaching the likes of the Ford Taurus, but is still given "compact" status. Honda sold the North American Accord in a few other markets including Asian (now made in Thailand), Middle Eastern, Caribbean, Australian and New Zealand markets with mixed results.

When examined from a holistic standpoint, it's easy to see why this Honda car has become an automotive icon and one of our editors' top recommendations.