Honda Accord officially launched.

The Honda Accord (Japanese: ホンダ・アコード, Hepburn: Honda Akōdo) represents a truly iconic and enduring series of automobiles, meticulously manufactured by Honda since its debut in 1976. While its presence is felt globally through various iterations, it is perhaps best known for its steadfast four-door sedan variant, which has cultivated an impressive legacy as one of the best-selling cars in the United States since 1989. Interestingly, for specific generations and in particular markets like Japan and China, this versatile vehicle has also been known by another distinguished name: the Honda Inspire (Japanese: ホンダ・インスパイア, Hepburn: Honda Insupaia). This dual identity highlights Honda's strategic approach to tailoring its offerings for diverse regional preferences.

Throughout its rich history, the Accord nameplate has been flexibly applied to a wide array of vehicle types across the globe, demonstrating its adaptable design philosophy. Beyond its flagship sedan, the series has encompassed sporty coupes, practical station wagons, compact hatchbacks, and even the crossover-style Honda Crosstour, showcasing a broad spectrum of utility and appeal.

A Legacy of Evolution: From Compact to Global Player

From its very inception, Honda has continuously reimagined the Accord, offering a succession of distinct car body styles and versions. It's not uncommon for vehicles marketed under the Accord nameplate to differ quite substantially concurrently in various regions, reflecting Honda's dynamic response to local market demands and consumer tastes. The Accord first graced the automotive scene in 1976 as a compact hatchback, a practical and efficient form factor that enjoyed popularity until 1989. As the years progressed and the market matured, the Accord lineup expanded significantly to include the now-ubiquitous sedan, alongside a sportier coupe and a versatile wagon, catering to a broader range of drivers.

By the time the sixth-generation Accord arrived in the late 1990s, the model had undergone a substantial evolution, transitioning into an intermediate-sized vehicle. Honda ingeniously employed a strategy of utilizing one basic platform but then developed different bodies and proportions. This allowed the company to finely tune the Accord's competitiveness against its rivals across various international markets, ensuring its relevance and appeal in diverse automotive landscapes.

The eighth-generation Accord, specifically released for the North American market in 2007, marked another pivotal shift. Honda consciously chose to move the model further upscale and notably increase its size. This expansion pushed the Accord sedan beyond the upper limits of what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) typically defines as a mid-size car, placing it just above the lower threshold of a full-size car. Meanwhile, the coupe variant of this generation maintained its classification as a mid-size car, highlighting a divergence in the series' sizing strategy.

However, this trend of increasing size wasn't entirely linear. In 2012, the ninth-generation Accord sedan emerged with slightly smaller exterior dimensions. Consequently, its combined interior space of 119 cubic feet (approximately 3.4 cubic meters) led to its reclassification as a mid-size car by the EPA, narrowly missing the "Large Car" designation. Yet, the tenth-generation Accord sedan, introduced later with remarkably similar exterior dimensions, once again reclaimed its full-size car status, boasting a combined interior space of 123 cubic feet (around 3.5 cubic meters). The coupe, a popular offering for many years, was notably discontinued in 2017, streamlining the Accord's North American lineup.

Milestones in Manufacturing and Market Dominance

A truly historic moment for the Honda Accord, and indeed for the automotive industry, occurred in 1982. In that year, the Accord became the very first car from a Japanese manufacturer to be produced within the United States, a significant achievement that took place at Honda's state-of-the-art Marysville Auto Plant in Ohio. This pioneering move underscored Honda's commitment to the American market and set a precedent for future international manufacturing.

The Accord has since achieved truly considerable success, particularly within the United States. It proudly held the title of the best-selling Japanese car for an extraordinary sixteen consecutive years, dominating the sales charts from 1982 to 1997. Its sales prowess continued to shine, topping its class in both 1991 and 2001. By 2020, the Accord had surpassed a monumental milestone, with more than 18 million units sold worldwide, cementing its status as a global automotive powerhouse. Before this, the original text states around ten million vehicles sold in a previous period, indicating its continuous success and growing sales.

Beyond impressive sales figures, the Accord has consistently earned widespread acclaim for its exceptional reliability. Numerous road tests and consumer surveys, spanning both past and present, routinely rate the Accord as one of the world's most dependable vehicles, a testament to Honda's engineering excellence and quality control. This unwavering performance has also garnered significant critical recognition, with the Accord holding an unmatched record of 36 appearances on Car and Driver's highly esteemed "10Best" list. Furthermore, in a landmark achievement in 1989, the Accord became the first vehicle sold under an import brand to climb to the very top of the sales charts, becoming the overall best-selling automobile in the United States, a feat that undeniably cemented its place in automotive history.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Honda Accord?
The Honda Accord is a long-running series of automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1976, best known for its four-door sedan variant, which has been a top-selling car in the United States for decades.
When was the Honda Accord first introduced?
The Honda Accord made its debut in 1976.
Where is the Honda Accord manufactured?
The Accord was historically significant as the first car from a Japanese manufacturer to be produced in the United States, with production commencing at Honda's Marysville Auto Plant in Ohio in 1982. It is also produced in other regions globally.
Has the Accord always been a sedan?
No, the Accord debuted as a compact hatchback in 1976. Over its history, the nameplate has been applied to various body styles including sedans, coupes, station wagons, hatchbacks, and even a crossover (the Honda Crosstour).
How has the size of the Accord changed over generations?
The Accord started as a compact car, grew to an intermediate vehicle by the late 1990s, and its North American sedan variant briefly became a full-size car in its eighth and tenth generations, fluctuating with EPA classifications while maintaining a mid-size classification for its ninth-generation sedan and earlier coupe variants.
What is the Honda Inspire?
The Honda Inspire is another nameplate used for certain generations of the Honda Accord in specific markets, primarily Japan and China.
What are some of the Honda Accord's key achievements?
The Honda Accord has achieved numerous milestones, including being the best-selling Japanese car in the U.S. for 16 years (1982–97), being the first import brand to be the best-selling overall car in the U.S. in 1989, and receiving a record 36 appearances on Car and Driver's 10Best list. It is also renowned for its reliability, with over 18 million units sold worldwide by 2020.