Honda teases tenth-gen US Accord
BY ROBBIE WALLIS | 20th Jun 2017
While the all-new Accord is locked in for the United States market, its future is still up in the air for Australia, with Honda’s local arm saying it is committed to getting the new model but the Aussie business case must add up.
Speaking to GoAuto last month, Honda Australia director Stephen Collins said the all-new Accord was “certainly still in our plan.”“It’s how we can make it stack up,” he said. “So, it needs to be competitive and it needs to have a clear role. So, it’s still in our plan for sure. It’s just that what we’re trying to work out is how do we position it? How do we price it? How can we spec it? What engines can we get? We’re just trying to work through all that now.”“There are occasions when, if we can’t make the business case stack up, things can fall out. So, it’s our job to make the business case stack up.”The sketch released by Honda North America shows the new Accord has a tweaked slim headlight design, while retaining the LED daytime running lights and segmented cluster from the outgoing model - which was updated in May last year.
A simplified front fascia has been introduced for the next-gen sedan, with a large, trapezoidal lower grille and wide foglight bezels, as well as a subtle front splitter.
The Accord’s profile is marked by lines that run all the way from the front of the bonnet, alongside the doors towards the rear of the car.
Complementing the sharp lines are large alloy wheels and subtle side sills.
In America, the new-gen Accord will be offered with three different powertrains – two petrol units and a plug-in hybrid.
The entry-level 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine – also found in the new Civic range – will come mated to either a continuously variable transmission (CVT) or six-speed manual gearbox, while the larger displacement 2.0-litre turbo four comes with either a ten-speed auto or six-speed manual.
A plug-in hybrid utilising Honda’s next-gen two-motor hybrid technology will also be used, but, if the Accord comes to Australia, this powerplant's future is far from guaranteed after the Sport Hybrid variant was dropped in the May 2016 range update.
When asked last month about the possibility of reintroducing the Hybrid, Mr Collins said: “We haven't made that decision at all”.
With an American release date looking likely for later this year, an Australian arrival would happen some time in 2018, if it is to happen at all.
In the first five months of 2017 Honda has sold just 152 examples of the Accord, down 56.3 per cent on the 348 it managed during the same period last year.
It is now comfortably Honda’s lowest-selling car, and is well off the pace of segment-leading models such as the Toyota Camry (8507), Mazda6 (1465) and Ford Mondeo (1382).
