Jump LinksBestseller On DebutTimeless Design, Multiple Body StylesFord TaurusXV10 Toyota CamryRust IssuesTiming BeltRelaysMaintenance CostsHow reliable is the 1992 Honda Accord?What kind of engine does a 1992 Honda Accord have?What made the 1992 Honda Accord special?How much horsepower did the 1992 Accord have?Honda and reliability should be synonyms in the automotive dictionary. Honda first entered the US market in 1970 and, since then, has become a household name for cars that last a lifetime and are cost-efficient. In the 1990s, the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry faced off against each other as sedan titans, with the customer being the winner as they got the best bang for their buck with either option. The 1992 Honda Accord is a perfect example of practicality, reliability and comfort.This article is about why the '92 Honda Accord became as popular as it did, its history, its famed engine, how much it's worth now and why it is still the benchmark for reliable sedans even today.We've used reputable sources to determine the value of the Subaru Legacy and its reliability record. As with any used car purchase, your results may vary and CarBuzz advises used-car buyers to do due diligence before buying. 1992 Honda Accord: A Brief History Bestseller On Debut HondaThe fourth generation of the Honda Accord, called the CB7, was launched in 1990. The Accord was riding the high of being the first-ever imported car to be crowned as the best-selling model in the US. So, the pressure was immense when the CB7 Accord was launched. As customer demand grew, so did the car market. The Accord stopped being just utilitarian, and started prioritizing comfort and practicality at a price point below its German counterparts. This made the Accord the obvious choice, especially as it was available in a plethora of body styles - sedan, coupe, and wagon.Bring-A-TrailerThere were subtle tweaks over its four-year cycle, with the 1992 model featuring revised bumpers and lights. A 10th Anniversary Edition was also launched in 1992, to show how far the Accord had come in such a short period of time. Honda sold 1.5 million Accords in the United States from 1990 to 1994. 1992 Accord: Engine Specifications And Trims Hip~commonswiki/Wikimedia CommonsAll Honda Accords were powered by the F22A fuel-injected inline four-cylinder engine. The Honda Accord of 1992 was available in four trims, with an additional 10th Anniversary Special Edition. The base DX trim was the cheapest, costing around $13,000 new for the manual transmission. The LX was the next up, and featured power windows and locks, cruise control and air conditioning as standard. Both the DX and LX had the same engine output at 125 hp.If you wanted more power, the top-of-the-line trim was the 1992 Honda Accord EX, which produced 140 hp. The SE (Special Edition) trim was positioned between the LX and EX but was more comfort focused. It featured the 125 hp engine tune but with leather seats and luxurious materials inside. Unlike the EX, it did not get a powered sunroof, unfortunately. All Accords were front-wheel drive, which helped the car have good fuel economy, with an EPA estimated city/highway/combined rating of 21/28/34 mpg. The Accord also featured double wishbone suspension on the front and rear suspension, giving the car superior handling dynamics and ride against its competitors. While other rivals may have been more powerful, the 1992 Honda Accord's engine stood the test of time and ensured it became one of the most reliable sedans ever sold. Interior And Exterior Design: 1992 Honda Accord Timeless Design, Multiple Body Styles 1992-honda-accord-exterior (1)Honda preferred subtlety when it came to changes to the Accord's exterior and interior. The CB7 looked very similar to the CB6. However, there were enough differences between them to make the CB7 more refined and plush. In 1991, the lineup was given a facelift that included new grilles, headlights, taillights and wheels. However, the wagon variant of the Accord did not get the refreshed taillight design in the update. There were multiple dealer options available on the Accord at this time as well, with additions such as a roof rack, or a lip spoiler adding a personal twist to your Accord.1992-honda-accord-exterior (4)The 1992 Honda Accord interior was the place where choosing your trim level mattered the most. If you got the base DX, it was as bare-bones as the Accord got. It did not even have air conditioning as standard. Move up to the LX, and comfort features such as powered windows and locks, as well as A/C were unlocked.Bring-A-TrailerThe EX was the most technologically advanced, with a powered sunroof. It also featured an upgraded cloth interior and body colored trim. The 10th Anniversary Edition was based on the LX trim and had alloy wheels and special badging to commemorate the Accord's success. The SE and the 10th Anniversary Editions were the only two trims that included dual front airbags. 1992 Honda Accord Rivals Ford Taurus Bring a Trailer The Ford Taurus was in its second generation at the time and was a big competitor to the Accord. The brand name swayed a lot of customers towards buying American, making the Taurus the best-selling sedan of 1992. It had V6 options as standard with high-performance trims producing north of 200 horsepower. At the time, it was also competitively priced, starting at $15,470. In the 90s, the Taurus looked like a good alternative to the Accord. However, it was considerably less reliable and practical. The Honda also had the Ford beat in terms of build quality and refinement. XV10 Toyota Camry ToyotaThe biggest rival of the Honda Accord at the time was the Toyota Camry. In 1992, the XV10 Camry was the biggest threat to the Accord in terms of Japanese reliability and engineering, and was the better choice for people wanting a sportier drive. Where the Accord was comfortable, Toyota capitalized on making the Camry feel more agile. It even had an option of a V6 engine that produced 185 hp, but it was not as reliable as the four-cylinder options. Toyota and Honda are both kings of reliability, and it is difficult to pick between the Camry and Accord based purely on how far they will go. 1992 Honda Accord Costs Today 1992-honda-accord-exterior (3)-2The Honda Accord is one of the few cars that does not get affected by high mileage on the used market. This is because most owners and potential buyers know, even with over 100,000 miles on the odometer, the Accord will just keep going. LX trims are around the range of $3,000 to $8,000 depending on their condition. EX trims are on the higher end, with a car sold on BringATrailer for over $10,000 with 236,000 miles on the clock! CB7 Accord: Common Issues This generation of the Accord was one of the most reliable, with many examples from the fourth generation reaching over 180,000 miles - and some doubling that. In fact, the highest-mileage Honda recorded is a 4th-gen Accord EX, with 1.16 million miles on the clock. Still, as is the case with any 30-plus-year-old car, there are some things to look out for: Rust Issues As the car is almost 35 years old now, rust has become a main cause of issue for this generation, especially in regions around the rust belt. The underside of the car, body panels, suspension and mechanical components are prone to deteriorating. Any mechanical rust issues may lead to a case of the car being unfit to be driven on the road. Timing Belt The timing belt of the 2.2-liter, if not maintained properly, can lead to permanent engine damage. Make sure to check the service history and replacement parts, especially for the timing belt. Relays The main relay is one of the only mechanical components in the Accord that is reportedly prone to blow. Multiple owners are on their third or fourth relays, with all CB7 engines being plagued by this issue. Maintenance Costs The Accord is not a mechanically complicated car. Routine maintenance and running costs are some of the lowest as there is an abundance of parts available for this generation of car. The F22A has simple internals and usually has very quick fixes unless catastrophic. If you find a good example with proper relays, timing belts and no rust, it will cost you close to nothing per year to keep the car running for centuries, except for the price of fuel nowadays, of course. FAQs How reliable is the 1992 Honda Accord? The 1992 Honda Accord is extremely reliable, especially because its F22A inline four-cylinder engine used simple parts and was easy to maintain. What kind of engine does a 1992 Honda Accord have? All trims of the 1992 Honda Accord are powered by a 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine mated to either a four-speed automatic or a five-speed manual transmission. What made the 1992 Honda Accord special? The 1992 Honda Accord was special because of its reliability, build quality and popularity in the US market in the sedan category. How much horsepower did the 1992 Accord have? The fuel-injected four-cylinder produced 125 hp in the DX and LX trims and 140 hp in the EX trim.Sources: Honda