All-new 11th generation flagship sedan will celebrate 50 years of Accords in Australia
The Honda Accord is set to notch up 50 continuous years on sale in Australia following confirmation the 11th generation sedan has been signed off for release here next year.
Defying the collapse in local passenger car sales, the new Accord is expected to reach Australia before the end of 2023 after debuting in the USA later this year.
That timing ties in with a commitment Honda Australia made last January to renew its entire model line-up by the end of 2023. Back then there was little expectation the slow-selling Accord would continue here.
But Honda Australia director and auto division COO Stephen Collins has made it clear we will see another new Accord.
Honda Accord
“We are still very much committed to Accord,” said Collins.
“It’s low volume, we know that, but it is our flagship sedan, so it will continue to be in our model line-up and we will look forward to a full model change down the track.
“It will still very much play a role.”
The Honda Accord first went on sale in Australia in 1977 as a Japanese-built three-door hatch. It later became a sedan, briefly added the ‘Aerodeck’ wagon, switched its sourcing to America and then Thailand, and was joined by the smaller Accord Euro between 2003 and 2015.
2012 Honda Accord Euro
Only the Civic nameplate has had a longer continuous run for Honda in Australia. If the new Accord turns up as expected in late 2023 it would celebrate 50 years on sale in Australia within the lifespan of the 11th generation.
Currently two Thai-built Accord models are sold in Australia: the $57,400 Accord VTi-LX and the $60,400 VTi-LX Hybrid. The 10th generation launched in here in December 2019.
Honda Accord VTi-LX
Honda has sold just 25 Accords in Australia in 2022 to the end of April – down from 33 in the same period of 2021. Of the nine vehicles in the mainstream medium and large passenger segments, it is the slowest selling.
Overall, passenger car sales have slumped to just 20 per cent of the market so far in 2022, while light commercial claims 24.4 per cent and SUVs a dominant 51.8 per cent.
In recent times Honda has ended local sales of the Jazz and City light cars and dramatically cut back the Civic hatchback range and dropped the sedan.
Hona Civic VTi-LX
Production of the Odyssey people-mover has ceased and the exotic NSX sports car has also disappeared.
Honda will add the new Civic Hybrid and Type R hot hatch to its passenger car range later this year, but its primary focus is on SUVs.
Honda Civic Type-R
The new HR-V is about to be launched, a new unnamed medium SUV arrives in early 2023 and the next-gen CR-V lands here later the same year.
“We think that 90 per cent of our volume over the next few years will be SUVs, but we still think it is important to bring other types of cars to the market, whether that be Type R, Accord, whatever else,” said Collins.
“It’s not just about the volume and the share. We have a nameplate that is synonymous with our business and we don’t want to give that up.
“So, we will persist.”
Among the nine medium and large cars still on sale in Australia, several models including the Mazda6 and Kia Stinger have dubious futures, suggesting the Accord could be among the last big cars standing that are not sold by luxury brands.
“If that segment is totally dead sometime in the future that certainly makes it more difficult, but we are certainly committed to continue Accord,” said Collins.
“I think Accord now and probably into the future is Honda-to-Honda business, it’s previous owners who are onto gosh knows how many generations.”
Not a lot is yet confirmed about the 2023 Accord. US media forecast the drivetrains will remain familiar, the platform updated and the interior and exterior thoroughly overhauled.
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Keyword: Next Honda Accord coming to Australia