First and Latest: 1976 Honda Accord vs. 2013 Honda Accord
Tom Appel
1976 Honda Accord
The first Accord debuted in the U.S. in May 1976 as a compact hatchback. Its wheelbase was a mere 93.7 inches; that’s 4.7 inches shorter than the 98.4-inch wheelbase of today’s subcompact Honda Fit.
The redesigned 2013 Honda Accord Sedan and Coupe are hitting dealerships nationwide right now. A new generation of a benchmark car like the Accord is always a special occasion in the automotive world, and the new ninth-generation Accord doesn’t disappoint.
Honda is also celebrating 30 years of producing the Accord in the United States; the Accord’s Marysville, Ohio plant opened in 1982. At the press introduction for the 2013 model, Honda had a nostalgic display of the previous generations of the Accord. We snapped a few quick photos, and thought it would be interesting to juxtapose the original Accord with the brand-new one. Accord, you’ve come a long way.
A 2-door hatchback was the only Accord body style at the start. A 4-door sedan joined the U.S. lineup for 1979.
The CVCC grille badge stood for Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion, which was Honda’s brand name for its emissions-control technology of the time. The first Accord’s 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine produced 68 horsepower.
The 2013 Accord Sedan has a 109.3 wheelbase and is 191.4 inches long overall. Its base engine is a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder that makes 185 horsepower. A 278-hp 3.5-liter V6 is optional.
Accord lost its hatchback body style in 1990, but Honda still offers a coupe version for 2013 (it’s set to go on sale in October). Aimed at younger buyers, the coupe has a sportier character than its sedan sibling.
From left to right are the first six generations of the Honda Accord. Their debut model years are 1976, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, and 1998, respectively.
The 1982 Honda Accord was the first to be built in the United States.
