New Honda Accord teased
Tenth generation Honda Accord to debut in July... But it may be axed in AustraliaThe wraps will come off the all-new 2018 Honda Accord sedan on July 14 in Detroit, with the reveal to be live-streamed via YouTube.
Sporting a fresh new look and plenty of powertrain advancements, including a pair of new direct-injection turbo engines and a new 10-speed automatic transmission, the Accord could return to its roots of offering a powerful, engaging drive.
There will also be a new twin-motor hybrid system available along with other new "technology". Gesture control perhaps?
That's the good news.
The bad news is that the 2018 Honda Accord may not come to Australia, due to unsustainably low sales.
Last month Honda Australia director Stephen Collins didn't mince his words: "We haven't made any decision on the next Accord [coming to Australia]. We are a bit concerned about the segment. The segment is still on the decline."
In the USA, the Honda Accord represents significant revenue for the brand.
Since it was introduced there in 1976, 13 million Accords have found homes in America. Honda reckons the Accord is America's top-selling car – cumulatively – since 2001.
In Australia however the best-selling mid-sized sedan is the Toyota Camry, with around 27,000 sales in 2016. The rest of the mid-size market sells around 2000 to 4000 units per annum and half of them probably don't need to turn up for work.
The Honda Accord? It managed just 719 sales for the year, less than 100 units per month. That's a very low number, despite being upgraded with a new-look, more equipment and lower pricing in May 2016.
The new US-designed Accord teased in this new sketch is expected to debut a sleek new design that may incorporate the bold flourishes seen on the flamboyant Honda Civic hatch.
The sketch teases "the aggressive stance and proportion" of the new Accord which will usher in a "dramatic new styling direction" for the brand, reckons Honda.
No doubt it will prove to be a strong contender in the USA, even if it does ditch the V6 engine. But will the new look and new tech be enough to convince Honda Australia to keep the unloved Accord in dealerships later in 2018?
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