New Honda Accord to be hybrid-only in Japan

The new 2023 Honda Accord has been revealed in Japan as a hybrid-only sedan, but is yet to be confirmed for other right-hand drive markets – including Australia.

Officially unveiled in late 2022, North America’s version of the all-new 11th-generation Honda Accord is available in the US with two four-cylinder powertrains – 1.5-litre turbo-petrol and 2.0-litre petrol-electric hybrid (like the current model is in Australia).

However, the right-hand drive Accord now revealed in Japan will be offered exclusively with a non-turbo 2.0-litre hybrid drivetrain. While it’s yet to be fully detailed, it’s expected to offer similar outputs to the US-market Accord, which produces 152kW of power and 335Nm of torque.

Last year, Honda Australia’s former director Stephen Collins told carsales the Japanese brand was committed to selling the next Accord Down Under.

“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,” said Collins in 2022.

“It will still very much play a role.”

But Honda Australia today said it unable to confirm a local release for the new mid-size sedan.

“Honda Australia cannot confirm the arrival of the new model Accord to the Australian market at this time,” a spokesperson told carsales.

The news comes as the popularity of mid-size sedans continues to decline in Australia, where sales of the evergreen Toyota Camry are down more than 18 per cent compared to this time last year and even Mazda has all but put an end-date on the recently-updated Mazda6 as consumers migrate to dual-cab 4x4 utes, SUVs and electrification.

When it goes on sale in Japan from December, ahead of customer deliveries from March 2024, the new Honda Accord will feature plenty of new tech, including a big 12.3-inch central touch-screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Google software and over-the-air updates.

Other standard equipment will include a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, and a full suite of safety including autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian, cyclist and motorcycle detection, plus adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and more.

Unlike US variants, the right-hand drive Accord will also feature a push-button gear selector as well as an ‘Experience Selection Dial’ to control the central display.

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