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October 30, 2002 - This is the 7th generation European Honda Accord. It was announced in saloon form at the recent Paris Motor Show, the estate version more recently, and both variants will be available in Europe early next year.
Like the previous European car, it differs from the American Accord, but unlike the previous generation European Accord, this is the same car to be sold in Japan. Honda are now making two types of Accord, not three.
In its class, the Accord is one of the best sellers in Japan, as it is in America where almost ten times as many Accords are sold compared to Europe. Because of this, the scope for growth in these territories is limited, so Honda, like Nissan with the Primera and Mazda with the 6, have set their sights on Europe and produced their most European design to date.
Smaller than the American market Accord and with a completely different exterior design, Honda claims to have targeted cars such as Volvo’s S60 saloon and V70 estate, and to do this they have focussed on delivering a more premium type of car. This can be seen in the relatively simple surfacing running through its flanks that is similar to the sheer surfaces of the two year old Audi A4. It can also be seen in its dynamic stance, which is more like the ‘premium’ upper medium class of the A4 and S60 than the ‘mainstream’ upper medium proportion of the Opel Vectra, a tactic that Mazda has even more emphatically adopted with their 6. Also like the Mazda, the Accord’s grille has become deeper and its headlamps have become slimmer than on predecessors, resulting in a DRG (Down-Road-Graphic) almost indistinguishable from the Mazda 6.
The interior has a higher perceived quality than before and is mostly shared with the American market Accord. But its design identity only half way approximates to the strong, modern forms typical of even the mainstream upper medium class, it fails to deliver the distinct interior design identity that the Civic and Jazz have lower down the Honda range and that Nissan achieved with the Primera.
The estate variant has an extra 50mm in its wheelbase compared to the saloon and an innovative ‘one motion’ rear seat that needs just one hand to fold flat. When the rear seat back is moves forwards, it lifts the seat squab up and forward (similar to the Renault 25) and folds the headrest forward in one action.
An even more interesting technical feature, possibly not to be available in Europe, is the HIDS (Honda Intelligent Driver Support system) that features active cruise control combined with LKAS (Lane Keeping Assist System). According to Honda, LKAS identifies the vehicle lane based on the image captured by a camera mounted in the front window, then provides the appropriate amount of steering assistance required to maintain the vehicle in its lane.
Like several Japanese brands, Honda has recognised the need to crack the European market. To replicate some of the characteristics of the premium upper medium class is perhaps a logical strategy to do this. But without a distinctive design identity, the Accord lacks the conviction evident in all other brands and products in this sector and will surely be a significant contributory factor to its market share of the European upper medium class remaining around two percent.
Related stories:
First details on US 2003 Honda Accord
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