We Called This $4,000 Honda Accord the Best Buy on Four Wheels. Here’s Why.
Key takeaways
- The first Honda Accord delivered a combination of value, comfort, and efficiency that impressed our testers.
- Although the first cars sold here, the 600 sedan and coupe, were good in their own way, the Civic is the car that "made" Honda in the States.
- The Honda Accord got its start in 1972, when Honda began development of a larger-than-Civic-sized car, which was given design number 671.
Why this matters: an automotive development that could shape industry direction or buying decisions.
The first Honda Accord delivered a combination of value, comfort, and efficiency that impressed our testers.
[This story originally appeared in the September 1976 issue of Motor Trend with the headline "Honda Accord: Road Test." Honda recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Accord and we pulled this from the archives to help mark the occasion.] In the seven short years since Honda began selling automobiles in this country, it has managed to climb to the number four position among importers.
Although the first cars sold here, the 600 sedan and coupe, were good in their own way, the Civic is the car that "made" Honda in the States. Unfortunately, the Civic was smaller than some of the competition (notably the VW Rabbit), and Honda believed that a bigger car should be developed to supplement the Civic. The result is the new Accord.