​​The Honda Accord Turns 50​

Whether it’s a birthday or anniversary, fifty years – a half century – is a significant milestone, and one worth celebrating, especially if it represents something that significantly changed our industry, our lives, or our world.  Certainly, the Honda Accord, which is now reaching its 50th anniversary, is such an example.

On June 7, 1976, Honda dealers began selling an all-new midsize car. The Accord may have been a simple, sporty hatchback in its earliest days, but it was engineered and built with the same qualities that made the smaller Civic an industry benchmark. Early Accords were built with a larger form of Honda’s CVCC engine, which was both more fuel efficient and cleaner-burning than many of its contemporary competitors. 

The Accord soon found favor with buyers, especially here in North America. Honda dealers and Honda itself were perhaps somewhat surprised with its newfound popularity, and within two years, expanded the Accord portfolio to include both a four-door model and an uplevel LX hatchback.  

The Accord’s American popularity continued to grow enough that when it came time to develop the second-generation Accord, Honda opted to build American-market examples stateside. On November 1, 1982, Accords began rolling off the line in Marysville, OH, marking one of the first instances of Japanese passenger cars being built within America. By the end of that decade, the Accord became the best-selling car in the U.S. To date, Honda has built over 13.5 million Accords within North America, an impressive accomplishment, considering the automaker has sold 15 million Accords over the last five decades.

The eleventh-generation 2026 Accord continues to be a leader in the mid-size sedan segment. In fact, it has a 25 percent share of all retail midsize sedan sales. With the availability of both internal combustion and hybrid drivelines, customers have taken delivery of 50 percent of new Accords with the hybrid drive system.  

Over time, the Accord has garnered its share of awards from various organizations and outlets. In fact, Car and Driver has put the Accord on its 10Best list 40 times since 1983 – more than any vehicle ever given this distinction by the magazine. It has also won the MotorTrend Car of The Year twice in 1994 and 2018, along with the North American Car of the Year in 2018. 

In the 50 years since its first arrival in Honda showrooms, the Accord stood for value above all. From offering a then-exotic five-speed manual transmission in 1976, to offering a full suite of Honda Sensing driver assistance features in today’s models, the Accord has always been an attainable, reliable vehicle offered at an affordable price. Today, you have six trim levels to choose from, each with their own personality and standard features. 

Celebrate the Accord’s 50th anniversary with us at Michael Hohl Honda. Contact us to add yourself to the legacy of this great midsize sedan.