Honda Accord: New right-hand drive, hybrid sedan unconfirmed for Australia

Honda has revealed the 11th-generation Accord in right-hand drive, and it’s a hybrid-only affair – at least in Japan.

It’ll go on sale in the Japanese market in the northern spring (our autumn) of 2024.

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

Honda has yet to confirm where right-hand drive versions of the new Accord will be built. The outgoing 10th-generation model was produced in Thailand and exported to markets like Australia and Japan.

Left-hand drive 11th-generation Accords have been produced in the US since early this year, and Honda Australia has said the Thai-built Accord follows a slightly different model cycle to its US-built counterpart.

The new generation has yet to be revealed for the Thai market, which leaves open the possibility that right-hand drive Accords could come from China.

Honda’s Chinese operations recently began exporting right-hand drive Odysseys to Japan, with models like the European-market ZR-V and CR-V also coming out of China.

But Honda Australia has previously said it won’t import models from China, closing the door on a return for the Odyssey or the introduction of the small electric e:Ny1 crossover.

The only powertrain confirmed for the right-hand drive Accord thus far is a hybrid: a 2.0-litre direct-injected Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine mated with dual electric motors and an electric continuously variable transmission (e-CVT).

In the US-market model, this produces 152kW of power and 335Nm of torque – down 6kW but up 20Nm on the current local-spec hybrid.

A suite of active safety technology is available, including front- and rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot assist, autonomous emergency braking, traffic sign recognition, lane-keep assist, and Traffic Jam Assist. There are also knee airbags for both front seat occupants.

Honda says in 2025 it will introduce its next-generation Honda Sensing 360 technology in the Accord, offering hands-off driving.

Inside, there’s a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Google Built-in, which includes embedded Google Maps, Google Play and Google Assistant.

Google Maps can also be displayed in the 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster.

Ahead of the driver is a 11.5-inch head-up display, while a multi-function dial in the centre stack can be used to control functions like the sound system, air-conditioning and lighting.

That’s in contrast with the US model, which has a more conventional climate control array.

Other equipment available in Japan includes LED active cornering lights, eight-way power-adjustable front seats, leather upholstery, multi-colour ambient lighting, a 12-speaker Bose sound system, dual-zone climate control, wireless phone charger, and 18-inch alloy wheels.

Honda will also offer the Accord in Japan with different Touring Line and Sport Line looks, the latter featuring black wheels and side skirts plus black trim on the front and rear bumper.

The company discontinued the Accord in Japan late last year, and it also no longer appears on price lists in Thailand.

At the time of the new model’s reveal last November, Honda Australia said the outgoing Accord would “continue in Australia for some time yet and it continues to perform strongly as a supporting model in the lineup”.

Honda says the new Accord is based on its enhanced global architecture and has greater chassis rigidity than before with stiffer body supports and new front brace bars.

The four-wheel independent suspension has been retuned for a more engaging driving experience, while new front suspension damper mount bearings and ball joints are said to improve steering smoothness.

The Accord is 71mm longer than its predecessor with a 10mm wider track, and features cleaner flanks and detailing.

A sharp feature line runs down the side of the car, and the Accord retains a fastback-like silhouette. Honda also touts the Accord’s airy greenhouse and slim A-pillars, aiding visibility.

Honda says it has used premium materials throughout the cabin with “close attention paid to the operation of all switchgear and controls for a premium feel”.

Metal mesh trim extends across the dashboard, like in the Civic, and conceals the air vents. There’s also more extensive use of piano black trim.

In markets like the US there’s a base turbocharged 1.5-litre four, while in China the Accord is also available with a 2.0-litre plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain featuring a 17.7kWh battery.

It’s not the first application of this technology in an Accord, with a PHEV also offered in the ninth-generation model.

With the Legend and NSX gone, the Accord now serves as the brand’s flagship passenger car.

Honda introduced the current Accord to Australia in 2019, and it’s been a slow seller since launch even relative to its rivals in what’s a shrinking segment.

It’s currently offered in a single trim level, with either a 140kW/260Nm turbo 1.5-litre four or a 158kW/315Nm 2.0-litre hybrid.

To the end of August, Honda has sold 105 Accords. That’s up 40 per cent year-to-date in a segment down 10.5 per cent, but it still trails all its direct rivals. Even the pricier Peugeot 508 has recorded 125 sales this year.

MORE: Everything Honda Accord