Why is the Accord Euro in existence?

[I CU2]

Just wondering,

Why is there a need for an Accord designated for the European market?

Wouldn't it be easier for Honda to ship off the Thai Accord everywhere?

[aaronng]

Just wondering,

Why is there a need for an Accord designated for the European market?

Wouldn't it be easier for Honda to ship off the Thai Accord everywhere?
The Accord Euro is not an Accord designated for the European market. It is the Accord that is sold in Japan. You could call it the Accord designated for the Japan domestic market.

In Europe, many cars are sold with a manual transmission. The Thai Accord is auto-only, so it wouldn't have sold well at all in the European market. So they probably went with the Accord Euro which did have a manual transmission. In addition, in Japan where the Accord Euro was designed and manufactured, they tend to prefer cars that are not as big as the Thai Accord. A similar situation occurs in Europe where smaller cars sell better than larger cars (they also love practicality, hence they buy a lot of hatches).

Back in 2003, the Thai Accord was a much bigger car compared to the CL9 Accord Euro, so in Australia Honda decided to challenge the mid-size market which was controlled by the Mazda6 using the CL9 Accord Euro. The Thai Accord would not have had a chance at all because the Mazda6 won on size and handling dynamics. Even the CL9 had much more power than the 4-cyl Thai Accord.

Then in 2009, the CU2 Accord Euro is released which is MUCH MUCH bigger. The 4-cyl Thai Accord got a nice power bump as well which brings their power outputs closer. So now, there is not much difference between it and the Thai Accord other than looks and some handling.

[I CU2]

Exactly, wouldn't it now be more economical to just have one Accord instead of two variants?

[antony]

But remember they are VERY diffirent cars,the Euro is more of a global model,as the Thau Accord would not work in a lot of markets because of size,and the Euro would not work in a few because of price.

But I have heard rumours that for the next generation there may only be one Accord for ALL global markets.

[MR_LATE]

hondas forged in vietnam now?> so what would quality be?

[I CU2]

Side note again based on MR_LATE's comment above:

Why is the Accord Euro still made in Japan and not moved over to Thai Accord land?

[antony]

Hondas best products are made in Japan...LOL.

Euro is made in Japan,as well as China,where it is called the Honda Spirior

[praja6]

The big accord is assembled in Thailand and engine is still made in japan is it?

Our Euro is made and assembled in japan and you can see the interier quality...




Hondas best products are made in Japan...LOL.

Euro is made in Japan,as well as China,where it is called the Honda Spirior

[antony]

The quality and finish of Japaneese built cars are the best in the world.

Our 2012 Jazz and all new Civics are also going to be built in Japan....which will be a good selling point.

[I CU2]

Why is everyone moving back to Japan?

Poor build quality in Thailand?

[jono_l]

Why is everyone moving back to Japan?

Poor build quality in Thailand?

Thai floods my friend.

I'm willing to bet that Japanese production of Civics and Jazz will only be a short-term thing until they sort out the factory. After all, even if the FOB cost of sourcing vehicles from Japan and Thailand were the same (unlikely), logic would dictate that freight would be cheaper from Thailand. Then there's also the Thai free trade agreement.

[marquee]

Why is everyone moving back to Japan?

Poor build quality in Thailand?

.and also to stimulate the japanese economy. tourism in japan is down quite a bit since the tsunami. Japan thinks about japan first (good moto for a country i think)

[aaronng]

Exactly, wouldn't it now be more economical to just have one Accord instead of two variants?

No, because in Japan and Europe they still prefer the CU2 over the Thai Accord. Hence the CU2 is just called the Accord in those 2 markets. It can be economical but it means nothing if you can't sell. If you don't keep the cash flow moving, you shut down shop.

[aaronng]

Side note again based on MR_LATE's comment above:

Why is the Accord Euro still made in Japan and not moved over to Thai Accord land?

Because the Accord Euro is the JDM Accord and hence is made in Japan. It costs more to start another production line in Thailand and then ship the cars back to Japan. Remember that the JDM Accord is NOT sold in ASEAN markets. The only way to get it is by parallel imports.

The Thai Accord was built to fulfil the ASEAN markets where they view bigger as better. Hence it made more sense to make it in Thailand since their major markets would be Malaysia, Singapore & Indonesia.

[aaronng]

.and also to stimulate the japanese economy. tourism in japan is down quite a bit since the tsunami. Japan thinks about japan first (good moto for a country i think)

Honda Australia can source their cars from wherever they want to. Because of the Thai floods, the current stock is probably allocated to fulfil orders in the ASEAN region first (base Jazz is about AU$28k there eventhough labour and materials costs are cheaper, so more profit to be made), Honda Australia has to source from Japan instead (and take a hit on a higher cost of goods).

[Euro_CU2]

My CG5 Accord V6 is from Thailand ... no major issues besides the Transmission which is a known problem. Other than that the car still runs fine... But the build is nothing like the CU2.

[Fredoops]

My CG5 Accord V6 is from Thailand ... no major issues besides the Transmission which is a known problem. Other than that the car still runs fine... But the build is nothing like the CU2.

The euro has to double as Acura TSX in the states, which is an entry level executive car (alas Audi A4, Lexus is250 etc.) an the Accord in europe is also pitted againest entry level executive cars (because A4 etc are that cheap). It's cheaper for them to use one set of interior for all of the Euros, rather than having special poverty pack interior like the CL9 last generation.

Having said that. I'm not at all impressed CU2 standard interior....

[MR_LATE]

Having said that. I'm not at all impressed CU2 standard interior....
pre or post facelift? or both?

[Fredoops]

pre or post facelift? or both?

Pre, the plastic in mid dash was flimsy, and the dual tone display unit just look cheap.

[kryptonite]

IMO.

Honda shot itself in the foot by making the Euro (CU2) almost the same size as the US Accord, just so they could fill in a gap for the Acura brand.

They should have kept both platforms separate.

1. Mid size sporty sedan
2. Full size sedan

[antony]

This whole idea of having 2 diffirent models for diffirent markets is not new,and works well.

VW have just copied Honda,with the US market Passat which will be sold in China also,and the Euro market Passat,which will be sold in the rest of the world.

[Fredoops]

IMO.

Honda shot itself in the foot by making the Euro (CU2) almost the same size as the US Accord, just so they could fill in a gap for the Acura brand.

They should have kept both platforms separate.

1. Mid size sporty sedan
2. Full size sedan

They endup shooting themselves on the foot with the TSX anyway, especially with the V6.. It completely screwed TL sales.

Hence why they are getting rid of Acura TSX.

[HunterZero]

The larger Accord from 7th gen onwards was primarily designed with the USA market in mind, where they tend to favour larger soft and comfortable town cars. The larger Accord is manufactured locally in the USA too.

Australia has a trade agreement with Thailand that allows for cost savings for imported cars manufactured there. That's why most Honda cars are now imported from there, only the Legend and Euro come from Japan. So when they started making the large 7th gen Accord there, it was logical for that model to be the next Accord for Australia, which is also a 'large car' market, and we tend to prefer larger cars with the option of a 6 cylinder engine.

Honda Australia successfully lobbied to bring the smaller JDM CL9 Accord here to sell alongside the larger Accord as a sportier model to plug the gap left by the Prelude (and soon to be left by the Integra), and to target the expanding mid-size car market. They dubbed it the Accord Euro to differentiate it from the larger version.

Such a shame we didn't get the CL7 too.

- HZ

[antony]

Rumour was that Honda Japan only wanted us to have the regular Accord,but Honda Australia fought for the Euro,to compete with the Mazda 6,and so we got the Euro.
Honda Australia also wanted to call it the Euro,but JApan insisted on using the Accord name as well.

So thats how its called Accord Euro here and in New Zealand.

[Fredoops]

I really don't know how it's gonna turn out next generation, the euros clearly too big n heavy. And it's really eating away Seppo accord sales.

USA is dropping TSX next/this year. So well see

[antony]

The new TSX is going to be a smaller car ,and will be badged as the Acura ILX.
It will be a 2013 model,and Civic based,instead of Accord based.

It will be interesting to see whether this will be the new Euro as well,if there will be 1 Accord globally,or if there will be a completely diffirent Euro again...