Potential used Honda Accord buyers can use this information to help identify which models may be the best fit as well as how to then purchase the vehicle at the best possible price ... and yes, even at wholesale.
We happen to be very big fans of the Honda Accord. I guess that shouldn't surprise many people ... most people are. That said, I think the important point is that we think it's one of the smartest used car purchases out there.
All it's done for the last three decades is prove, year in and year out, that it's a well-built vehicle with an outstanding reputation for reliability, a high emphasis on safety and strong resale values.
Get behind the wheel and you will immediately appreciate its comfort, roominess, smart engineering and easy drive. Additionally, the Accord has continued to perform at the top of the list as either a midsize coupe or sedan.
If you're considering the purchase of a used Accord, here's some information on those you'll likely find readily available right now in the used car market.
The current Honda Accord generation, its eighth, has been produced from the 2008 through the current model years. This Accord was enlarged slightly and engine performance was also increased ... but without actually hurting its gas mileage performance. These Accords are found in both midsize coupe and sedan forms with enough model variations to meet the different needs of many buyers.
Base LX models are equipped with the essentials while a top-of-the-line EX-L is luxury-like, with features including leather upholstery, Bluetooth and perhaps optional navigation. And all of this generation's models come with standard safety features which include stability control and side curtain airbags.
As in past generations, these Accords are powered by either a four-cylinder engine or V6. The base engine is the 2.4-liter four-cylinder that produces 177 horsepower. There's an enhanced version of this engine that is available on the Accord EX that's good for 190 horsepower. Naturally enough, the 3.5 liter V6 provides a significant boost in power ... up to 271-hp.
Models with the four-cylinder engine are paired with a 5-speed manual transmission as standard, while many used Accords can be found with the optional 5-speed automatic. Most of the V6 models come with the 5-speed automatic, however, the V6 coupes of this era are also available with a 6-speed manual.
The earlier seventh generation was produced for the 2003 through 2007 model years and represents a significant portion of the used Honda Accord models currently found in the marketplace. These used models can be found with either a 2.4 liter 160 horsepower incline-4 or a 3.0 liter 240 horsepower V6 engine. A choice of a 5-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmissions are also available while the 6-speed manual was available on the V6 EX coupe.
These Accords were also offered as a midsize coupe or sedan with three initial trims: DX, LX and EX. The DX was fairly stripped in terms of features, so we find most shoppers interested in either the LX or EX. It's important to note that prospective buyers should be aware that side and side-curtain airbags may not be found in many models because these were optional features during this production run.
The Honda Accord Hybrid was introduced in 2005 and these are most definitely harder to come by as not a lot of them were sold.
Still part of this generation, the Accord was given a freshened exterior styling, some minor changes to the trim level organization and more powerful engines in 2006. Stability control was also introduced in the 2006 model year.
This generation also earned high praise for its solid build quality, roomy and attractive interior, good crash test scores and smooth drive.
The sixth-generation Honda Accord is still very popular in the used market. Produced from 1998 to 2002, these Accords were again coupes and sedans with four-cylinder or V6 engines. There were few changes during this production run, although safety features were expanded after the 2000 model. These models were considered competent handlers and user-friendly, and can be found with or without a wide-array of features. They can also make wise and relatively inexpensive purchases due to their very strong track records.
Overall, however, used Honda Accords often carry a premium price over their competitors in the marketplace (and rightfully so). Still, the overall cost over the lifetime of ownership for an Accord is usually quite favorable when compared to most other vehicles due to its typically lower maintanence costs and strong resale values.
In our opinion the Accord gets very high scores for design, build quality, smooth driving and crash test scores, making it an excellent choice as a used car purchase.
How To Buy A Used Honda Accord
At The Best Price:
