5 Forbidden Honda Accords America Never Got To Buy
50 Years of Honda Accord
While the Civic expanded Honda's horizons worldwide, it was the Accord that helped the brand make a huge impact on America. It made its world premiere on May 7, 1976, as a compact hatchback, with the sedan added in 1977. Since then, it has become a firm favorite, even becoming America's best-selling car from 1989 to 1991, and again in 2001.
11 generations have been built since then, and even if midsize sedan sales are no longer as strong as they once were, it's impossible to imagine Honda without this model. That said, there were interesting models that never made it to the U.S, so for its 50th birthday, we'll check out the ones that never crossed the Pacific and the Atlantic.
1994 to 1997 Accord SiR
Unless you're well and truly into your Hondas or Japanese motorsport, the fifth-generation Accord had a stellar racing career. It bagged back-to-back titles in the Japanese Touring Car Championship in 1996 and 1997, and secured loads of wins throughout its years in competition. This generation also brought in a true sporty variant in the form of the SiR.
Available in sedan, coupe, and wagon body styles, it came with a sporty yet subtle set of exterior and interior upgrades, as well as a more buttoned-down suspension and a manual transmission option on the sedan. But the highlight here was the revvy 2.2-liter VTEC engine with twin cams, pushing out 190 hp and 152 lb-ft of torque, making it far quicker than the 2.7-liter single-cam V6 that the U.S got. The sad part was that America could've gotten the SiR, as the coupes and wagons were actually built in Ohio and imported to Japan.
1998 to 2002 Accord Wagon
The sixth-generation Accord is offered in three distinct versions for specific markets. The U.S., along with most of the world, ended up with the largest version. The European model, which we'll get to a little later, was based on a heavily refreshed version of the Honda Ascot Innova that also served as the fifth-generation Euro Accord. The version specific to the Japanese version looks similar to the U.S./rest of world model, but it's a unique platform for its home market as it was shorter and narrower than the one we're all familiar with.
That meant the 1998 to 2002 Accord Wagon was strictly a Japan-only affair. Given that the previous generation Accord Wagon/Aerodeck barely made a blip outside of Japan (thanks, SUVs), the long roof version never made that trip across the Pacific, or any ocean, for that matter. It's a handsome-looking wagon, we think, although we'll admit that it probably wouldn't have sold in big numbers abroad. It could've had potential in Europe, though. Speaking of which...
1998 to 2002 Accord Type R
Europe had its own take on the Accord from the late-'90s to early-'00s, and that resulted in the one and only time the midsize sedan officially wore a Type R badge. It was also the only Type R to never be officially sold in Japan.
So, what did the Accord Type R have? It came with a 2.2-liter twin-cam VTEC engine that produced 209 hp and 164 lb-ft. It was then paired with a close-ratio five-speed manual, and also came standard with a helical Torsen LSD. A more aggressive suspension setup was also part of the package, along with a quicker steering rack, Recaro seats, a Momo steering wheel, and, in true Type R fashion, an aluminum shift knob. Most came with a shouty rear wing, but we say it looks cleaner without it.
1998 to 2008 Accord Euro R
Okay, we're cheating a little bit here as we're putting two generations together. But that's because we think both generations of the Accord Euro R are well worth mentioning here. The first Euro R was based on the Japanese-market Accord from '98 to '02 and came with a 2.2-liter VTEC engine with dual overhead cams. While identical to the European Type R of the same era, it produced more power at 217 hp. It also came with a five-speed manual transmission, a helical Torsen LSD, Recaro seats, and firmer suspension.
The second Accord Euro R was based on the 2002 to 2008 Japanese and European-market model. Of course, America got the tamer version in the form of the first-generation Acura TSX. One can say that this was the 'mature' Type R, as it used the same 2.0-liter twin-cam VTEC engine from the Civic and Integra Type R. Output was the same as those cars, rated at 217 hp and 152 lb-ft. This time around, it came with a six-speed manual, plus all the goodies applied to the previous model. We can't help but wish Acura applied the chassis tweaks, as well as the exterior and interior upgrades, from the Euro R for the American market.
2008 to 2015 Accord i-DTEC
Admittedly, the U.S. (and Canada) probably got the best version of the JDM/Euro eighth-gen Accord. The second-generation Acura TSX was the only iteration that was available with a V6 engine, something the rest of the world couldn't get. Still, we think the diesel-powered versions are worth a mention.
Honda built diesel Accords primarily for the European market, and the i-DTEC version was the most polished. Granted, it's not quick, as its 2.2-liter lump only made 148 hp and 258 lb-ft, but what it lacked in outright speed, it made up for in MPGs. It could get up to 53 MPG in official literature, and hypermilers could easily stretch that to 60 MPG. Couple that with a 17-gallon tank, and you can get well over 600 miles on a single fill-up. There was also a more powerful version with 178 hp and 280 lb-ft, although fuel consumption takes a hit.
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This story was originally published May 17, 2026 at 3:45 PM.