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Midsize car; Built in USA, Japan
  • 2-door coupe
  • 4-door sedan
  • 4-door wagon
  • transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive
Good condition price range: $1,000 – $2,000*


1990 Honda Accord EX 2-door coupe


1990 Honda Accord EX 4-door sedan


1990 Honda Accord LX 2-door coupe


1991 Honda Accord EX 4-door wagon


1993 Honda Accord EX 4-door sedan

Pros:
  • Antilock brakes (later models)
  • Fuel economy
  • Handling
  • Passenger and cargo room
  • Ride
Cons:
  • Automatic-transmission performance
  • Rear-seat room
  • Road noise

Pluses tend to outnumber this Honda’s minuses. The Accord generally makes up for perceived deficiencies with high levels of overall quality, refinement, and performance when compared with the competition. Blessed with outstanding ride quality, high reliability, and sensible controls nestled in an airy, low-cowl cabin that’s become a Honda trademark, the Accord continues to impress.

Overview

Honda’s popular Accord grew five inches for the 1990 model year, which effectively moved it into the midsize class. A 2-door coupe and 4-door sedan are offered. To power its larger car, Honda added a new 2.2-liter 4-cylinder that delivers 125 to 140 horsepower. Two new transmissions are also part of the new powertrain package–a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic that provides both Normal and Sport shift modes.

Yearly Updates

1991 Accord
Now the best-selling retail car in the U.S., the Accord line gains a 4-door station wagon and antilock brakes for its premium SE sedan. The top-line SE gains not only ABS, but four-wheel disc brakes and an extra ten horsepower over the EX version (140 vs. 130).
1992 Accord
EX becomes the top Accord model and incorporates such features as ABS and the 140-horsepower engine. Driver-side airbags become standard equipment on all models.
1993 Accord
Continuing its practice of rotating the EX and SE as flagship models, the SE returns as the top-of-the-line model for 1993. A high-mount stoplight finds its way into the rear spoiler of coupe models, while the sedan gets a standard passenger-side airbag to join the driver-side unit that came in ’92.

Engines

transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive

Honda released its larger Accord with a larger engine to match. Gone for good are Accords with carburetors. Beginning in 1990, a 125-horsepower 2.2-liter engine with multi-point fuel injection powers both base DX and mid-level LX models, while a 130-horsepower unit comes in the EX flagship model. A dual exhaust manifold accounts for the modest power boost. Torque rises as well, from 137 pound-feet to 142 pound-feet. Two new transmissions join the powertrain team, a revised 5-speed manual and a 4-speed automatic with programmed upshift points that deliver either “normal” or “sport” performance characteristics. Finally, a stronger 140-horsepower 2.2-liter engine makes its way into the 1991-93 Accord flagship models (SE/EX), thanks to a new dual-stage intake manifold.

ohc I4
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 2.2/132
Engine HP 125
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 137
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed manual
4-speed automatic 		24/30
22/28
ohc I4
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 2.2/132
Engine HP 130
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 142
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed manual
4-speed automatic 		24/30
22/28 		21.5
ohc I4
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 2.2/132
Engine HP 140
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 142
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed manual
4-speed automatic 		22/27
22/28 		21.2

Road Test

Spacious inside, Honda’s midsize sedan promises an excellent ride and capable handling talents. Four-cylinder engines are both smoother and quieter in this generation, but takeoffs and passing response are not brisk enough to match the V6 engines offered by rivals. In addition, the automatic transmission can be jerky at times, and occasionally harsh. On the plus side, fuel economy should be exceptional with any model. We have consistently averaged over 20 mpg in every Accord tested.

Despite its added length, there is only modest rear-seat room (for a midsize car), and below-average head room in both sedans and coupes. The wagon is also smaller when compared with the Taurus and Camry, providing the least cargo room of the three. However, front seat room is good for above-average sized adults and the dashboard design is both thoughtful and useful.

Ratings

Model Tested: 1992 Honda Accord EX

Ratings values are on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. With the exception of Value, these numbers reflect how the vehicle compares against the universe of vehicles, not just against rivals in its class.

Performance

Acceleration - 5
50%
Fuel Economy - 5
50%
Ride Quality - 6
60%
Steering/Handling - 5
50%
Quietness - 5
50%

Accommodations

Controls/Materials - 5
50%
Room/Comfort Front - 6
60%
Room/Comfort Rear - 4
40%
Cargo Room - 4
40%

Other

Value - 8
80%

Total: 53

Specifications

2-door coupe
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
107.1 184.8 67.9 54.1
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
14.4 17.0 5
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
38.8 36.5 42.9 32.3
4-door sedan
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
107.1 185.2 67.1 54.7
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
14.4 17.0 5
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
38.9 37.5 42.6 34.3
4-door wagon
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
107.1 186.8 67.5 55.1
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
64.6 17.0 5
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
39.0 37.6 42.7 34.1
Safety Ratings

Model Tested: 1993 Accord 4-door sedan

NHTSA

(5 is the highest rating)

Front Impact Test

Driver Injury - 4
80%
Front Passenger Injury - 4
80%

Side Impact Test

Driver Injury - N/A
N/A0%
Rear Passenger Injury - N/A
N/A0%

HLDI

(A score of 100 is average. Lower is better)

Collision 93
Injury 96
Theft 115

Trouble Spots

Automatic transmission
Description: Cars with high mileage may begin to shift more harshly, which may be corrected by adding a bottle of Lubeguard conditioner to the automatic transmission fluid. (1990-93)
Blower motor
Description: Blower motor overheats, blows the fuse and may melt the fan because motor cooling hose becomes clogged. (1990-04)
Brakes
Description: The parking brake may not fully release because a rivet on the brake rod is too tight. (1993)
Engine noise
Description: A squealing noise from under the hood is likely to be caused by a worn alternator bearing, and it may have failed because the belt tension was too great. (1990-93)
Audio system
Description: If the CD changer in the trunk will not eject, the company will exchange the CD magazines with a redesigned one. (All)
Steering noise
Description: If there is a squeak or squeal in the steering, especially when making a slow, tight turn, look for a label on the power steering reservoir that says PSF-V additive was added. If the noise is still there after additive was installed, the right-side end seal on the steering rack will have to be replaced. (1990-93)

Recall History

1990-91
Description: Front seatbelt release button can break and pieces can fall inside.
1991 wagon
Description: Improperly attached washer in cargo area light may have fallen inside during assembly; if tailgate is open and switch is in its middle position, washer can cause short circuit that causes switch to overheat, resulting in fire.
1991-93 wagon
Description: Rear outside seatbelts may lock-up at angles other than those required by federal standard; could increase risk of injury in sudden stop or accident.
1992
Description: Left seatbelt assemblies on a few cars were installed on the right side; belt cannot be pulled out of the retractor, making it unusable.

Equipment Lists

Equipment lists are only viewable on larger screen sizes.

Pricing

Used-car pricing varies widely depending on local market conditions. Therefore, we recommend visiting websites that list used cars for sale to get a better idea of what a specific model is selling for in your area.

More about Tom Appel
Written by: Tom Appel on July 15, 2014.
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