Honda deserves credit for holding out longer than most of its rivals. Even as consumers started to steer away from two-door cars in favour of small crossovers, the Honda Accord Coupe persevered until 2017. By then, similar coupes from Nissan, Toyota, and the Detroit automakers were long dead, and the coupe segment had largely been abandoned to dedicated performance cars or expensive luxury models like the BMW 4 Series.
The Accord itself is one of the longest-running, best-selling, and most well-liked nameplates of all time, and it arguably began life as a kind of coupe. It was launched as a two-door hatchback in 1976, and the four-door sedan only arrived three years later in 1979. It quickly overshadowed the practical two-door, which originally vied with sportier hatches like the Volkswagen Scirocco.
In the 1980s, Honda continued to offer the hatch, but it wasn’t until the Accord’s sleek late 1980s third-generation redesign that it introduced a proper coupe, which is the version we’re focused on here. The original Accord Coupe debuted in the fall of 1987 and was made in the United States. It was one of the first Hondas built in the North America to be widely exported back to Japan
This new coupe took the shape of many American-style two-doors, with a longish hood and short deck, a snug but reasonably roomy back seat, and plenty of creature comforts for the front passengers. It wasn’t necessarily intended for performance—Honda had the Prelude for that role—but it handled and drove well and enjoyed the same reliability as the Accord sedan. When the Accord entered its fourth overall generation in 1990, the Coupe continued while the hatch was dropped.
Honda continued to build the Accord Coupe in more or less this same format right up until 2017, updating it with each successive Accord lineup redesign. In time, it became a North America-only model, but it outlasted the Toyota Camry and Solara coupes, the Nissan Altima Coupe, the Mitsubishi Eclipse, and a host of other two-doors.
If you’re looking for an Accord Coupe today, remember that it won’t be the latest and greatest Japanese car. Since it was discontinued after 2017, the car lacks features that people now expect, such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Like the Accord sedans it was based on, the Coupe enjoys a strong reputation for quality and reliability. Still, not all years are created equal, and it has the same liabilities as certain Accord sedans, mainly transmission issues on models from the early 2000s.
Though many guides include the coupes in the overall generations of the Accord, we’ve broken them out separately from the sedans and outlined details about what to look for in each generation and what to pay.
Honda Accord Coupe Buying Guide: Cost, Reliability, and the Best Years to Buy
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Honda Accord Coupe Pros and Cons
- Honda Accord Coupe Generations
- Seventh Generation (2013-2017)
- Sixth Generation (2008-2012)
- Fifth Generation (2003-2007)
- Fourth Generation (1998-2002)
- Third Generation (1994-1997)
- Second Generation (1990-1993)
- First Generation (1988-1989)
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Honda Accord Coupe years are the best?
The early years of the Accord Coupe are famously reliable and light, lithe handlers. These are classic or almost classic cars now, but Accord Coupes built from 1988 to 1997 are still reliable and easy to use as daily drivers. Among more modern Accords, the 2009 to 2017 models have stellar reliability records and offer four-cylinder and V6 powerplants and manual transmissions. The newer final-generation models have more features, but both make good bets as used cars.
What are the worst Honda Accord Coupe years?
As with the equivalent years of the Accord Sedan, the 1998 to 2005 models have a reputation for transmission woes, making them less desirable as used vehicles than other Accord Coupes. These years cover the fourth- and fifth-generation coupes, corresponding to the sixth- and seventh-generation sedans. 2006 and 2007 Coupes are better, but still not quite as durable as their replacements.
Is a used Honda Accord Coupe a good deal?
Yes, the Accord Coupe is generally a good deal. Two-door cars are inherently less practical than four-door ones, which always limited the Coupe’s appeal to family buyers. Two-door consumers tend to prioritize style and performance over practicality, and while the Accord Coupe does have a modicum of both, it’s basically a two-door family sedan, another limitation. However, it’s a sporty handler and fun to drive, and these shortcomings make it generally cheaper than Accord sedans but with similar economy and reliability. Some Accord Coupes also have a little more power and a little less weight than their sedan counterparts. If you don’t need the extra doors, they’re great used cars.
Honda Accord Coupe Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Reputation for quality and reliability
- Less expensive than Accord sedans, more durable than similar coupes
- All-around good driving experience
Cons:
- Not a true performance car
- Bland looks for a coupe
- Transmission issues in late 1990s and early 2000s versions
Honda Accord Coupe Generations
Seventh Generation (2013-2017)
The seventh-gen Honda Accord Coupe was the last one (at least for now), and is closely based on the ninth-generation Accord sedan. The formula remained largely the same: a two-door version of the standard sedan, though none of the Hybrid versions of the Accord sedan were ever offered on the Coupe. On the outside, the styling got a little more extroverted and the dimensions slightly smaller, with the 2013 Accord Coupe being a few centimetres shorter overall than its predecessor.
In this generation, Honda began adding a variety of advanced driver-assist gear, including lane-departure warnings, forward-collision warnings, automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control, but very little of it was ever standard.
Accord Coupes came in a higher specification than sedans, but the base-model EX made some driver assistance features optional. The optional continuously variable transmission (CVT) was another new addition in this generation. In later years, to get all the goodies, buyers had to upgrade to the Touring model, in four-cylinder or V6 guise.
On the plus side, this Accord Coupe was the most visually distinctive in years, with a more aggressive face and more upswept rear window line. This exaggerated a look that debuted on the eight-gen coupe and faintly resembled an early 1970s Dodge Charger. At the same time, the automaker improved the car’s structure for better protection in crashes. These Accord Coupes received Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) every year they were on sale.
It also came with two very nice engines. The base powerplant was a 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine making 185 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, and a 3.5-litre V6 with 278 horsepower and 252 pound-feet of torque was optional. The four could be had with the CVT or a six-speed manual transmission. The V6 came with the manual or a six-speed conventional automatic with paddle shifters. All but the V6 manual get pretty good fuel economy, from roughly 8.0 to 9.5 litres per 100 kilometres combined on regular gas.
Roomy and comfortable by coupe standards, the seventh-gen Accord is a practical and reliable machine. It gets top-notch reliability ratings from outlets like Consumer Reports, J.D. Power, and others, and it’s an easy car to live with, provided you’re okay with the inherent compromises of coupes. It has a 379-litre trunk, too, so those compromises aren’t nearly as bad as those of, say, a Chevrolet Camaro.
In Canada, Accord coupes command a premium versus their sedan equivalents. Clean, sub-120,000-kilometre seventh-generation Accord Coupes sell for between roughly $18,000 and $25,000, which is about $4,000 to $5,000 more than equivalent sedans.
Sixth Generation (2008-2012)
In 2008, the Accord Coupe was redesigned along with the eighth-generation Accord sedan. It got a very thorough style makeover and grew into its largest ever dimensions, adding 10 centimetres in length over the previous model. That translated into a larger back seat, though rear legroom still measured a restricted 841 millimetres, but the Accord Coupe’s trunk shrank slightly to 338 litres of space from 362 litres. Four-cylinder and V6 engines remained, now mated to five-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmissions.
Four-cylinder sixth-generation Accord Coupes have a little more power, model for model, than their sedan siblings, using a 2.4-litre four-cylinder with 190 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque that was optional in the sedan (which got only 166 horses).
A new 3.5-litre V6 replaced the old 3.0-litre unit, and came with 268 horsepower and 241 pound-feet of torque (up from 244 and 211). Honda later upped the V6’s power to 271 horsepower and 254 pound-feet. Four-cylinder coupes get between 6.0 and 7.8 L/100 km combined and V6s 8.9 to 10.0, depending on the trim and transmission. The six-speed manual came only on the top-end EX V6 trim, which is the hot rod and luxury coupe of the lineup. Four-cylinder manuals only have five gears.
Accord Coupes also came with more equipment, using the EX trim as the base model instead of the sedan’s stripper SE. As in the previous generation, the best features were reserved for the top trims, including a small screen activated by a click wheel.
These Accord Coupes came too early for advanced driver assistance features, but they did have robust crash structures and plenty of passive safety features, including standard stability control. They’re not bad drivers, offering engaging handling and responsive transmissions, and they are more responsive in the four-cylinder’s case than the CVT that came later, anyway.
Plus, the sixth-gen Accord Coupe has a good reliability record. 2008 models come in for some criticism in terms of fit and finish, especially HVAC issues, but all other years rank well among owners and the most reliable tracking outlets. Since there are many to choose from on the used market, we recommend going with a 2009 or newer one.
Clean, low-kilometre (meaning under 150,000 kilometres) sixth-generation Accord Coupes cost anywhere from about $10,000 to $15,000. You can find a handful of really nice, ultra-low-kilometre ones for more or a fistful of cheaper, higher-kilometre ones for less, but they last and last and should provide years of hassle-free motoring, exactly what you’d expect of an Accord. Six-speed manual models are much harder to find than automatics.
Fifth Generation (2003-2007)
Honda updated the Accord in 2003 with a rounder shape, more upscale touches, and plenty of new tech. Many media observers felt that the coupe looked fancier and more Acura-like than the sedan at the time, though today, its styling seems a little bland compared to what came later. The four-cylinder engine remained but was enlarged to 2.4 litres, while the V6 got a big power bump and, unexpectedly, an optional six-speed manual on the top trim.
While manual transmissions were historically associated with the low-end trims of the Accord Coupe, Honda correctly recognized that some manual buyers really wanted a more enthusiast-oriented experience, hence the six-speed being added to the top V6 EX. The new 2.4-litre four-cylinder made 160 horsepower and 161 pound-feet of torque, driving the front wheels via a five-speed manual or a new five-speed automatic transmission. The 3.0-litre V6 now had a potent 240 horses and 211 pound-feet of torque, up from 200 and 195 in the previous generation.
The transmission you choose is important in these years because while most of the automatic gearbox woes were sorted out by 2006 and 2007, the fifth-gen Coupe’s early years still used some trouble-prone automatics. Manual models have far fewer problems and tend to be worth more for that reason. They are more fun to drive, but they’re rarer to find now.
In terms of comfort and features, this Accord offered lots of new things, including side curtain airbags that were standard equipment for the first time, though they had been included on all but the base model in the previous generation.
These Accords had a reputation for being well made, but the transmission issue generated lots of complaints in the early years. 2003 to 2005 models just aren’t as reliable as a result, and there are also complaints among various reliability tracking outlets, Consumer Reports included, about engine and electrical issues in these earlier years.
These aging Accord Coupes are hard to come by now in Canada as they’ve succumbed to the rigours of our climate. If you can find one, it should be cheap. Bank on $5,000 or so for a good one, and stick to 2006 and 2007 if you can. Earlier ones sell for similar money but tend not to be as good of an investment.
Fourth Generation (1998-2002)
To usher in the 2000s, Honda introduced a new sixth-generation Accord sedan for the 1998 model year, with a matching fourth-generation Coupe. The base engine increased in size, but the real story with the new generation car was that Honda offered a V6 in the Coupe for the first time. In previous Accords, V6s had been confined to the sedan. The new two-door also had more refined styling, which made it look closer to the Acura CL than the Accord sedan, a marked improvement from its mid-1990s predecessor.
In these years, four-cylinder Accord Coupes used a 2.3-litre motor making 150 horsepower and 152 pound-feet of torque, driving the front wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission or five-speed manual. The new 3.0-litre V6 made 200 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, making this the most powerful Accord Coupe yet, but it came only with the four-speed automatic. Both engines gave decent performance, and these cars still handle well.
They’re comfy and practical coupes too, with a reasonably large back seat by the standards of such cars at the time and a 385-litre trunk. Infotainment features and navigation are nonexistent, and some safety features we take for granted today, like stability control, were not standard when these were new.
Wider, roomier, and prettier, the new Accord Coupe was a better seller and seemed to have the same traditional quality feel, but the four-speed automatic eventually began to develop many problems. While some of these Accord Coupes can last 300,000 kilometres or more, they’re getting quite rare now because of those transmission issues and the Canadian climate, and they were also criticized in other areas, including issues with their HVAC systems.
Given their age and these issues, a nice example of these coupes shouldn’t cost you more than $9,000, but they’re next to impossible to find now in Canada. If you really want a coupe, a Toyota Camry Solara might be a better option. The Solara, a belated replacement for the old Camry Coupe, was introduced around the same time and while it isn’t as pretty, it’s functionally very similar with a much better reliability record.
Third Generation (1994-1997)
The third-generation Accord Coupe coincided with the Accord’s fifth generation overall and a slate of redesigned Accord sedans and wagons. The cars became much more rounded and sportier, and the design gained interior space and safety gear. Honda slightly widened the car but left its overall length alone. The Accord’s new V6 engine was not used in the Coupe.
In these years, Honda fitted one of two 2.2-litre four-cylinder engines to the two-door Accord, a 130-horsepower version and Honda’s famous VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) system with 145 horses.
Though the Civic and Acura Integra VTEC models are better known today, the Accord Coupe was pretty quick with this responsive, rev-happy engine, and both powerplants returned decent fuel economy, about 10 to 11 L/100 km combined depending on the transmission. Buyers could opt for a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic.
Base models were well-equipped for their time, and upper trims even plusher, with leather-trimmed seats, a power driver’s seat, a power moonroof, and a six-speaker audio system with a cassette player. In the mid-1990s, that was considered luxurious on a mainstream family car, if not a coupe. Those looking for a more luxurious experience in the same package might also be well served by looking at the first-generation Acura CL, which is essentially this Honda Accord Coupe with cooler styling, a little more headroom, and better equipment.
This Accord has a good reliability record, but the tendency to view it as a disposable appliance rather than a possible collector car means few have been preserved. Their automatic transmissions are more robust than later models, but also not 100% trouble-free.
These are now classic cars, but not all that valuable. Prices are still very low ($5,000 will buy you a good one), but not many have survived repeat exposure to Canadian winters. The very nicest ones, however, are already appreciating. Ultra-low kilometre, VTEC-equipped EX Coupes can fetch $10,000 U.S. or more on some auction sites, but not too many have yet sold for these prices. In the meantime, these still make good, cheap run-around cars so long as they’re rust-free.
Second Generation (1990-1993)
The 1990 model year brought a completely redesigned Accord lineup, including the coupe. The car became slightly boxier and larger, and it came with more safety features and more comfortable interiors. Honda killed the hatchback for the fourth generation but left the Accord sedan, coupe, and wagon.
The North American Accord Coupe came with a 125-horsepower 2.2-litre four-cylinder engine, and variants with the optional four-speed automatic transmission featured special tuning to reduce noise levels. A five-speed manual transmission was standard, as before. As the 1990s cranked up, new tech features like CD players and adjustable equalizers made their way into the Accord Coupe, and the cars got motorized seatbelt arms to comply with evolving safety regulations.
Honda gave the Coupe a mild facelift in 1992, which brought a new optional 140-hp engine. The updates also brought a front-end update and a new rear, and the Coupe got more comfortable cabin armrests. While this Accord got a driver’s airbag and anti-lock brakes, the latter feature was only optional, so not every car has it. Still, in its day this car got good marks for safety.
While the power number may look pretty lackluster by today’s standards, these Accord Coupes are light and fun to drive, particularly with the manual transmission. They’re comfy inside too, and Honda offered them in cool colours, including a metallic teal.
Second-gen Accord Coupes extremely scarce in Canada. The few that are still around in the U.S. are already collectibles, and the prices of good ones are rising. Really clean, low-kilometre examples will fetch more than $10,000 U.S. on auction sites like Bring A Trailer or from classic car dealerships, and a handful have even crested the $20,000 U.S. barrier. If one pops up somewhere in Canada, there’s a decent chance it will be a U.S. import. Expect to pay $10,000 at a minimum for a decent, serviceable example.
First Generation (1988-1989)
The original Accord Coupe debuted in late 1987 as a 1988 model, halfway through the third-generation Accord lineup’s run. It was built in Honda’s factory in Marysville, Ohio, which had begun building Accords in the fall of 1982. Conceived for the American and Canadian markets, it was much closer to a conventional coupe than the Accord Hatchback had been, with a two-door sedan profile and a big trunk integrated into the sharp-edged wedge shape of the third-gen lineup.
This sharp-suited machine looked like the Prelude’s more mature older brother and drove like it too. Light, responsive, and fun, the two-door Accord wasn’t as zesty as the Prelude, but it did cover the responsible family car base a little better than that car. Back seat space was confined as in most coupes, but not as much as in the Prelude or later Civic Coupe. Honda thought enough of the product to ship it back to Japan in right-hand-drive form, making it one of the few foreign-built Japanese cars to compete in its home market.
There were two available 2.0-litre four-cylinder engines in this first Accord Coupe. The base engine was a carbureted version with 98 horsepower, and the fuel-injected version had 110. The Accord Coupe shared this latter engine with the Prelude 2.0Si, Honda’s sportiest car at the time, and while 110 horsepower isn’t much today, it’s more than enough to move this 1,200-kilogram (2,600-pound) car pretty well.
The 1989 model year brought a special edition SE-i Coupe with leather upholstery, four-wheel disc brakes, a digital clock, fold-down rear seats, and more. This is one of the most sought-after versions of this era of Accord.
The European and Japanese-market Aerodeck station wagon, a few of which have been privately imported in the past decade, is the most valuable of all to collectors, and this generation of Accord is definitely classic car material. Since they were popular when new and exceedingly reliable, many people have positive memories of them. They’re also famously durable and generally cheap to fix, though the fuel-injected ones are easier to deal with now that many shops don’t want to work on carburetors.
Since few of these have survived in Canada, you’ll likely need to look to the U.S. if you’re determined to own an Accord Coupe of this vintage. Sedans from this era of Accord are still cheap, but good Accord Coupes and Hatchbacks generally go for $10,000 U.S. or more now. If you find a very clean, low-kilometre SE-i coupe, it could cost almost twice that. They’ll never be worth truly big bucks, but they are in their prime collecting years now.
