One of our international readers caught a trio of Honda's next gen products on a Chinese site that includes the next Fit, Accord and CR-V. We're awaiting a translation of the site from our colleagues at Autoblog Chinese, so until then we have to let the pics speak for themselves, which probably originated as renderings and/or altered spy shots from a Chinese auto mag.
Autoblog reader James Cheung who sent the tips notes that the site reveals the next gen Accord will be released in Japan first, then the U.S., Europe and China. The car will be built locally in each region but not differ in design, unlike the company's strategy with the new Civic.
Of the three we think the Fit earns the award for most improved, sporting a beefier more substantial visage. The Accord looks lower and wider than the current model while wearing a face similar to the one on the new aforementioned Civic. The CR-V looks, well, as odd as the CR-V has always looked.
UPDATE - The Chinese translation just came in and we're told the new Fit will be ready by June of 2007 and the Accord by the following September. We've also learned the Chinese site is referencing a Japanese car mag.
Thanks for the tip from China, James!
[Source: auto.sonu]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
kjmiller @ Jun 3rd 2006 4:08AM
No, no, no.. These are the all new Honra Tif, Accorn, and VC-R!
ramsport47 @ Jun 3rd 2006 6:32AM
that Accord looks an awful lot like the outgoing Stratus and Sebring!!
Sid @ Jun 3rd 2006 7:56AM
Those aren't bad designs per se, but it looks like they simply took design cues from Mazda, Infiniti and even their own Acura and put pasted them together. The CR-V grille is weird. The Accord looks like a Civic ran into a G6.
Howard Kerr @ Jun 3rd 2006 8:39AM
"The car (the Accord) will be built locally in each region but not differ in design, unlike the companies stategy with the Civic."
While it is true that the Civic in the U.S. is different from the ones sold in Europe and Japan, Europe doesn't get our 2 door coupe (yet? they did get the 5th, and 6th gen 2 door) and we don't get the hatchbacks. The Accord sold in Europe and Japan is different from the one sold in the U.S. We get the Euro-Japanese Accord here as the Acura TSX, a car NARROWER than the U.S. Accord to fit in narrower European and Japanese streets and roads. We don't get the Euro Accord's wagon body style either. So for the Accord to be the same the world over means that Honda will either make the Accord the same width worldwide and/or they are about to "toss" the Acura TSX out.
I bet the U.S. model of the CR-V DOESN'T have quite this front end look when it goes on sale.
Kotse @ Jun 3rd 2006 8:40AM
"..The car will be built locally in each region but not differ in design, unlike the company's strategy with the new Civic."
They forgot to add the EU-Accord(aka Acura TSX stateside)strategy as well.
If the next gen style Accord would be the same wherever built(EU inclusive)..the next gen TSX should be an orig, non-badge engineered Acura.
Michael Karesh @ Jun 3rd 2006 9:15AM
Seems the next-gen Fit can have a front end straight off the Chevy Malibu and still be much better-looking than the current car.
My review of the current Fit (I seem to be the only one who fits it horrendously ugly):
http://www.epinions.com/content_228861185668
I like the current Civic, and this similar Accord. The proportions resemble those of some circa-1990 Chrysler concept cars that were never produced. Wheels to the corners and swoopy. Certainly an improvement over the current Accord, which went simply bland with the refresh.
LosBurritos @ Jun 3rd 2006 10:40AM
That photoshopped Honda Fit looks yummier than the one currently in the market. The appearance of that Accord is barely any different from the 2006 Acura TL, and that CR-V looks ugly.
JSFORBES @ Jun 3rd 2006 11:40AM
The Fit is GO!
Karth Manthi @ Jun 3rd 2006 12:28PM
Sure the CR-V isn't just a rebadged Acura RD-X for outside the U.S.?
Glenn Laycock @ Jun 3rd 2006 1:14PM
Fit and CR-V ... what can you say .. yawn.
The Accord ... very very nice, looks like something the old Chrysler would have done. I like it.
risingsun @ Jun 3rd 2006 2:24PM
I think that Accord will be released as the TSX replacement. Turbo 2.4L SH-AWD, please and thanks, and I'll take mine in black. The Chrysler influence is there, where the A-pillar meets the front fender, and the C-pillar to the rear fender, as well as the slope of the hood.
Shawn704 @ Jun 3rd 2006 3:36PM
This is a big improvement to the current US Accord styling. It looks like it shares styling cues from Acura RL. I wonder that is the engine offering will look like? Will it get a 3.5 V6 since both Toyota Camary and Nissan Altima come with that size too and the new 2008 Mazda 6 will also get a 3.5 V6 too.
grimgrin @ Jun 3rd 2006 4:11PM
Okay, hands up who thinks the new CR-V was designed in conjunction with the RDX?
BOB KEELRMAN @ Jun 3rd 2006 4:25PM
Of course, this is just SILLY:
Not only are the posters who mention that the Euro Accord is used here as an Acura correct, but that size car just would never be the seller that the US spec Accord is. The larger, US Accord makes a base for the larger Acura TL
WE GET A BIGGER ACCORD BECAUSE WE ARE LARGER PEOPLE, AND WE ARE ACCUSTOMED TO MORE ROOM HERE -- and our market is large enough to justify the tooling many times over.
BOB KELLERMAN @ Jun 3rd 2006 4:27PM
SORRY-- my quote of the foolish Autoblog writer quoting James Cheung did not come through -- so I want to make clear that the article's point was silly, not the post above me
iQuack @ Jun 3rd 2006 8:10PM
The U.S. Accord is called the Honda Inspire in Japan and it's larger than the Japanese and European Accord which is like a less glitzy version of our Acura TSX.
I don't think the U.S. Accord will be a world car because it's too big. Now that the FIT has been added, both the Civic and the Accord can be larger although I hope the Accord doesn't grow from its current size which is probably too big already for a mid-sized car.
One thing to consider is that the Accord is a high volume sedan that must be comfortable in front and rear seats. That means a tall roof line and doors that are easy to enter and exit.
Trying to make the Accord look too racy like a Mercedes CLS with its coupe-like stying would be a mistake because it would be too impractical for the kinds of people who buy Accords, Camrys, etc.
mik @ Jun 3rd 2006 11:29PM
the "accord" (whether in accord or TSX badging) looks good in the above pic. except for the civic headlights. the roofline and the rear fenders give it a muscular, almost audi like appearance, which is not a bad thing at all. me likes. as for the fit and CRV, those are two cars I dont particularly care for, the current CRV especially, is the ugliest thing out there.
Carol @ Jun 6th 2006 6:14PM
I, too, think the current Fit is hideous and I can't get past the min-minvan-but-worse styling to make a purchase. This upcoming version is much more handsome and with a hybrid will be an unbeatable combination.