Accord Euro-R

Honda Motor Co. has made a smart move by making all of Acura's line of sedans and Honda's mid to large-size sedans share the same platform. It decided to create an excellent flexible platform for the Euro/Japanese Accord and then expand on it for the other different size sedans for other markets as well.

2003 Honda Accord (JPN/EUR) aka: 2004 Acura TSX (USA)

2004 Honda Inspire (JPN) aka: 2003 Honda Accord (USA)


2005 Honda Saber (JPN) aka: 2004 Acura TL (USA)

2005 Honda Legend (JPN/EUR) aka: 2005 Acura RL (USA)

What's common about those cars? They are all based on the same platform.
This allows the company to reduce costs, and therefore becoming more profitable, while maintaining a nice, vast line of vehicles. The Euro/Japanese version of the Accord is the one sold in Africa and Australia and the U.S. Accord is also manufactured in China by Guangzhou-Honda and in Mexico, the latter being exported to Latin America. (I just wanted to make sure I included all parts of the world).
I thought that little piece of information might be interesting for some people...

fdl

Honda is the master of this. This also means they can easily re-tool a line to make a different car if demand requires. It very flexible and cost effective. I also think its another reason why it wouldnt be cost effective for Honda to offer rwd in the TSX.

Its all about the $$$.

Accord Euro-R

Yep, and since the new generation RL will also be based on a stretched accord platform, that also means it will be a FWD as well. That doesn't mean Honda won't use its all-wheel-drive system in the Legend and in the TL, though.

kenbiddulph

Exactly, someone on vtec.net posted an article, basically an interview with one of the bigwigs at Honda, he stated that to convert the Accord platform to AWD would be in the three figure range, so less than 1000 dollars. That to me shows how flexible they are and that they allow possible upgrades if necessary.

larchmont

It's got to be more complicated than that -- if it weren't they'd be doing it now.

Maybe it's a few trillion dollars at the plant, THEN just a few hundred per car.

finalheaven

Man i guess im the only one that really doesn't want a AWD car. I rather just keep it either straight fwd or rwd. Other then AWD wasting more gas, i guess i never needed an awd. Living in CA and all.

kenbiddulph

Try driving on the snow and black ice, AWD is king. FWD comes in close if you know what to do. RWD is a joke, even the best driver will have a tough time if there isn't enough weight in the rear.

As for why Honda "hasn't done it already", they have. In Japan they offer AWD Civics and I believe an AWD Avancier (its like an Accord wagon)

larchmont

I really would wonder, then, why they haven't been doing it here. Like FH said, a lot of people wouldn't need AWD, but I'm pretty sure a lot of people would. An AWD Civic or Accord or TSX or TL would find substantial markets, I gotta believe.

BTW I personally am with FH -- don't feel any particular need for AWD. The only thing that would make me consider it would be if the only other choice on that model was RWD (e.g. BMW).