Honda Accord (sixth generation)

For the sixth generation, Honda split the Accord into three separate models, designed for the Japanese, North American, and European markets. However, the wagon was discontinued in North America while the coupe was discontinued in Japan. This generation also spawned two distinctively branded performance versions for European and Japanese domestic markets, dubbed Type R and Euro R, respectively.

On the origin of these models, it is rumored[1] that with the advent of the sixth generation Accord, "Honda England were let loose to build a car that would compete with Subaru and Mitsubishi's Evo. They came up with the Accord Type R, a lightened (around 1200 kg) track version with no sound deadening or luxuries". Honda Japan followed suit in 2000, "took the Accord Type R and developed the Accord Euro R (hence the 'Euro'pean tag)" which has a similar chassis, suspension that is interchangeable with European model, same engine (slightly detuned for European Type R), and nearly identical interior trim.

Sixth generation series CG1/2/3/4/5/6 North America and Asia Pacific
Overview
Production	August 1997–August 2002 (sedan)[5] September 1997–2002 (coupe)
Model years	1998–2002
Assembly	Marysville, Ohio, USA (Marysville Auto Plant) Jalisco, Mexico (Honda De México) Alor Gajah, Malaysia Sayama, Saitama, Japan Guangzhou, China Hsinchu, Taiwan North Jakarta, Indonesia Santa Rosa City, Philippines Ayutthaya, Thailand Nelson, New Zealand (1998-2001)
Designer	Shinji Takashima; Toshihiko Shimizu (sedan: 1995) Don Herner; Eric Schumaker (coupe: 1995)[6]
Body and chassis
Class	Mid-size car
Body style	4-door sedan (US body, chassis no. CG1/CG5/CG6) 2-door coupe (US body, chassis no. CG2/CG3/CG4, North America only)
Layout	Front-engine, front-wheel-drive
Related	Acura CL Acura MDX Acura TL Honda Inspire Honda Odyssey (North America)
Powertrain
Engine	2.0L F20B5 I4 147 hp (110 kW) 2.3L F23A1 I4 3,000 hp (2,237 kW) 2.3L F23A4 I4 148 hp (110 kW) 2.3L F23A5 I4 135 hp (101 kW) 3.0L J30A1 V6 200 hp (150 kW)
Transmission	4-speed automatic 5-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	Sedan: 2,715 mm (106.9 in) Coupe: 2,670 mm (105.1 in)
Length	1998–2000 Sedan: 4,796 mm (188.8 in) 2001–02 Sedan: 4,811 mm (189.4 in) 1998–2002 Coupe: 4,745 mm (186.8 in)
Width	1,786 mm (70.3 in)
Height	1998–2002 Sedan: 1,445 mm (56.9 in) 1998–2002 V6 Sedan: 1,455 mm (57.3 in) 1998–2000 Coupe: 1,400 mm (55.1 in) 2001–02 Coupe: 1,394 mm (54.9 in) 2001–02 V6 Coupe: 1,405 mm (55.3 in)
Curb weight	1,451 kg (3,200 lb) - V6; 1,310 kg (2,888 lb) - 4 cylinder non-VTEC; 1,335 kg (2,943 lb) - 4 cylinder VTEC
Chronology
Successor	Honda Accord (North America seventh generation)

The American Accord was only available in sedan and coupe form, becoming the largest Accord to date, sharing a platform with the Japan-market Honda Inspire/Acura TL. While previous generations of the Coupe were considered two-door versions of the sedan, the 1998 Coupe was the first to be given an exclusive front fascia, rear tail lights (which resemble those found on the NSX), wheels, and many other body panels, and was now marketed as a somewhat separate model, the "Accord Coupe", to set it away from the more family-oriented sedan version. It also allowed the Coupe, which was exported to other markets, to fit in more easily with the local Accord versions.[7] The tail light appearance was duplicated on the Japanese market Honda Domani for the second generation of production. The coupe's design was styled by Don Herner and directed by lead designer Eric Schumaker into August 1995 in Torrance, CA. It was later scanned as a clay model and transferred to engineering in August 1995 at Honda R&D in Raymond, Ohio. It was developed by Honda engineer Laura Minor into production form until January 1996, being then developed into prototypes for testing.[8]

1997–2001 Accord V6 sedan (Australia)

Starting with this generation, cabin air filters (also known as pollen filters) were installed as standard equipment and are located behind the glove compartment internationally.

G development began in January 1993 (during final development of the CD), with design work starting later that year. A design for the sedan by Shinji Takashima and Toshihiko Shimizu was chosen in January 1995 and later frozen for production by the middle of 1995. Prototype test mules were tested from mid-1995 in CD Accord body panels, with full body prototypes being used from 1996. Design patents were filed on 8 March 1996, with development ending in March 1997. Sedan mass production began in August 1997, with customers deliveries starting on September 23, 1997. Coupe production began in September 1997, going on sale on November 4, 1997.[9]

Honda Accord coupe

For the 1998 model year, the sedan was offered in DX, LX, LX-V6, EX, and EX-V6 trims while the Accord Coupe was offered only in LX, LX-V6, EX, and EX-V6 trims. The DX model was fitted with a 2.3L I4 non-VTEC engine rated at 135 bhp (101 kW), while the LX and EX included a 2.3L I4 VTEC engine rated at 150 bhp (110 kW). All 4-cylinder models, except for the "SE", came with a 5-speed manual transmission standard, and with a four-speed automatic as optional equipment. The SE was only available with the automatic transmission. The DX remained the value-oriented trim with no audio system, manual windows, manual locks, no cruise control, rear drum brakes, and 14-inch steel wheels. The DX Value Package added a radio-cassette player, air conditioning, and cruise control; this was known as the Accord DX in Canada where it was the base model of the lineup. The LX trim added power windows, power locks, door courtesy lights and 15-inch steel wheels; the SE (special edition) package available since 1999 added 15-inch alloy wheels, and optional leather trim, but was only available with the 4-speed automatic. The EX trim added ABS, alloy wheels, keyless entry, rear disc brakes, and upgraded cloth. Leather seating, CD player, and power sunroof were factory installed options for the EX. All V6 sedan and coupe models received the 3.0L V6 SOHC VTEC engine rated at 200 bhp (150 kW) and 195 lb⋅ft (264 N⋅m) (derived straight from the Acura 3.0 CL), ABS and automatic transmission. Some dealer-installed options included: gold finish kit, gold finish exhaust tip(s), gold finish wheel center caps, 6-disc in-dash CD changer, tape deck, fog lights, wing spoiler, alarm system, sunroof visor, car cover and accessory chrome wheels.

2001–2002 Accord EX coupe (U.S.)

In Australia, the sixth generation Accord went on sale in December 1997, and was initially imported from the USA. However, in 1999, the Accord became the first Honda in Australia to be imported from Thailand. In March 2001, the Accord received a facelift, while at the same time, the option of a manual transmission was dropped. New colour choices with the facelift included Naples Gold, Signet Silver, and Nighthawk Black, the first time that black was offered in an Australian market Accord.

In September 2000, both the American-market Accord sedan and coupe received a minor facelift. A new front fascia, rear bumper, side skirt alteration, new taillights and wheel designs freshened the Accord's look. The interior saw few changes with the exception of some fabric and audio configuration changes. The LX and LX-V6 now included a standard CD player, and the EX 4-cylinder now included a 6-disc in-dash CD changer with cassette player while the EX-V6 offered that stereo plus automatic climate control. All V6 models also included a traction control system that could be disabled by a switch, the first Accord to have such a system included.[10] The Special Edition returned to the coupe and sedan models for its final model year, 2002. It included all the features of the LX, but added exclusive alloy wheels, keyless entry and a single CD/cassette radio. In the Philippines, only the sedan was available and offered in VTi and VTi-L trims. The VTi model was fitted with a 2.0L I4 VTEC engine rated at 152 bhp (113 kW) while the top VTi-L trim was fitted with a 2.3L I4 VTEC engine rated at 157 bhp (117 kW). Both models are available with either a 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed automatic transmission.

Honda made the decision to continue this generation of Accord an extra year. Previously, the Accord ran four years on a single body-style and facelift before being redesigned. The typical Accord generation cycle was a 2:4 trend, with a newly released model running for years 1 and 2 unaltered, then getting a facelift for years 3 and 4 before a major redesign. This generation would run a total of 5 years in a 3:5 trend, with the facelift occurring in year four. Accord sales remained steady despite the additional year.

Despite the Accord's reputation for reliability, the V6 models were plagued by transmission failures and prompted class action lawsuits against the company (4-cylinder models were also affected, but not to the same extent). This caused Honda to extend the warranties for the 2000 through 2001 models to seven years or 109,000 miles (175,000 km). 1998, 1999 and 2002 cars were considered for extended coverage on a case-by-case basis. No formal recall occurred. In Canada, recall letters were sent out to owners who fell within a certain VIN range; this warranty was later re-extended for some owners to seven years in length.

Beginning in 1997 at launch, Accord keys were equipped with immobilizer microchips. In late 1998, the Accord was equipped with foldable mirrors. In 2001, the Special Edition was added and the DX Value-Package was re-introduced for 2002 models.

The 1998 Accord was also assembled in New Zealand at the very end of overall CKD car production due to the abolition of import tariffs on built cars which made local assembly uneconomic. 1,200 examples of the car (the mid-sized U.S. sedan version) were built before the Honda New Zealand factory was closed; the very first Honda-owned factory operation to be closed down) and the equipment (which included a paint shop acquired from Nissan when that automaker closed its Australian manufacturing unit in 1994) was shipped to other Honda assembly units, mainly in Asia. Small numbers of Accords were imported (right hand drive) from the U.S. before sourcing switched to Thailand once Accord assembly began there. The Thai factory continues to supply New Zealand with the latest generation Accord and now also ships that line and other Honda models to Australia and elsewhere in South East Asia.

Honda Accord (China)

Concerns over airbag safety plagued the Japanese automaker. The company announced it was recalling vehicles citing driver's airbags that deploy with too much force during collisions. Honda says 2,430 faulty airbags were installed as repairs to customer vehicles after a collision. But since the company cannot accurately track down which Honda received the flawed airbags, Honda broadened its search to include the 2001–2002 Accord. Since November 2008, Honda has recalled some 1.7 million of its cars for airbag concerns. At its last similar expanded recall in February 2010, Honda said the too-powerful airbags have been involved in 12 incidents, including one fatality.[11] As of February 2018 24 deaths and 240 injuries have been attributed to Takata Airbags worldwide. The NHTSA has 37 million vehicles under recall for their replacement.

Sixth generation series CG7/8/9 CH5/6/7/8 Europe
Overview
Production	1998–2003
Assembly	Swindon, England (HUKM)
Body and chassis
Class	Mid-size car
Body style	4-door sedan 5-door hatchback
Layout	Front-engine, front-wheel-drive
Related	Honda Ascot Innova Rover 600
Powertrain
Engine	1.6 L D16B6 I4 1.8 L F18A3 I4 2.0 L F20Z I4 2.2 L F22Z2 I4 2.3 L F23Z5 I4 2.2 LH22A7 I4 2.3 L H23A3 I4 2.0 L Rover 20T2N I4 diesel
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,670 mm (105.1 in)
Length	4,595 mm (180.9 in) (sedan)
Width	1,750 mm (68.9 in) (sedan)
Height	1,405 mm (55.3 in) (sedan)
Curb weight	1,235 kg (2,723 lb) (sedan)
Chronology
Successor	Honda Accord (Japan and Europe seventh generation)

European Accord Sedan (facelift)

The European Accord, also made in Swindon, was different in its styling and was also shorter than the Japanese- and American-market Accords. It was available as a sedan and a 5-door hatchback (liftback), with the U.S.-imported coupe completing the range. It was a platform improvement of the previous generation "European Accord", a joint project with the Rover Group that created the Rover 600, as well as the Honda Ascot Innova. The design approval of the sixth generation Accord came in early 1995.

The standard Accord featured more items than the base models of similar cars (Ford Mondeo, Peugeot 406, Opel/Vauxhall Vectra, etc.) in its class. The basic S came with ABS, alarm, engine immobilizer, and air-conditioning, with the SE added the options of metallic paint, cruise control, climate control and later, satellite navigation. The 1998–1999 ES version came with all those features (except the satellite navigation optional), as well as a walnut and leather trimmed interior with heated front seats. This model was renamed as the SE Executive in late 1999.

The EU version had a minor facelift in 2001 including a revised grill, alloy wheels, bumpers and both rear and front lights. In 2001, the trim range was expanded with a Type-V; with leather trim as standard equipment, satellite navigation and a tiptronic automatic transmission as optional. The Sport model, which was as the SE, came with modified styling, spoiler, and a color-coded side skirt (as opposed to black plastic).

Other engines included a 1.8 L F18B VTEC engine rated at 138 hp (103 kW), a 2 L F20B6 VTEC engine rated at 145 hp (108 kW), as well as a 1.6 which was the entry level engine not offered in the United Kingdom, it produces 85 kW (114 hp). The Type-V model (2001–2003) included the F23Z5 VTEC engine, it was the largest engine that European 6th-gen Accord offered.

The Type-R, Type-V, and Sport trims can had a badge on the front grill and hood lid, though the pre-facelift models only signified Type-R on the front. The top of the range SE Executive only became identified as such in 2000 with a badge 'SE EXECUTIVE' on the hood lid. Walnut trim interior was also dropped for the SE Executive during the facelift, while a new climate control system was added.

Accord Type R (CH1, 1998–2002)

1999 Accord Type R (pre-facelift)

The Accord Type R was a performance variant of the standard Accord, sold in European markets. Apart from a similar yet different body, the European Type R is largely identical to the Japanese CL1 Euro R, including the same "red top" H22A engine; however, in a H22A7 version (compared to H22A for Euro R) producing a lower output at 212 PS (156kW; 209 hp) at 7,200 rpm and 164 lb·ft (222 N·m) at 6,700 rpm (compared to 220 PS (162 kW; 217 hp) for Euro R). The engine was mated to U2Q7 5-speed manual transmission with helical Torsen LSD. Recaro seats, leather-wrapped Momo steering wheel, stiffer suspension, dual exhaust (including 4–2–1 stainless headers), and an aluminum-alloy gear shift knob also came standard. Like the Euro R, the Type R was fitted with a factory body kit. Other differences from the standard model include hydraulic power steering on the Type R.

The R model was facelifted in 2001 with updates to the bumpers and fog lights, but removing the factory fitted bodykit. The electric radio aerial was also replaced, with a smaller "Bee Sting" style aerial situated at the rear of the roof line. The 5 speed gearbox was revised with stronger synchros in response to a number of failures on the earlier cars, and the exhaust was fitted with more subtle tips, angled downwards and unpolished in comparison to the pre-facelift's straight chrome tips. The interior and other parts stayed identical.

Sales of the Type R were low; for example, less than two thousand were sold in the UK alone.[1]

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