Have we really seen the last of the Honda Accord in PH?

Earlier this year, Honda Cars Philippines Inc (HCPI) quietly removed the Accord from the local lineup. This move further shrinks the midsize sedan market in the country as Mazda and Toyota appear to be the only mass-market brands that continue to offer a D-segment vehicle.

Across the Pacific, however, Honda recently revealed the all-new 2023 Accord to the US market. Now on its 11^th generation, the four-door looks more mature inside and out, and it gets a new dual-motor hybrid system that replaces the 2.0-liter turbo from before. Meanwhile, the 1.5-liter turbocharged VTEC engine has been carried over and is still paired to a CVT.

10th generation Honda Accord for PH

Since the Accord is still available in other countries, we asked HCPI if we've really seen the last of the Accord in the Philippine market. According to HCPI General Manager Atty. Louie Soriano, the decision regarding the Accord's fate in the Philippines is still up in the air. This simply means that while the 10^th generation Accord is no longer available locally, HCPI has yet to decide about the Accord's future in the country.

Currently, Honda Thailand (from which HCPI used to source the Accord) still sells the midsize sedan. But instead of just selling it with a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, it's also available with the brand's e:HEV dual-motor hybrid system. The electrified midsize sedan makes a total system output of 215 PS and comes with 315 Nm of torque. This makes the e:HEV more powerful than the turbo variant which only makes 195 PS with 260 Nm of pull.

Should HCPI decide to offer e:HEV models in the country, perhaps they can sell the Accord with the e:HEV dual-motor hybrid system. This is something that Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) is currently doing as the updated Camry is only available as a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV).

With crossovers, SUVs, and MPVs continuing to become more popular, the midsize sedan has figuratively taken the back seat. But with a cult following among buyers and enthusiasts, could we see the Honda Accord come back in the Philippines with the 11th-generation model? That's for HCPI to decide.