Exclusive: Next-Gen Honda Accord Launch Date Confirmed

After president and CEO of Honda Cars India Yoichiro Ueno recently confirmed the launch of the new Accord in the festive season, sources have now confirmed that the car will be launched around October 30 in India. The car was showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo in India earlier this year and has also been spotted testing in the country. 

The ninth-generation of the Honda Accord is expected to bear a sticker price of around Rs 20-25 lakh for the base variant. In fact, some dealerships in Delhi have already started accepting bookings for the car at a sum of Rs 51,000. 

The Accord has, over the years, enjoyed a sort of a cult status in India but the previous generation of the car was a bit of a let-down. It was taken off the assembly lines in 2014 before making its next appearance at the expo in Delhi in February. 

In all likeliness, the new Accord will arrive on Indian shores in its hybrid avatar. A 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol unit, which pumps out 140PS of power, will be the fossil share on the powertrain while a 1.3kW Lithium ion battery will supply an additional 75 horses. 

Power will be transmitted by a CVT but a manual can’t be ruled out either. The car will come with a total of three driving modes – EV or pure electric mode, Hybrid Drive or Engine Drive mode. In pure electric or EV mode, the Accord Hybrid can attain a top speed of 120kmph. 

On the default Hybrid Drive, Honda claims an efficiency of 23.8kmpl while the ARAI figure remains to be seen. Moreover, a diesel engine option looks highly unlikely under the hood of the next-gen Accord. 

When launched in India, it will be pitted against the likes of the Toyota Camry Hybrid, Skoda Superb, and the upcoming Volkswagen Passat GTE.