Acura's decision to consolidate both the TL and TSX into a single replacement, did more than just deprive North American consumers of a Made In Japan, manual-equipped Acura sedan. It also helped spell the end of the European Honda Accord.
The "narrow body" Accord, sold in Europe, Australia and other world markets formed the basis for our TSX. But Honda has decided to cease production of their "large" (by world standards) sedan starting early next year.
In Canada and the United States, the Accord is a strong player in the mid-size sedan market. But in the rest of the world, it's a bit player at best. In a region where cars like the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Fiesta regularly top the sales charts, the Accord was fighting for relative scraps. And its competition, like the Ford Mondeo, Opel/Vauxhall Insignia and Volkswagen Passat practically have the segment locked down in the all important corporate fleet arena, where most of these large cars are purchased, due to the tax savings generated by a company car, rather than buying one for personal use.
Honda won't be replacing the Accord with another version, but given the way things are going for Europe's car market, that may not be a bad thing. Crossovers are eating into everything from sedans to compact hatchbacks to station wagons. Better to devote resources to marketing the CR-V and the upcoming HR-V than a minor player in a shrinking segment.
The post Editorial: Accord A Canary In the Coal Mine For Europe's Large Car Segment appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
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