As Americans across the country prepare for patriotic celebrations in honor of the nation’s 250th birthday in July, Honda also is commemorating a historic milestone for the company this month, marking the Accord’s anniversary as America’s much loved and best-selling car now for 50 years.

The Accord has earned the trust of nearly 15 million American customers since its U.S. introduction in June 1976. While the first-generation model was manufactured in Japan, production of the second generation Accord kicked off at the Marysville Auto Plant on Nov. 1, 1982. Now 44 years later, the Accord has been in continuous production here, including the current 11th generation model.

In fact, the vast majority of Accords purchased by American consumers – over 13 million – have been produced locally at the Marysville Auto Plant using domestic and globally-made parts, Honda officials noted.

Joining the Marysville plant with Honda plants across North America in East Liberty; Birmingham, Ala.; Alliston, Ontario, Canada; and in El Salto, Jalisco, Mexico; these production facilities have combined to produce more than 13.5 million Accords.

In its early days, the Accord built its success through the loyalty of the baby boomer generation. Its focus on delivering the highest levels of value has maintained its popularity with buyers of all ages, Honda officials noted.

An important measure of its consistent success is Accord’s top placement as the most awarded vehicle in Car and Driver 10Best history by a wide margin. Accord has been named to magazine’s prestigious "10Best" list a record 40 times – including the last 28 years in a row – a feat unmatched by any other automobile.

Today, the award-winning 11th-generation Accord is America's most popular midsize car with Millennial, Gen Z, first-time and multicultural buyers.

“Reaching 50 years as America’s best-selling car is a powerful testament to Accord’s fun-to-drive spirit, quality and value,” said Lance Woelfer, vice president of Auto Sales at American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

“Built by American associates for generations, Accord reflects Honda’s long-standing commitment to building close to our customers. As we look ahead, Accord will continue to evolve, while staying true to the principles that have defined its success for half a century.”

Launching the Accord in America

The name Accord was derived from the unremitting effort of Honda to use advanced technology to achieve "accord" between people, society and the automobile, company officials said.

The introduction of the first Accord on June 7, 1976 was significant for both Honda and the auto industry, explained Carl Pulley, Honda Heritage manager of public relations.

“The Accord really put Honda on the map,” Pulley said during an Accord 50th anniversary media preview event this spring at the Honda Heritage Center, 24025 Honda Parkway, Marysville.

The media day featured opportunities to drive Honda Accord models spanning from the 1988 third generation model to a 2026 11th generation Accord. All of the fully restored vehicles were manufactured across the street at the Marysville Auto Plant.

Pulley said the economical Civic first established Honda with American car buyers in the early 1970s.

The revolutionary Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion (CVCC) 4-cylinder engine technology debuted in the 1975 Civic and established Honda’s place in history as a leader in powertrain innovation. That year, Civic became the first automobile to meet the tightened emissions standards of the U.S. Clean Air Act without the need for a catalytic converter.

Then during June of 1976, as Americans were abuzz about the approaching U.S. Bicentennial celebration, the first Honda Accord also arrived – a fun, fuel-efficient three-door hatchback, also with a CVCC engine.

“The Accord provided reliable and fuel-efficient transportation,” Pulley noted. “Two factors at the time in 1976 really spurred the Accord’s popularity – the OPEC oil embargo and EPA regulations.”

The Accord represented a practical automobile combining economy and value with sporty style and spirited performance.

Followed by its successful sales introduction in the U.S., Accord was the first Honda model and first vehicle from a Japanese automaker to be manufactured in America in 1982 based on the company’s commitment to build products close to the customer.

“Mr. Honda was a strong believer in the philosophy that we build our automobiles where we sell,” said Pulley, a 25-year Honda employee.

Once the Marysville Auto Plant was established, the Accord was also the first U.S.-made automobile from a Japanese automaker exported overseas, beginning with the shipment of Ohio-made Accords to Taiwan in 1987, followed by the landmark export of the U.S.-made Accord Coupe to Japan in March 1988, Honda officials report.

From its origins as a small hatchback, the Accord has steadily grown in size and stature. Across 11 generations, it has set the benchmark for passenger cars in the U.S., earning a reputation as a segment-defining model known for durability, quality and reliability. It also delivers excellent fuel efficiency and low emissions, along with refined driving dynamics and strong safety performance.

Today’s Honda Accord is a midsize sedan available in six trim levels, starting with the turbocharged LX and SE, and topped by the hybrid-electric powered Sport, EX-L, Sport-L and Touring, company officials said in a release.

Accord makes up 25 percent of all retail midsize car purchases in America. More than 50 percent of Accord sales over the past three years have been electrified, a significant driver of Honda’s decarbonization efforts, Pulley related.

Accord’s focus on value, affordability

A core element of Accord’s enduring success is the ability to deliver a high level of value to customers. Today, the average transaction price for a new turbocharged 2026 Accord is below the industry average transaction price for a used vehicle in America, company officials said.

Like every new Honda model, the 2026 Accord is equipped with the Honda Sensing suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies as standard equipment, helping Accord earn a Top Safety Pick (TSP) rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The significant upgrades on the refreshed 2026 Honda Accord include more standard tech features, including a larger and easy-to-use color touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto™ compatibility and a wireless phone charger, according to the release.

Key Accord Milestones:

o 1976 – Start of U.S. Sales

o 1982 – Start of U.S. Production at Marysville Auto Plant

o 1983 – First Car and Driver 10Best Win

o 1988 – 1 millionth Accord built

o 1989 – Accord topples domestics to become best-selling car in America

o 1994 – Accord wins Motor Trend Car of the Year

o 1995 – First V6 powered Accord debuts

o 2004 – 10 millionth Accord sold

o 2005 – First hybrid powered Accord debuts

o 2005 – Accord wins Car and Driver 10Best for the 20th time

o 2018 – Accord wins North American Car of the Year and Motor Trend Car of the Year

o 2025 – Accord wins Car and Driver 10Best for the 40th time

o 2026 – Accord celebrates 50 years & 15 million cumulative U.S. Sales