Overview
- Gary Robinson, head of product planning at American Honda, said Monday that customers will see a substantially redesigned Accord that will feel like a new model and called the changes “pretty major.”
- Reporting from Automotive News and other outlets says the refreshed Accord will take on a more modern, futuristic stance and borrow design cues from Honda’s recent Hybrid Sedan Prototype rather than use a clean‑sheet body.
- Inside, the Accord is expected to gain a larger infotainment screen and a more ergonomic cockpit, while hybrid variants are reported to receive the S+ Shift simulated shifter used on the Prelude and some Civics.
- Sources say the current gasoline powertrain will remain available through early 2030 before the Accord shifts to a hybrid‑only lineup and that Honda plans a modest Passport update later in 2026 that raises ride height by about an inch and tweaks suspension.
- The changes reflect a wider strategic shift at Honda to extend existing models and double down on hybrids to protect margins after costly EV and Acura RSX efforts, with the Accord, Civic and Prelude accounting for a large share of recent U.S. sales.