Honda Accord's Declining Popularity in the US Market
The Honda Accord, a long-standing favorite in the American midsize sedan market, is currently facing a significant downturn in sales. Historically a strong contender, consistently ranking second only to the Toyota Camry, the Accord's appeal appears to be waning as American consumers increasingly gravitate towards sport utility vehicles and models with electrified powertrains. This shift is evident in the 2025 sales data, which indicates a notable decrease compared to the previous year. This trend signals a broader transformation within the automotive industry, where traditional sedans are being overshadowed by newer vehicle categories that better meet contemporary consumer preferences for versatility and fuel efficiency.
For many years, the Honda Accord stood as a symbol of reliability and a pragmatic choice for families and commuters. Its balanced blend of comfort, fuel economy, and subtle design resonated deeply with a loyal customer base, allowing it to maintain steady sales even as market dynamics began to evolve. The Accord’s consistent performance established it as a benchmark in its segment, fostering an image of dependability for the Honda brand in the United States.
However, this enduring consistency is now being challenged. Recent sales figures from 2025 reveal that Honda has sold fewer Accords compared to 2024, indicating a clear weakening of consumer interest in a model that was once central to Honda’s identity in the American market. This decline underscores a larger industry trend where traditional passenger cars are losing ground to other vehicle types.
The sales data further illustrates this trend. While Honda's passenger car sales nearly reached 30,000 units in September, with a substantial portion attributed to the Accord and nearly half of those being hybrids, the overall sales for the Accord are down by more than five percent year-over-year. Although monthly sales for the sedan remain stable, its overall market impact has diminished. The Honda Civic, another long-standing popular model, is encountering similar difficulties, with its year-to-date sales also showing a downward trajectory, though it did see a rebound in September.
Interestingly, the Acura TLX, which is the Accord’s more luxurious counterpart and is nearing the end of its production cycle without a planned successor, has experienced an unexpected increase in sales this year. This surge suggests that buyers are keen to acquire one of the final units before the model is discontinued, providing a boost for Acura while Honda’s conventional sedans are struggling.
Honda’s current success stories are emerging from other sectors of its product lineup. The all-electric Prologue SUV has rapidly become a top performer for the brand. Its combination of practicality and modern electric vehicle appeal has captivated consumers, helping Honda establish a strong foothold in the competitive electric vehicle segment. Similarly, the Acura ZDX is also achieving favorable sales results. What is particularly noteworthy is that neither the Prologue nor the ZDX are developed entirely by Honda, as both utilize General Motors' Ultium platform.
These developments highlight a significant transformation in Honda’s market strategy: the most substantial growth is now driven by electrified crossovers rather than its historically dominant sedans. This situation presents an intriguing paradox, where two of the brand’s most promising new products are not purely proprietary Honda designs, yet they effectively showcase the future direction of the automotive market and evolving consumer preferences.
The waning appeal of the Honda Accord in the U.S. reflects a pivotal shift in consumer demand towards SUVs and electrified options. While the Accord once symbolized reliability and practicality, its sales decline in 2025 suggests a new era for Honda, where electric SUVs like the Prologue and Acura ZDX are now leading the brand’s growth, despite their shared platform with General Motors. This indicates a broader industry movement away from traditional sedans, urging automakers to adapt to changing market landscapes.