The GREAT Debate: Is The All-New Honda Accord The FIRST Ugly Design From Honda In A While?

The ultra-eyesore Civic Type R beats the new Accord for ugliness hands down. Apparently Honda made the aesthetically blind Toyota/Lexus designers an offer they couldn't refuse.

Well, first of all, when we are talking great-looking 4-door sedans (not 4-dr coupes), it's really hard to pinpoint a truly great design. This new Accord certainly isn't one either. However, based on pictures, it isn't ugly, either. It's more appealing than the new Maxima, isn't invisibly handsome like the Mazda6 and Fusion, is more appealing than the Altima and Camry. I'd put it in a similar category as the Optima, a car that doesn't necessarily have clean lines, but has character.

:)

The front is a simple clean design, the opposite of the trend of flashy or complex of shapes/lines/openings. It follows the model 3 in this direction. Honda has a history of clean and contemporary design language which this represents. I admit takes a little getting used to.

It's the latest in a string of ugly vehicles. The new Odyssey is especially ugly. Its side detailing looks like it got sandwiched in a wreck between two vehicles and the center buckled.

Saw my first new Camry and it truly is ungainly and unattractive. In its effort to try so hard to be the Japanese Saab 900, it became just another ugly Japanese sedan. It just might be the sedan equivalent of the Aztec.

@cidflekken....too much alcohol in your system? "...In its effort to try so hard to be the Japanese Saab 900...."

The new Camry looks nothing like an anal suppository.

mmm yeah, like your mother...

Knowing that the "home" market for the Accord is the United States - I would have expected better from Honda - who once had an understated elegance to their larger cars. However - I agree with the others who say that - compared to the competition - there is a major shortage of standout gorgeous sedans - maybe a reason why they are not selling in general.

THAT being said - I don't really see a MAJOR difference between the new one and the most recent old one. Maybe if OOR could upload a couple gross of side by side comparison photos

It is fine. The Honda CrossTour was a bit ungainly.

It looks like a Malibu and Camry spawned this. The Altima and the Mazsa 6 both look better than this.

I think it is good looking and the color makes a big difference - grey/silver pictures above look best.
Still, it is hard to judge the design from pictures alone. I willl wait until I see it in 3-D.
The interior is very nice.

Yeah in person all the ugly will vanish and this will be Honda's E Type moment.

Everyone sure has on opinion already ... for a car they have yet to see in person!

"... the all-new Civic is a clear winner, the HR-V is a great looking product."

Yes, everyone has their own taste. But the new Civic should not be called "a clear winner" by any stretch. I personally find it completely off-balance and overwrought.

And the HR-V "great looking" (??). You're joking, right?

This is not the Golden Age of Automotive Design (for mainstream vehicles, anyway). Current trends (like the massive cow-catcher front grilles) are not going to be remembered with praise.

Civics are selling like hot cakes and HR-Vs are no where to be found at least if you're on a dealer lot. Honda nailed both those designs.

Agent 00R: "Civics are selling like hot cakes and HR-Vs are no where to be found at least if you're on a dealer lot. Honda nailed both those designs."

Civics still sold like hotcakes in 2012 - when they were super ugly and drove like crap. The article was about styling. Just because the new Civic and HR-V are big sellers doesn't mean they are beautiful. They're just Hondas (and the driving experience has improved dramatically with the latest iteration).

Ugly is as ugly does and 2018 Honda Accord is and does.

Its not ugly, just highly derivative and not tied to the. Rand

I think it looks fine and Hondas are great cars but they've needed a new design direction for a long time now and something that's more cohesive that what they've been showing over the last 10 years. You either get super conservative or wacky Tokyo city car and they need to reign it in.

It looks good, not as good looking as a Nissan Maxima, but still not bad.

I am with you. The 2018 is much worse than the 2017 design. With the 2017 Honda Accord was looking sporty and energetic, and more in line with mercedez or bmw in terms of a sharp looking sedan. The 2018 has a horrible design line from the rear windshield all the way down to the trunk. It makes the car look like a hatchback, and it ends up losing it's some of it's edginess. It looks more like a car for mom than a sporty sedan for people that like sporty sedans. Not sure what Honda was trying to accomplish here, but it's a step back in my opinion. Does anyone know who designed this car? I wanted to buy an Accord, but I just could not get past that design flaw on the rear windshield and how it blends into the trunk. I love Honda cars, but please they botched it up with this design. My prediction is they sell fewer accords this year. Sedans need to be sporty and sexy. Not lame and bland. Whoever can get that right will kill it. Sedans are still very practical for families that want room and more fun drive.