“Once again, other manufacturers will be forced to return to their drawing boards.”
The Honda Accord was all-new for 1986, with a brand-new body and an upgraded base engine—the standard powertrain was the A20A 98 bhp 2.0 liter/120 ci inline four with a two-barrel carburetor paired to a five-speed manual transmission (a four-speed automatic was optional). Acceleration was acceptable: 0-60 came in a little under 11 seconds in the approximately 2,400-pound car. On the other hand, fuel economy was good: 27 city/33 highway by the day’s standards (about 23 city/30 highway by 2025 measures). With a 15.9-gallon fuel tank, Accord drivers could expect a range of from 380 to 430 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.
By modern standards, the 1986 Accord was not a large car: with a 102.4-inch wheelbase and a 178.5-inch length, it was more than five inches shorter in both wheelbase and length than a 2025 Honda Civic sedan and was classified by the EPA as a subcompact car (the modern Accord is classified as a large car). What’s even more striking is the height or lack thereof: at 53.3 inches, the Accord was only three inches taller than the same year’s Camaro. The 1986 Accord had a six-inch longer wheelbase, three inches more of length, and was almost an inch shorter than the 1985 version.
Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the base Accord DX sedan included front wheel drive, a double wishbone front and rear suspension, power brakes, variable-assist power steering, pop-up halogen headlights, hidden wipers, and P185/70R13 tires (a size still available) on 13-inch wheels with full wheel covers. Inside, reclining front bucket seats, an adjustable steering column, and cruise control were included. The DX went for $9,299—about $27,800 in 2025 dollars.
Moving up to the LX added air conditioning, power door locks, power windows, and an AM/FM stereo with cassette player and power antenna. The top-of-the-line LXi went for $12,675 (about $37,900 in today’s dollars or just a little under what a 2025 Accord Touring Hybrid sedan goes for) and added the 110 bhp fuel-injected engine, cast aluminum alloy wheels, and a power moonroof.
Period Reviews & Production Numbers
The 1986 Honda Accord was well-received. It was present on Car and Driver‘s 10 Best list and got good reviews from the other “buff books.” Honda sold 325,000 in the United States, making it the fifth best-selling car model that year.
The View From 2025
Third-generation Accords were once prevalent on American roads, but have virtually disappeared by now. You do occasionally see these Accords for sale in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer.
Make mine Montreal Blue Metallic, please.
Other Hondas I have written about include the 1982 Honda Prelude Sport Coupe, the 1983 Accord sedan, the 1983 Civic S hatchback coupe, the 1984 Civic DX hatchback coupe, the 1984 Civic CRX hatchback coupe, the 1985 Civic CRX Si hatchback coupe, the 1986 Prelude Si coupe, and the 1988 Civic sedan.
Last updated December 2025.
Eighties Cars 
I owned a 1989 Accord DX Coupe, It had the 2.0 litre carb’d 4-banger.
Great engine, but not as efficient as one would think. I drove it to FL in Nov 1990 and averaged about 31 MPG. The biggest problem was a lack of cruise control.
I replaced the car in Jan 1991 with a then new 1991 Accord LX Coupe, with the new 2.3 litre MPFI 4-banger. Power jumped from 98 to 125 and with MPFI, more efficient. When driving to FL in March of 92, The 91 Accord averaged 33 MPG. Impressive.
Thank you for the comment, Andy.