1983 Honda Accord sedan

“Simply beautiful to own and drive.”

November 1, 1982 was an incredibly important date for Honda. That day, a Charcoal Gray Metallic 1983 Honda Accord sedan rolled off the production line at Honda’s Marysville, Ohio plant. That car is currently on exhibition at the marvelous Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation.

The only engine available for any 1983 Accord was the EK1 75 bhp 1.8 liter/107 ci inline four with a three-barrel carburetor. A five-speed manual was standard, while a four-speed automatic transmission was newly available. Consumer Guide clocked a 13.0-second 0-60 time with the manual, which they charitably described as “brisk.” Fuel economy ratings were 32 city/45 highway by the day’s standards (25/32 by today’s measures). With a 15.9-gallon gas tank, an Accord driver could expect a range of between 410 and 495 miles.

The 1983 Honda Accord sedan’s base price was $8,345—about $27,500 in today’s dollars, which is almost exactly what a 2025 Honda Accord LX sedan goes for. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included dual halogen headlights, tinted glass, variable-assist power rack and pinion steering, power disc/rear drum brakes, and P185/70R13 steel-belted radial ply tires on 13-inch wheels. Inside, cloth reclining front bucket seats with adjustable headrests, cruise control, two speed plus intermittent wipers, a rear window defroster, a remote-control outside rearview mirror, a remote trunk lid release, a tachometer, and a quartz clock with a sweep hand were standard.

One Package, Dealer Options, & Production Numbers

In the middle of the model year, Honda released the Accord Special Edition. The SE added a power sunroof, aluminum alloy wheels, Michelin steel-belted radial tires, leather seats, air conditioning, dual remote-controlled outside mirrors, power windows, power locks, and an AM/FM digital electronic stereo with a stereo cassette player with Dolby noise reduction, a seven-band graphic equalizer, and a power antenna.

There were no factory options—you chose the transmission and the color, and that was it. All options were dealer-installed, including air conditioning for non SE‘s ($500) and eight different radios.

Honda produced 221,137 Accords for the 1983 model year. Comments on the Accord’s build quality from the automotive press continued to range from admiring to stunned—Consumer Guide commented on their test Accord’s “lustrous” paint and “formidable” quality control.

The View From 2025

Second-generation Accords were once prevalent on American roads, but have virtually disappeared by now. You occasionally see these Accords for sale in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer, but there were no sedans out there as I write this in May 2025.

Make mine Paisley Red Metallic, please.

Other Hondas I have written about include the 1982 Prelude Sport Coupe, 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 Accord sedan, the 1986 Prelude Si coupe, and the 1988 Civic sedan.

Last updated September 2025.