The Honda AC-X concept received a pretty quiet introduction here in Tokyo. Honda officials won't give many details about it other than to say it has the new, plug-in, two-mode series/parallel hybrid drivetrain (one 2.0-liter inline-4 engine, two electric motors, a simplified transmission and a Li-ion battery pack) that we briefly sampled on the access roads outside Twin Ring Motegi.
The concept is roughly the same size as the current U.S.-market Honda Accord, and the next generation of Honda's family sedan is all but certain to come in a plug-in version.
But the AC-X looks too artsy and strange to be a preview of the next-gen Accord coming in (spring 2012)... Then again, the last three generations of the Accord have been very conservative. So maybe it's time for another crazy, mid-'90s-ish Accord. And we do like the back end of this car.
throwback says:
05:32 AM, 12/ 1/11
This would not be a bad looking Accord, except they have to do some more work on that back end.
rayzor says:
06:27 AM, 12/ 1/11
tone down both the front and rear end and you got yourself a nice Accord! Not unlike what Mazda's gonna do with the 6 series. I like it. Its time for Honda to break out of its traditionally bland design and go bold. Just look at how successful the koreans have been with their European inspired designs of late...
flicmod says:
06:33 AM, 12/ 1/11
For as much info Honda's been putting out about its future at the Tokyo show, if over half of these design elements are incorporated into the next gen Accord, I'd have to consider it a failure. That rear light bar is NOT Honda; it's something reminiscent of a domestic product... the new Charger maybe... or a late 80's Pontiac sedan. There are many good aspects of the concept, but there are many bad ones too. Honda's already lost some of its faithful and have most others questioning them. The next gen Accord is going to make or break them. They better be wise about what direction they go...
transpower says:
09:21 AM, 12/ 1/11
Looks a bit like the Audi A7.