[aldo90731]

Interesting read: instead of relying on a traditional marketing campaign, Honda Canada relied on positive press and word-of-mouth for the Accord launch.

The article calls the strategy a marketing misstep that has cost Accord a 12% slide in sales. I’d argue it is difficult to separate how much of the decline is due to the strategy, how much is due to the vehicle redesign, and how much is due to the general decline in sedan sales. For instance, overall car sales in the US are down 12% in the first 7 months on this year, and Accord sales have reflected this trend.

Honda has been using a similar strategy in Mexico with success, relying heavily on a combination of improved styling and word-of-mouth.

Honda Accord sales in Canada pay the price for marketing misstep

 

[Stéphane Dumas]

I wonder if the word-of-mouth might have a different tone and a opposite effect when folks said to each other: "Honda don't offer a coupe/V6 anymore", "it's big as a old Caprice", etc...?

 

[valiant67]

Most people driving a Honda Accord probably wouldn't even know what an "old Caprice" was.

But this goes to show that, even for Honda, when you don't actively maintain the discussion around your brand you lose control of brand perception.

 

[aldo90731]

I wonder if the word-of-mouth might have a different tone and a opposite effect when folks said to each other: "Honda don't offer a coupe/V6 anymore", "it's big as a old Caprice", etc...?

Indeed. Regardless of actual sales volume, the V6 played a role in the Accord lineup.

Twenty years ago dealers dragged Honda kicking and screaming into adding a V6 to Accord. From that point forward, Accord was seen as a direct competitor to Camry.

The absence of the V6 must be the elephant in the room at internal Honda meetings, and a sore point with dealers.

 

[Ryan]

Indeed. Regardless of actual sales volume, the V6 played a role in the Accord lineup.

Twenty years ago dealers dragged Honda kicking and screaming into adding a V6 to Accord. From that point forward, Accord was seen as a direct competitor to Camry.

The absence of the V6 must be the elephant in the room at internal Honda meetings, and a sore point with dealers.

Why is the lack of a V6 such a problem for the Accord when competitors such as the Sonata, Optima, Malibu, Mazda 6, and now Altima have lineups without V6 power?

 

[aldo90731]

Why is the lack of a V6 such a problem for the Accord when competitors such as the Sonata, Optima, Malibu, Mazda 6, and now Altima have lineups without V6 power?

Because:

1. Sales of all those nameplates are in the tank...
2. As Stephane pointed out, by relying on word-of-mouth, Honda risked that owners would to be telling each other, among other things, that V6 was gone

 

[aldo90731]

BTW, Ford stopped all sedan advertising going forward, although Fusion is still being produced.

Ford stops national ads for sedans, including Fusion still in production

Just one more automaker fulfilling its own prophecy...

 

[Ryan]

BTW, Ford stopped all Fusion advertising going forward, although the car is still being produced.

Ford stops national ads for sedans, including Fusion still in production

Just one more automaker fulfilling its own prophecy...

When will the Taurus be gone? It should have been discontinued two years ago...

 

[aldo90731]

Looks like 2018 may be its final Model Year

Goodbye to the Ford Taurus

 

[valiant67]

When will the Taurus be gone? It should have been discontinued two years ago...

My guess is because of the police version. Just a guess.

 

[Stéphane Dumas]

Indeed. Regardless of actual sales volume, the V6 played a role in the Accord lineup.

Twenty years ago dealers dragged Honda kicking and screaming into adding a V6 to Accord. From that point forward, Accord was seen as a direct competitor to Camry.

The absence of the V6 must be the elephant in the room at internal Honda meetings, and a sore point with dealers.

To add a bit more salt, the 2018 Accord styling is the 2018 "plucked chicken", being a modern counterpart of the 1962 Dodge and Plymouth "plucked chicken" with the way it borrowed design elements of the Crosstour itself recycling old blue prints of the Chevrolet Citation didn't helped things either. So being a reincarnated Crosstour or *gasp* Citation.....and no need to mention the CVT transmission.

 

[gforce2002]

The new ones are extremely rare around this part of Atlantic Canada. I think part of it is the Civic has essentially replaced the Accord in that part of the market where buyers are looking for a "mid-size". I saw one of the new Accords parked street side the other day, and they seem HUGE.

 

[aldo90731]

Honda got Civic just right. Accord, on the other hand, looks odd and long. Add to that the fact the Accord now uses a stretched Civic platform, Civic engines and Civic transmissions, and makes you wonder why anyone would want to pay significantly more for what is essentially a large Civic.

 

[Citation84]

Honda got Civic just right. Accord, on the other hand, looks odd and long. Add to that the fact the Accord now uses a stretched Civic platform, Civic engines and Civic transmissions, and makes you wonder why anyone would want to pay significantly more for what is essentially a large Civic.

Did not know that about Accord's underpinnings and engines, Aldo.

But I thought it the first Accord I've found truly attractive and the Civic just the opposite. I find the Civic overwrought and fussy. Love the tail lights though.

 

[aldo90731]

Did not know that about Accord's underpinnings and engines, Aldo.

But I thought it the first Accord I've found truly attractive and the Civic just the opposite. I find the Civic overwrought and fussy. Love the tail lights though.

Yup, Civic now underpins Accord, CR-V and RDX; Fit underpins HR-V.

With Accord "gone", not sure what Honda plans in future to underpin Pilot, Odyssey, Ridgeline, MDX, TLX and RLX with.

 

[Stéphane Dumas]

Yup, Civic now underpins Accord, CR-V and RDX; Fit underpins HR-V.

With Accord "gone", not sure what Honda plans in future to underpin Pilot, Odyssey, Ridgeline, MDX, TLX and RLX with.

Looks like Honda had gone full circle, the very first Accord who arrived here in 1977 was based on a stretched Civic.

And now Honda apply the K-car trick or should we said "H-car".

 

[valiant67]

And now Honda apply the K-car trick or should we said "H-car".

At least Honda figured out to vary the width, something Chrysler never could do with the K car.

 

[Erik Latranyi]

Yup, Civic now underpins Accord, CR-V and RDX; Fit underpins HR-V.

With Accord "gone", not sure what Honda plans in future to underpin Pilot, Odyssey, Ridgeline, MDX, TLX and RLX with.

Not only that, but Honda now has the flexibility to vary production of Accord, Civic and CR-V according to demand. They are using FLEX manufacturing to allow them to stay in the sedan market while tapping into the CUV market. When things shift, Honda can shift production back to sedans easily and without any cost.

Additionally, Honda and Toyota are building a strong reputation for reliable, safe and efficient CUVs, just as they did with sedans. They want to be the appliance CUV maker that risk averse consumers buy from again and again and again.

 

[aldo90731]

They want to be the appliance CUV maker that risk averse consumers buy from again and again and again.

Eventually, we all become that risk-averse consumer who wants to stick with a brand for the rest of our lives.

 

[Ryan]

I have a hard time believing a risk-averse person would buy a vehicle that as quirky and bizarre as some of the recent Toyotas and Hondas... If you think the Accord is ugly, there are a few Honda and Toyota CUVs that you should see.

Too bad they can't have styling that matches their other good qualities.