(first posted 11/6/2018) We Curbivores are enthusiasts so, naturally, many of us love wagons. The dynamics of a sedan but with extra versatility: what’s not to love? And because of our intrinsic love of wagons, we are statistically more likely to own cars like the slow-selling Acura TSX Sport Wagon – our own Paul Niedermeyer has one! Unfortunately, the wider public would prefer an RDX or MDX, meaning the TSX Sport Wagon lasted only a generation. The Honda Accord Tourer upon which it was based, however, lasted two.
By the time the TSX Sport Wagon arrived in 2011, the US market was in the throes of its crossover obsession. Acura of Canada didn’t even bother to introduce the model. In its debut year, Acura shifted 3,210 wagons, rising to 4,234 in 2012. That largely lined up with Acura’s modest 4000 annual unit projection but paled in comparison to the sedan (27,725 sold in 2011) and even the disappointingly slow-selling first-generation RDX (15,196).
The Acura TSX, as you know, was simply a rebadged European Honda Accord (although there was a unique V6 variant for the second generation). The European and American Accord lines had diverged at the fifth generation of 1994. The first European Accord was offered only as a rakish four-door sedan, Honda supplementing it with wagon and coupe models imported from the US. This European Accord was also sold in Japan as the Ascot Innova.
The following generation of Euro Accord introduced a second body style, a five-door liftback. By now, the “global” Accord – up to its fifth generation – was no longer available in wagon form. Honda imported the American coupe but it was destined for niche status. European buyers much preferred wagons and most European and Japanese rivals had one to offer.
For the third generation of Euro Accord, Honda finally delivered. And like the neatly tailored sedan, now also sold in North America as the Acura TSX, the wagon (now “Tourer” in Honda parlance) was modern, wedgy and distinctive. While somewhat bluff, it avoided the dumpy, utilitarian look afflicted on rivals like the Opel Vectra C.
Befitting its repurposing as an Acura, the third Euro Accord was designed to be a little bit more special than an Opel Vectra or Ford Mondeo. Handling was crisp, the ride supple, and the interior thoughtfully designed and using higher-quality materials. Mid-size (D-segment) cars often had to compete against compact executive sedans like the BMW 3-Series so it made sense for Honda to make their Accord a little, well, nicer. Honda also switched back to importing the Accord from Japan, leaving the Swindon plant in the UK to manufacture Civics.
The Tourer was an exceedingly sensible proposition. Total length increased by 3.3 inches over the sedan, 2 of those in the wheelbase. The rear seats split 60/40 and folded flat, with total cargo capacity besting that of the Volvo V70: 20.34 cubic feet with the seats up, 32.52 down. As with the sedan, there was a choice of two four-cylinder gas engines: a 2.0 with 155 hp and 140 ft-lbs and a 2.4 with 190 hp and 164 ft-lbs. The smaller engine was available with either a five-speed manual or five-speed auto, the 2.4 swapping out the manual for a six-speed stick.
It was expected in Europe that all D-segment cars offer a diesel engine too and so Honda developed its first, launching to great praise from critics. The 2.2 common rail direct-injected four-cylinder produced 140 hp and a stout 251 ft-lbs and was available exclusively with a six-speed manual. It took 9.9 seconds to reach 60 mph in the diesel Tourer, the sedan beating that by 0.7 seconds.
Honda seemed to have really hit the sweet spot for a European D-segment offering: well-sized with a high quality interior, good dynamics, and with diesel and wagon versions available. Plus, there was Honda’s excellent reliability and build quality. The fruits of their labor were seen with an increase in sales: the Accord’s tally of 48,346 units in 2004 was its best in years. The Euro Accord was also successful in other markets where it was offered. For example, it became the third best-selling mid-size car in Australia for a period even though, uniquely, it was sold alongside the American Accord. Sadly, we didn’t get the Tourer or the diesel here. Nor did we get the wagon or diesel variants of the following European Accord. Even more sadly, despite being just as complete a package as the generation prior, the next (fourth) generation of European Accord proved to be the last.
Photographed in Potsdam, Germany in September 2018.
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Want. I like Hondas. I like wagons. I like manual transmissions. First we miss out on years of the JDM Odyssey and now this. Way to ruin my Tuesday, Will. 🙂
I have seen one of these in Melbourne, so they have made it here as grey imports at least. Presumably from Japan, but it could be from the UK.
Both versions are in NZ ex JDM or sold new, the diesel is interesting Honda previously used Peugeot or Perkins diesels the Honda effort is a little underpowered for the era but not as bad as some.
Never mind the Honda. What’s that weird swoopy van-based thing in the background?
It’s just a typical class B motorhome. Like so many new Winnebagos, like the View below and such. Does it look unusual to you?
I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen one like that. The B-class RVs I’ve seen don’t have any projection above the driver’s seat. Just a slightly raised roof.
And the C-Class I’ve seen have the traditional squared-off overhead bunk.
The curved roof just seems to enclose space in a particularly space-inefficient way.
I meant class C. Surely you’ve seen these? They’re all over the place.
This is what I really wanted instead of the fatter TSX wagon we have. If they had imported these to the US, I would have looked for a good used one.My biggest complaint about our TSX is that it’s too wide (and low). I also like the much cleaner styling. Sometimes you just have to settle for second best.
So the big question is why they didn’t bring this one here, but they did the next one, even though wagon sales had been on a steady decline.
I didn’t realize that the wagon even had a longer wheelbase. It probably has more rear leg room than ours, which is mighty bad.
Yea my only complaint about the TSX wagon is that it’s too big. I like smaller cars like the A3 it replaced. But, then every once in awhile, I’ll haul something like lumber home and I’m glad for the extra length.
Also, I have a 2008 magazine that shows how the cargo area got SMALLER on the last of gen to have a neater rear section.
I’ve seen these wagons in Asia, perhaps just in Hong Kong (on my few business trips to Japan, I was so busy and spent so much time on the subway, trains and otherwise indoors that I didn’t have much time for car watching). I can say they look even better in the metal than in pictures. To me at least, it’s a stunning design. Sleek and practical form, and great detailing too. Something absent on most Honda’s and Acura’s recently.
There can’t be an article about this generation Accord wagon without mentioning the amazing advertisement that came out for it in the UK. It was called “Cog”. It was an amazing Rube Goldberg machine that was done, in person, for real. The only bit of CGI was stiching one half to the other during the “muffler” roll. The ad won damn near every award there was the year it debuted.
I love watching this ad. It is so mesmerizing.
And here is a behind the scenes video about the making of the ad.
That wagon, had it been sold in the USA, would have enticed me into a Honda dealer to look at the car. That would have been a first; I have never been to a Honda store.
The Buick Regal TourX (Opel Insignia) induced me to actually visit a Buick dealership earlier this year. That was the first time for me in decades. The TourX is not quite what I want but it got me in the door. That Honda wagon would have done so too.
The one thing I could never get over on this generation Accord Tourer was its proportions… the very vertical rear windshield certainly made for better space efficiency, but it just looked like an awkward prosthetic on the rather small car body.
That being said, I’m a big fan of the TSX/Euro Accord in both generations… after all, I did enjoy ownership of one for four years 🙂
Agreed about its proportions. It looks like a compact hearse converted into a wagon.
Indeed so.
“Does my ass look square in this?”
Agreed. The second-gen is much more attractive in my eyes. However, my preference is flipped for the sedans.
Totally agree!
My elder brother had a diesel Tourer, a 2007 model with all the options Honda could find bought in 2008 for an absolute song. It gave him good and loyal service, even if the mileage never got that high. Its still in the extended, having another batch of kids mistreat the interior, and I believe it has now been washed for a second time. He chose it for the better than a Vectra, size of a Volvo combination you highlight.
The second gen model is a rare sight over here.
The front of the cabin—dashboard, glovebox, centre stack and console, controls and displays—is almost identical to that in my ’07 US-model Accord. I notice a few differences (red hazard flasher switch instead of black, red instrument cluster illumination instead of white).
This model Accord is known as generation V11 over here. Since I have sourced spares and spannered the rear brakes and suspension of our early 2008 saloon model, I can tell you that the wagon used rear brakes and suspension from a different Honda model, in order to give a lower load space.
With a 2″ longer wheelbase, the Euro Tourer appears to share the same wheelbase as the North American sedan (105″ Euro sedan vs. 107″ NA sedan and Euro wagon)
I had no idea the wagon/tourer had a longer wheel base that the sedan.
A massive pox on Honda Australia not bringing the wagon here. The Euro sedan was everywhere and given the strong sales of the 4th Gen Subaru Liberty/Legacy they would have had no problems selling them here.
Unfortunately Honda Australia had the same myopia of Toyota Australia, and thought importing the wagon was all too hard yet they fell over themselves in bringing in the 5 door AND 3 door HRV, as well as the CRV. The HRV did not sell that well here. After all, who needs a slightly smaller SUV than the CRV?
A turbo 4wd version of the Euro wagon would have been something.
Hmmm…I learned something new. I never knew that Honda made a diesel engine.
So want one of these. An actual attractive and reliable longroof in the US. There’s a mint condition, burgandy example in my small town and I’ve made gestures about my interest to them, an older couple in a transitional home.
I went to the Oshkosh airshow for the first time in 2023, which was amazing in its own right but the cars in the spectator lot were insane, too. MKIV Supra hardtop with NJ plates, an Acura TSX wagon driven by a young owner who painstakingly sourced all the ROW Honda badging and trim for his USDM car…
Reminds me too much of an Odyssey from ten years ago.