Honda’s efforts to make inroads in the already-shrinking midsize (read: Taurus) wagon market was not very long-lived (like Toyota’s with its Camry). Two generations is all it took to realize that the minivan was the way forward (of course they bungled that too at first). Given that the Accord wagon was only built in Ohio, Honda decided it needed to do something to make its wagon more appealing to the Midwest contingent. The result was the very short-lived Accord Suburb Squire, sold only in the heartland states. I feel very fortunate to have found one here in Eugene; its owner must have emigrated to the woods of Oregon.
This generation Accord (CB; 1990-1993) was perhaps the best ever, in terms of driving dynamics and overall appeal, before it got a bit more…Taurus-like. But that was rather wasted on the Suburb Squire’s target market. Not enough cupholders. And the ride was too firm. And it wasn’t quiet enough inside. And no lazy V6 engines.
Unfortunately the original wire wheel covers have been replaced here with aftermarket wheels, confusing the image even further. Probably the biggest mistake Honda made was not crowning the Suburb Squire with a big chrome roof rack; that was the real key to success in the traditional wagon market. (originally planned to be published on 4/1/15)
Never saw one as I live in CA. That’s a good thing. This Accord is seriously ugly. I’m a wagon guy, but the Squire package is just wrong!
That is one seriously off vehicle.
If this is indicative of automotive tastes in the Midwest I can see why Detroit struggles to sell cars on the west coast.
no the rims are the bad part
It takes a hell of a lot to ruin the sweet lines on this gen accord wagon. This clown *almost* fully succeeds. If the blue was brown or tan, I think I’d be mostly OK with this mashup.
Paul,
You’re 20 days late with this post!
It’s the Japanese version of the Wagon Queen Family Truckster.
Salesman: “You think you hate it now, wait ’til you drive it.”
Never knew this existed
Me too…I thought it was Home made..When I saw it at first
Ah, originally planned for April 1. So this is a one off – explains the horizontal trim running on to the right front fender. Who would go to such trouble? Even in everyday trim these wagons were rare here in SoCal, though you still see one now and then today, almost always in that aquamarine color that was so popular.
Ah, I assumed it was an April fools joke, should have read the note on the bottom.
There is something called integrity of design. What the shape of the car evokes should be met by the driving dynamics. The Accord did that quite well. So did the Ford Country Squire. But if you make an Accord look like a Country Squire but it drives like an Accord then the match is missed.
The fake wood looks wrong and the aftermarket wheels make it worse. But I suppose not even these would have helped:
Damn! What a wasted opportunity. When my parents were car shopping for a new 1991 model, they could have bought one of these and been the envy of the other 432 people in town. But no! They purchase a Dodge Dynasty, a car that had exactly one problem (a bad sensor) in all of its seven years and 135,000 miles with them. The Dynasty was a great car other than that shaking in the front end above 112 mph.
On the flip side, the wood on this may have started flapping and smacking at about 90 or so.
Wow, what a great treatment on this car. I wonder – did some aftermarket company sell this as a kit? The Grand Accord! If not, what fabulous work someone did in creating this. Hmmm, giving me some ideas for my Honda Fit . . . .
Just looked, no dice. I would need an Element. Or an Xbox. If you hurry Paul, you can have a kit delivered and finished by the end of Wagon Week! 🙂
I’m rather tempted 🙂
Actually, when Stephanie and I found and I shot this Accord, she had a major crush on it, and wanted me to do the Forester, but there was no kit for it. What’s up with that? A woodie Grand Forester; they were obviously made for each other.
$579 for just a few flat vinyl stick-ons (no genuine 3D trim) seems a wee bit steep. And they say it only lasts 5-7 years. I’m planning to keep the Box longer than that.
Maybe some marine mahogany plywood with real wood trim screwed on?
This kit while more expensive does offer 3D trim http://www.ptwoody.com/ts007.html They offer a full 3 year warranty, but no actual life expectancy. I’m sure that varies of course based on care.
SOA actually built a Forester Woody concept that made the rounds of the 1999 auto show circuit…..
The car still exists in SOA’s historical collection and has been loaned out to a couple of museums over the years. Here it was two years ago on display in the lobby of SOA corporate HQ…..
Almost forgot the business end….
Yes; I forgot to mention that I found this on the web, and after she saw it is when she really went gaga over the idea of a woodie Forester.
Somebody had to do it. At least in photoshop.
Well, it is just an Accord Wagon, so a Suburb Squire package on the TSX is a natural. Although Stephanie didn’t go nearly quite as gaga over it as she did with the woodie Forester. Oh well…
That actually doesn’t look too bad. Wonder if that kit is real wood, or just convincing shelf paper? Most PT Cruisers have the cheeseball factory stick on fake wood, but when the whole craze was in full swing, there were some outfits making kits with real wood. If the car was customized surfer style, then a real wood kit wasn’t horrible. The factory kit looked like what it was: something halfassed for a buyer given to poorly thought out impulse buys, much like the ‘flame on’ stickers many (like mine) were saddled with….
Now that looks like a homemade job, but a well done one. I’ve seen large rolls of “automotive wood grain vinyl” before but where did they get the “timbers” to go across?
I’d be tempted to this to my Highlander (for the social commentary of what CUVs really are) but my wife would make me sleep in the darn thing after I was done.
The only newish US vehicle that would really benefit from the Di-Noc treatment is the Ford Flex which cries out for a Country Squire option package.
I thought that right before I read your comment !
I’d buy one 🙂 .
A couple of companies offer an aftermarket kit for the Flex. I think it works pretty well and I would consider doing it to one if the price were a little lower and I had a Flex. There is a link to the XBox kit from a company that makes them for the Flex and a number of other cars in my post above. As their company name implies they started with kits for the PT Cruiser but branched out to keep their business alive when it was discontinued.
The woody treatment would be an improvement on the Flex, IMO.
The Flex would be a natural. Heck, I’d probably do it if I had one. (Except that, as with one of my fellow commentors above, the wife would not likely approve!)
I must say the quality of work on this Accord is quite good for a homebrew job. Though I do wonder about the choice of carrying forward that one trim piece onto the front fender. (Personally I would have done the entire fender, after having done a good job on the doors and rear quarter…)
There are a couple of cars running around here featuring the woody look in termite proof vinyl wrap, I personally dont like the look but I’ll shoot em for the cohort for you guys next I see em parked.
I really like the Flex and it especially appeals to me when it has a 2 color treatment. I agree, if ever a Ford product begged for the “Squire” teeatment, it’s the Flex.
Here in Jacksonville one of the local “Buy here, finance here” used car lots has a white Chevy HHR to which has been added a “woody” treatment. They never advertise the selling price, but it has been for sale for nearly a year. To bad they held on to it and the GM ignition switch “problem” caught up with them.
Wow! That’s the Edsel Bermuda of Honda Accords!
You really had me on that one Paul. I was thinking “wow, Honda had this special model only for the Mid-West”….
My Seattle Silver 1993 Accord EX 5-speed wagon was one of the best cars I have ever owned. I wish I had it to this day.
To put woodgrain on one of these wagons is crazy. I think it is hysterical, and if the owner has a sense of humor, it truly is a conversation piece.
I took a few pics of this car well over a year ago. Fortunately for CC I’m rather busy and lazy and never posted them. This is way better. 😀
Wow, this looks for crap! Its all mismatched and wrong looking anyway, but the way the wood treatment completely ignores the whole front clip is just ‘off’ looking. I know most ‘real’ woodies have no wood on the front fenders, but its not such an eyesore as on this.
FWIW, I think this ‘woody’ treatment is pretty sweet, even if its not a wagon:
http://blog.kaiserwillys.com/cj-3a-willys-woody-a-labor-of-love
A blue Accord with wood trim has to be one of the worst decisions ever – I mean c’mon, blue?? 😉
I often, though not always, appreciate oddball or unusual customizations. I do like this Woody package, but agree it would look better on a white or pale yellow or cream or beige wagon. Would probably work on burgundy, too.
I love it! I think Lexus could successfully pull this off on a RC 350, I see Buick’s retired beige ones all over SW FLA.
I thought I saw a Tauraus or Sable wagon with the wood trim it was the later version of the car. I wanted to get a picture but I forgot my camera. still actually makes me wonder If I actually saw whati thought I saw
The Subaru was done by me and some others in winter 1998. Real Mahogany veneer with a 3M adhesive backer. Oiled finish to keep it satin. Ash veneer has a poured on epoxy finish and borders the mahog. nicely. Subaru supplied the car ready to accept the wood. The lower doors had to be filled to provide a flatter surface to stick to. It was hard to do. We had little heat up in Nyack NY. You have to look closely to see where we sliced the veneer to make it conform to rounded sheet metal. We were happy with the result though.