Hooniverse Fastback Friday – Honda Accord Aerodeck
Last month, Robert E. asked what 25+ year old vehicle you would seriously consider importing. My answer: the 1986-88 Honda Accord Aerodeck!
The good people at Honda melded a boring Accord with an economical Civic hatchback, and came up with what is without a doubt the most reliable shooting brake, in the world. Though Americans were still into hatchbacks and two-door coupes in a big way in the mid-1980s, the Aerodeck was not sold here. Apparently, the average Honda buyer just didn’t want cool associated with their toaster of a car– the Aerodeck was a sales flop in Japan and Europe.
To give you an idea of how long ago 25 years was, the Aerodeck came with a choice of fuel injection (122 hp) or carburetor (106 hp). Though I’ve never driven (or even seen) an Aerodeck, I did drive an Accord coupe of the same vintage for a summer. If they are similar in driving dynamics, then the Aerodeck is competent but by no means a standout.
The utility of hatchbacks is unquestioned. Saabs are known to swallow millions of board feet of IKEA furniture at a time. But the Aerodeck was a different story. The rear wheel wells took up near a third of the floor. The low roof further minimized storage space. Topped off with a heavy liftgate and high loading sill, and you’ve got a decidedly un-user-friendly hauler.
But ultimately, this is a cool looking car from a then-cool company. EBay UK has less-than-perfect examples for a few thousand quid. Practically be damned. I want an Aerodeck!
Images source: Honda
Background information source: February 18, 1987, issue of Autocar
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Of course they're four doors but the Honda Odyssey (ex – N.A.) & Nissan Stagea are both very similar in concept to the Areodeck.
The Stagea is particularly crisp…
The Stagea is definitely one of my dream cars.
It looks like 80's-styled sex on wheels, but it was sitting on lots right next to the Civic Wagovan, which offered two extra doors, a higher seating position, and a more practical cargo area. It's not hard to see why it didn't sell well.
Not really my cup of tea either way, but I think the roofline makes this a more appropriate posting for Wagon Wednesday than Fastback Friday.
There was a lukewarm debate about that very issue.
I'm somehow kind of partial to these:
<img src="http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/1/2428/3561/6069280005_large.jpg">
Taught a college buddy how to shift on another buddy's Accord Coupe during a spring break road trip to Daytona Beach.
Lessons learned:
1) When teaching someone to drive a stick, use someone else's clutch
2) It's not to bad to learn when all you have to do is get out of the rest stop and onto the interstate.
3) With him doing the clutch and me shifting from the passenger seat we didn't get killed to death
4) Still wasn't a great idea for a road trip. Not with those guys, anyway…
I clicked on this post specifically to point out that there was a model of Accord that was far more of a "fastback" than an Aerodeck.
Glad someone else caught it first and did the legwork to get a picture.
A few years ago my Uncle scored a super nice Accord hatch that someone had left in their garage it's whole life and somehow only put about 30,000 miles on. It was ice blue with a blue interior which would not be my choice, but it was like a brand new 30 year old Accord so I would have happily lived with it.
He got rid of it (probably traded it in) on a PT Cruiser. Stupid. Shoulda passed it on to me…
The Accord hatch was way more common than the aerodeck, but I think it was also just a better design. A little longer, but at least as much useful space, and the lines are far cleaner. There's a reason why it sold better, and it's the iteration I would choose. But I guess like others here I'd take a Civic wagon first. I've actually gone to look at a Civic wagon when I was shopping for a beater, but never any Accord of any kind.
I like it.
I would have preferred the Prelude INX
<img src="http://www.prelude-fan.de/pics/prelude88x_th.jpg" width="600"> <a href="http://www.prelude-fan.de/inx.htm” target=”_blank”>http://www.prelude-fan.de/inx.htm
This roofline on a CB9 (fourth-gen wagon – also sold as an 'Aerodeck' in Europe) would be tits on glass. Actually, 'tits on glass' would probably require pop-ups, too. Sigh…
I think the Aerodeck looks terrific myself. Also, I disagree a bit with Jim's assessment of this generation of Accord – in terms of handling and entertainment value as well as build quality, it was near the top of the 1986 mid-size heap. This was when Hondas were still something special. You had to go to the far-pricier Europeans like Audi and BMW to truly beat the Accord in overall ability.
My judgment was probably skewed by the fact that I was driving the c.1986 Accord in 1998. Plus, the car reeked of cigar smoke.
This is one of my all-time favorites from Honda. In early 90s it lookes just fantastic. Never mind the utility aspect, it's a marvellous looking shooting brake with rock solid reliability.
In similar news, I keep seeing one of these parked near my house. They're both more attractive and more awkward in person. It's the only Lexus I would consider buying, pace Saucy Minx.
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Lexus_IS_SportCross_Altezza_Gita.jpg" width="500">
When it was released everyone in the UK cheered that the Aerodeck was a sci-fi reinterpretation of the Reliant Scimitar;
<img src="http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/images/12/2007/06/medium_rscmit475b.jpg" width=450>
Only, er, reliable.
Today, I'd say that somebody with the nous to stick a VTEC lump of some description into one of these would be a very accomplished individual indeed.
I'm a wagon and hatch lover, but the Accord Aerodeck never did it for me. Looks like a big Civiv hatch, but with poorer proportions. The earlier Accord hatch is the same way.
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