QOTD: Which Honda Accord Is The Best Honda Accord?

Against its normal methodology, Honda is already leaking details regarding the all-new 2018 Accord, the tenth-generation of Honda’s venerable midsize car.

With continued manual transmission availability, a hi-po turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder in place of a V6 upgrade that was part of the lineup for more than two decades, and another generation of coupes, the tenth-generation Honda Accord has the potential to be a terrific car.

But will it be the best Honda Accord?

American-built for 35 years, on the market for four decades, and the most popular car among TTAC’s devoted readership, the Honda Accord is a known entity. But not all Accords were created equal. Judge using whatever methodology you prefer: style, reliability, ride and handling, efficiency, interior quality. Then tell everyone which Honda Accord is the best Honda Accord.

If the collage formation above didn’t already clarify for you my personal answer, it’s the fourth-generation Accord that ran from 1990 through 1993 — a four-model-year run that came before the fifth-gen Accord brought about a V6 option.

(Top row: Gen 1, Gen 2, Gen 3. Second row: Gen 5, Gen 4, Gen 6. Third row: Gen 7, Gen 4, Gen 8. Bottom row: Gen 9, Gen 10.)

To be honest, I’m biased. There was a 1993 Honda Accord, a white EX, in our family fleet when I spent a brief spell growing up in San Antonio, Texas. For pure, obvious, untainted sedan styling — handsome, but never seeking attention — it was difficult to beat the fourth-generation Accord.

Fun to drive, albeit not powerful, the Accord was also built solidly: the doors thunked, the windows slid down smoothly. And while the interior plastics might not measure up in 2017, the seats were comfortable and everything was properly screwed together. The shifter, oh my. Honda knew how to design a proper five-speed manual that made four-cylinder cars feel much quicker than they really were.

But you could make arguments for the other Accords. The first Honda Accord started a trend; the second and third Accords began to take over the market. The fifth Accord installed the aforementioned V6. The sixth combined much of what was good about the fourth and fifth and modernized it. The seventh? The argument gets more challenging with that frumpy and awkward variant. Perhaps you prefer the eighth’s heft or the ninth’s features and safety equipment. Maybe the best Accord is always the next Accord.

But before Honda launches the 2018 Accord later this year, we ought some take time to reflect upon some genuinely impressive vehicles. Which Honda Accord is best?

[Images: Honda]

Timothy Cain is a contributing analyst at The Truth About Cars and Autofocus.ca and the founder and former editor of GoodCarBadCar.net. Follow on Twitter @timcaincars.