Accord CB7: A No-Problem Honda At 35-Plus Years Old

There are three things in this life that are certain; death, taxes, and the Honda Accord. The Accord has been a staple on American roads since its arrival in 1978. Its reputation as a no-nonsense, reliable, and long-lasting sedan and coupe made it an instant hit along with its main rival, the Toyota Camry.

With 90s cars being as cool as they can be nowadays, people are looking back in nostalgia at not only the performance vehicles of the era, but also the more run-of-the-mill stuff, remembering a parent that may have had one, or the first car they were handed down. With festivals like Radwood showing that people still keep these older regular cars on the road, the idea of dailying a retro classic is rather appealing.

And if you want to daily a retro classic, it’s hard to go wrong with an Accord. Join us as we look back at the CB7 generation of the Honda Accord, examining its engines, body styles, interior and some things to watch out for if you’re looking to buy one.

CB7 Honda Accord Overview

Honda

Better known to most as the fourth-generation Honda Accord, the CB7 was a relatively short-lived model in the Accord’s history. The fourth generation was only sold from model years 1990 to 1993, being facelifted in 1991, and replaced by the fifth generation to better suit the requirements of the North American market. It was sold as a coupe, wagon and sedan in its short life, and built in the Marysville and East Liberty Auto Plants in Ohio. The fourth-generation Accord continued the trend of catering ever more to the US market. Honda sold the Accord in other markets, but this generation grew to accommodate the wants of the American buyers.

This was the era of great safety system changes, meaning, depending on the year you are looking at, the setup of airbags and seatbelts can vary by year. The CB7 was facelifted in 1991, just one year after it launched, adding a rounder look and things we take for granted now, like a standard driver-side airbag and conventional shoulder/seatbelt arrangement. Overall, while a short generation, the fourth-gen Accord sold in astronomical numbers. Honda produced 1,545,983 CB7 Accords for the US alone in those four years, with 1990 being one of the best years ever in the history of the model before or since. The Accord has a sister car in the US, in the form of the Acura Vigor, a more up-market model that never managed to hit the same stride as the Accord.

CB7 Honda Accord Performance

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All North American CB7 Accords were sold with a 2.2-liter 16-valve electronic fuel-injected four-cylinder. In early DX and LX trim models, it made 125 hp, while the freer flowing exhaust on the EX trim allowed for an extra five hp. For the 1991 model year, the SE and EX trim cars received the F22A6, which brought power up to 140 hp. This was paired with either a four-speed automatic or a five-speed manual. There was a huge amount of care paired to the refinement and noise reduction of the engine in this generation. One example of this is the engine mounts. In automatic cars, two fluid-filled chambers separated by a computer-controlled valve controlled the stiffness of the mounts above idling speed. Once the engine went above 850 rpm, the mounts would stiffen to reduce vibration.

The strongest engine to look out for is that 140-hp version of the F22, offering a revised air intake tract, a revised camshaft, and a revised intake manifold using IAB butterfly valves which open at 4,600 rpm, which gives a similar feel to the VTEC system in other Honda models.

CB7 Honda Accord Exterior Design

Honda

The CB7 Accord followed the design cues of the larger Honda/Acura Legend of the time, with its low-slung lines and wraparound rear window. There were three body styles offered for the CB7, a sedan, coupe, and wagon. The design even included a few firsts in US car design, such as optic reflectors with completely clear lenses on the headlamps.

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The 1991 facelift brought some incremental changes, with the sedans and coupes getting new grilles, new headlamps, amber parking lights, slightly thinner body side molding, updated wheel designs, and restyled rear lights. The wagon got everything except the new rear light treatment. Other exterior options included a luggage rack, boot-lip spoiler, and the very fashionable at the time gold badging kit, to give your Accord some real class.

CB7 Honda Accord Interior Design

Hip~commonswiki/Wikimedia Commons

While the engines you got in the CB7 Accord were all relatively similar in power and design, the trim level you choose will have a big impact on what kind of experience you have daily driving it. This was back in the day when a base model really was base, and things we take for granted now were dealer-installed options. At the bottom of the trim line was the DX. This trim didn’t even have air conditioning or cruise control, being the most basic model you could get.

Next was the LX, which got such comforts as air conditioning and power windows, door locks, and mirrors. The trim model you will want to look out for if you are serious about buying one now is the EXm with its 15-inch machined aluminum-alloy wheels, sunroof, upgraded upholstery, rear stabilizer bar, and a high-power four-speaker cassette stereo. Early EXs could also be installed with anti-lock brakes in some cases, but that isn’t a guarantee, while post-facelift EXs came with them as standard. There are more luxurious trims than the EX, but it lasted throughout the life of the CB7, while these higher-specified trims came and went, making it the most available.

The crème de la crème of fourth-generation Accords were the SE and 10th Anniversary editions, which came with every option available, including standard dual front airbags, a four-speaker Honda-Bose audio system, automatic transmission, and leather trim. In fact, these two trims are the only way to get a CB7 with dual airbags as standard.

At this time, dealer-installed options were a huge market, and some of the best options for the Accord had to be installed this way. These include a single-disc in-dash CD player or boot-mounted six-disc CD changer, stereo equalizer, fog lights, security system, rear wing spoiler, boot lip spoiler, luggage rack, center armrest, window visors, and even sun visors. This can make shopping for a CB7 Accord tricky, as two cars with the same trim level may have very different options.

CB7 Honda Accord Common Problems

Cars&Bids

The Accord, especially this generation, is known to be a monstrously reliable car, with that 2.2 liter four-cylinder being a very good engine if looked after properly. With that said, there are a few things you may want to watch out for if or when you go to buy one.

Rust Problems

A constant in all the Accord forums and Reddit threads about the CB7 is rust. These cars are at an age now where they are very prone to rust destroying panels, the underside of the car, and suspension components. Avoid cars from the rust belt states, and have a very thorough poke and prod underneath the car. If you have access to a lift, even better. Owners report having to replace body panels and other parts, but if it is too far gone, the car may be a risk to drive or mechanically totaled.

Relays

The other constant you will see is relays, specifically the main relay. These like to blow, and while not a difficult fix, seem to be a weak point of the CB7. Owners report being on their second or third main relays, with it being a problem across the board no matter the year.

Timing Belt Maintenance

The 2.2 is a timing belt engine, so make sure when looking at service history that it has been done recently. Some owners may neglect this and, if you end up driving around on an old belt for too long, and it snaps, bye bye engine.

CB7 Accord Rivals

The XV10 Toyota Camry

Toyota

The Accord’s main rival has always been the Camry, and in these year ranges, it was the XV10 Camry. This was the first “wide body” Camry, made for markets that wanted a larger sedan. It could come with a V6, although the power output was no better than the Accord’s four-cylinder. The Camry will most likely be the more reliable of the two, not to take away from the Accord’s great reliability record, but it will be the sportier drive and has arguably aged a bit better with its tighter lines.

The U13 Nissan Altima

Nissan

The other main Japanese rival to the Accord was the Nissan Altima. This KA24-powered sedan made the most of the three, producing 150 hp and even came in a sporty trim package in the case of the Altima SE. It might be the weakest of the three in build quality, but it makes a great case for itself with that legendary KA engine and sporty driving characteristics.

Summary: Should You Buy a CB7 Honda Accord?

The CB7 Accord, with its low-slung looks, incredible reliability record, and good driving characteristics, is a good buy for someone wanting a daily driver with some nostalgia. While the Altima might be a bit more powerful and have some sportier trim levels, there is no issue with the Accord. It also has a great modding scene, with lots of owners engine swapping their CB7s, meaning there is good aftermarket support. Just, when buying, be sure that the car doesn’t suffer from rust, a real killer in this year range.

Sources: Honda, Toyota, Nissan