Honda Accord Euro-R (2001) – Into the Wild

Honda has long made it a true art to offer a completely different model in the same segment on every continent. In 2023 this would be dismissed as far too expensive and cumbersome, but around the turn of the century this was still the most normal thing in the world for the Japanese. With the Accord of the sixth generation, they made it very colorful. Between roughly 1997 and 2002 (1998 and 2003 in Europe) there were completely different Accords on the menu in North America, Europe and Japan, leaving the rest of the world to choose which one could be fed best.

The choices Honda made in doing so are apparently not always logical. For example, not Europe, but Japan received a station wagon version, there was no sporty variant at all in North America and a Honda Accord Type-R was only available in Europe. That car was therefore not for sale in the rest of the world and is also very rare with us, which has already earned it a place in this section.

Although Japan had to do without Type-R, an alternative was introduced there in 2000. You guessed it: that was this Honda Accord Euro-R. That name is remarkable, but is said to be intended to distinguish it from the more uncompromising Type-R versions (of other models). The ‘Euro’ could then be a reference to the European Type-R, which appeared two years earlier and with which this Euro-R shares its 2.2-liter four-cylinder. The Euro-R did get even more power, namely 220 instead of 212 hp. As with the European Accord Type-R, the sporty party was reinforced by the installation of all kinds of skirts and spoilers.

The Honda Accord from around 2000 in Japan

The Honda Accord from around 2000 in North America

The Honda Accord from around 2000 in Europe (here as a liftback)

To be clear: this Japanese Accord has nothing to do with the Accord that was used in Europe a quarter of a century ago. It looks like it, sure, but the bodywork is completely different, just like that of the American version. The successor to this Accord generation, the seventh, was also available as a Euro-R. This model was again sold worldwide, although it was known as the Acura TSX in North America. A Type-R, so for Europe, never came again.