The sixth-generation 1998 Honda Accord didn’t just improve on the formula. It corrected it. Previous models had slipped in the rankings, but this redesign snapped the Accord back into the top tier. It won the “space race” against rivals. Testers called it “more Accord for the money.” It became the go-to midsize family car.
That appeal held for five years. The secret wasn’t radical changes. It was incremental gains. Standard safety features. New convenience tech. A longer lifespan than expected. This generation proved that reliability is a feature in itself.
1998 Honda Accord: A Clean Break
The 1998 model was almost entirely new. Honda dropped the wagon. Buyers had already migrated to SUVs. The sedan and coupe were the focus.
Design came from Honda’s California studio. The coupe got a sharper, sportier look. Sedans stayed conservative. But size wasn’t the only difference.
Body styles diverged in key metrics.
* Sedan wheelbase: 106.9 inches
* Coupe wheelbase: 105.1 inches
* Sedan length: 118.8 inches
* Coupe length: 116.8 inches (two inches shorter)
Both body styles sat slightly higher. Weight increased by less than 100 pounds. The footprint grew, but barely. Honda prioritized interior volume over exterior bulk.
Why This Generation Matters
The 1998 redesign fixed what was broken. The previous Accord had fallen behind. This one caught up decisively. Consumer Guide praised it as a top-notch choice for families. It wasn’t just practical. It was competent.
The coupe’s styling stood out. It looked purposeful. The sedan remained sensible. But both gained more room inside. That’s why it remained relevant through 2002.
What to Look For
If you’re hunting for one of these, dimensions matter. The wheelbase difference affects interior space. The sedan offers more rear legroom. The coupe trades a little space for style.
Weight gain was minimal. Less than 100 pounds across the board. That’s good for fuel economy. And handling.
The wagon is gone. You won’t find one unless you go very old-school. The market shifted to SUVs. Honda listened. They focused on the two body styles that remained popular.
This wasn’t a flashy redesign. It was a smart one. It kept the Accord relevant. For five years, it was the best all-rounder in its class.
Is there a better used sedan out there? Maybe. But few offer this blend of space, reliability, and cost. The 1998-2002 Accord built its own category. It still sits there. Quietly. Competently. Waiting for someone who understands value.
1998 Honda Accord
The 1998 model year didn’t just tweak the Accord; it gave the whole lineup new hearts. You could choose between a fresh four-cylinder or a V6 pulled directly from the Acura CL coupe. If you were buying the base DX sedan, you got the 2.3-liter inline-four. It still had Honda’s VTEC system, but it was tuned for a different purpose here: better low-end torque without killing high-RPM power. That DX engine made 135 horsepower.
Move up to the LX or EX trims with the four-cylinder, and you got an extra 15 ponies for 150 total. But the real headline was the V6. It was a 3.0-liter unit, also sporting VTEC, and it spit out 200 horsepower. It was a solid bump in performance for a daily driver.
Transmission choices remained simple. A five-speed manual was standard across the board. If you wanted an automatic, you could have a four-speed. It wasn’t the smoothest or most advanced gearbox of the era, but it worked.
Braking got smarter too. Antilock brakes (ABS) were standard on four-cylinder EXs and every V6 model. If you had a four-cylinder LX sedan with an automatic, you had to pay extra for it. Wheel sizes ranged from the basic 14-inch steelies on the DX to 16-inch alloys on the EX V6 coupe. That 16-inch setup was the largest standard wheel package Honda had offered on an Accord up to that point.
1999 Honda Accord
New designs usually hit a plateau in their second year, and the 1999 Accord was proof. The changes were minor, almost negligible. Everyone got a standard antitheft system. If you owned an LX V6, the driver’s seat gained a power recliner function. The EX models got remote keyless entry as standard equipment. That was it.
The big news for the platform wasn’t in the Accord itself. Acura launched a new TL sedan based on the latest Accord chassis. It was conservatively styled, but don’t let that fool you. Under the hood sat a 3.2-liter V6 with a quick-shifting automatic and a suspension setup that was firm yet pliant. It drove genuinely sporty. The TL quickly became Acura’s top seller, proving that the Accord’s architecture had legs beyond its own badging.
2000 Honda Accord
Safety became the sole focus for the 2000 model year. The Accord introduced a dual-stage passenger airbag. This wasn’t just a gimmick. Sensors could determine if the passenger was too small or sitting out of position. If so, the airbag would automatically deactivate. This prevented injuries from deployment in cases where a standard blast would do more harm than good. It also saved money on repairs by keeping the right-side bag intact if no deployment was needed.
The more significant change was the arrival of standard front side airbags. These were mandatory on V6 models and leather-equipped four-cylinder EXs. Mounted in the outboard bolsters of the seatbacks, these airbags were designed to protect occupants in a side impact, meeting newly enacted government standards. It was a step forward for occupant protection in the midsize segment.
2001 Honda Accord
Refinements continued into 2001, with traction control becoming standard on V6 models. This system worked in tandem with the antilock brakes. It sensed front wheelspin and responded by reducing engine power or applying brakes until traction was restored. It felt like a feature that belonged in luxury cars, not a commuter sedan, but Honda had been integrating these technologies for years.
Position sensors expanded to cover both the side airbags and the dashboard airbag for the right-front passenger. This allowed for more precise deployment strategies in a crash. The Accord wasn’t just maintaining its reputation for reliability; it was actively adapting to a safety-conscious market. The platform held up, the engines remained competitive, and the safety features kept pace with the era.
It’s interesting to look back at how incremental these changes felt. No massive redesigns. Just steady improvements in power, safety, and comfort. The Accord didn’t need to reinvent itself every year. It just needed to stay relevant. And it did.
2001 Honda Accord Updates
The 2001 model year wasn’t about reinvention. It was about refinement and risk mitigation. Honda tweaked the airbag software to stop smaller or out-of-position occupants from getting bruised by a sudden deployment. It also stopped wasting money deploying bags in empty seats. Subtle restyling touched every Accord. The DX sedan got left out, but every other trim received lighted power-window switches.
If you stepped up to the EX V6, you got standard automatic climate control. An in-dash CD changer was included. So was a four-way power passenger seat. The four-cylinder EX didn’t get the climate or seat, but it did get the CD changer. Even the base LX saw an upgrade. Six speakers replaced the previous setup. A single-disc player sat in the dash.
Acura 3.2 CL: The Sporty Cousin
Honda’s luxury division dropped a headline. The 2001 Acura 3.2 CL arrived with smoother lines. More V6 power was standard. The old automatics were gone. A mandatory five-speed took their place. Honda also introduced the T-Type S. It was genuinely sporty.
Consumer Guide didn’t mince words. They said the 3.2 CL should satisfy demanding drivers. Performance, comfort, and quality held up against pricier European coupes. Few concessions were made to the German giants.
2002 Honda Accord: The Final Bow
The sixth-generation Accord took its final bow in 2002. It signaled the end with specially equipped SE coupe and sedan models. Value hunters had new options too. Value Package editions of the baseline DX sedan were even more affordable. EX versions gained steering-wheel audio controls.
Reliability and Known Issues
Reliability on these cars is generally good, but there are specific trouble spots to watch for.
Airbags: The warning light might illuminate if you plug a cell phone or laptop into the accessory socket. It’s a quirk, not a failure.
Automatic Transmission: V6 models from 1999 through 2002 faced potential failure. The low clutch nut lacked thread-locking compound. Honda extended the warranty to seven years or 100,000 miles for this.
Brakes (1998): Exterior brake lights sometimes stayed on. A saturated float in the master cylinder was the culprit. Replace it, and the lights stay off.
Check Engine Light: The EVAP solenoid often failed on cars driven where salt is used on roads. This triggered the light on 1998 through 2002 models.
Oil Leaks: Oil leaks appeared in multiple locations from 1998 to 2002. Boltholes on V6 engines were common leak points.
Paint and Body: If you drive on rough roads, the trunk spoiler rubs through the paint. Install spacer pads between the spoiler and trunklid to fix it. This applied to 1998 models.
Suspension Noise (2000–2002): Loose nuts on the rear stabilizer bar cause rattling. Tighten them.
Transmission Problems: Beyond the V6 nut issue, general transmission problems prompted the seven-year/100,000-mile warranty extension for 2000–2002 models.
Vehicle Noise (1998): Noises often came from the top of the windshield and rear window. The teeth for the glass fasteners weren’t engaged properly. Trim the teeth and install wool felt.
Wheels (1999–2000): Clicking noises from the wheels can be remedied by applying special grease between the wheels and hubs.
2002 V6 Engine Recall: Two major recalls hit this engine. The automatic tensioner for the timing belt malfunctioned, causing excessive slack. The water pump casting caused misalignment of the timing belt. Both components needed replacement at the same time.
Safety Recalls
Safety recalls spanned the entire generation.
- 1998: An irregularity in the transmission cover allowed the car to roll down inclines while in “Park.”
- 1998–1999: Worn ignition switches caused interlock failures. You could remove the key without shifting into “Park.”
- 1999–2002: The ignition-switch interlock didn’t function properly. You could turn the key to “off” and remove it without parking the car.
- 2000: Airbags might not deploy correctly due to improper welding.
- 2000: Rear suspension lower arms and control arms could break from improper welding.
- 2000–2001: Certain rear seatbelt buckles were improperly manufactured. They were difficult to unfasten after a crash.
- 2000–2001: The dimmer control for instrument panel lights could fail from heat buildup. Instrument lights would go dark.
- 2001: A broken plastic piece from the air-cleaner box cover could travel into the intake chamber. If it lodged in the throttle body, the throttle could stick partially open.
- 2002 V6: The engine would stall if the timing belt broke. The misaligned tensioner pulley on the water pump was the cause.
2003–2007: The Big Change
The final section of this era covers the 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 model years. This generation brought sweeping changes. It was one of the most significant shifts in the Accord’s history.
Where to Get More Info
You need data before you buy.
- Get expert analysis of thousands of used cars from the past decade at Consumer Guide’s Used Car Reviews.
- Found a vehicle? A Vehicle History Report is the only way to know if the odometer is accurate. It also shows safety recall repairs and other essential info.
- The Honda Accord has been a perennial pick for Consumer Guide’s Best Buy and Recommended vehicles. See why, and check out other top new-car values.
- Shopping for a hybrid? Look at the 2007 Honda Accord hybrid and other 2007 hybrid car pictures.
