Car Connoisseur

The Honda Accord Special Edition models of the first through fourth generation Accords always carried a special place in my heart. These cars were seldom covered by much of the mainstream automotive press and very little history about these cars exists on the Internet. These cars were quite advanced in terms of features in their time and brought luxury and efficiency together. In creating this timeline, I hope to preserve the memory of these fine cars which are hard to find in good condition this day and age.

1981 Special Edition

The introduction of the 1976 Accord was a landmark event for Honda. Intended as a larger sibling to the Civic, the Accord sold briskly, often over retail price. A sedan joined the lineup in 1979 and Honda decided to take the Accord theme one step further in 1981 with the release of the Special Edition Accord Sedan. The release of the Accord SE coincided with Honda’s 10th anniversary in the United States market.

The SE model signaled a departure for the usual economy role Japanese cars were playing at the time. Offered in only one color, Charcoal Grey on silver grey Connolly leather, the SE included such luxuries as air conditioning, power windows and door locks, an upgraded AM/FM cassette stereo with amplifier, rear seat armrest, digital clock, power antennae and alloy wheels. The SE was motivated by a 1.8 liter, 72 horsepower four cylinder engine.

1983 Special Edition

The first of the two second generation Accord SE sedans offered again only one color, Dove Grey over grey leather. Power windows and door locks were again standard along with air conditioning, a power moonroof, and cassette stereo with equalizer and power antennae and the alloy wheels which were an accessory option on the rest of the Accord line. Power came from a 1.8 liter four cylinder putting out 75 horsepower.

1985 SE-i

The 1985 Accord SE-i was the first Accord to offer a fuel injected engine, in the form of the venerable 1.8 liter four cylinder pumping out 101 hp. Two different color choices were available this year, brown metallic over tan leather and gray metallic over gray leather. Features were similar to the 1983 model, which included leather seating, power windows, mirrors and door locks, alloy wheels, bronze tinted glass, a high power stereo with equalizer and power antennae and a power moonroof.

1989 SE-i Coupe and Sedan

The 1989 Accord SE-i was a watershed year for the Special Edition Accords. The Special Edition of the last year of the third generation Accord saw some new features previously not seen on Accords, namely, that of a coupe body style being available in SE-i trim. Power came from a 2.0 liter fuel injected four cylinder producing 120 horsepower.

Features were extensive over the lesser LX-i. They included leather seating, a Honda-Bose music system with steering wheel controls, a center console storage compartment with armrest, cup holders, bronze-tinted glass, body colored side mirrors, machined 14″ alloy wheels, dual exhaust and 4-wheel disc brakes. Color choices were Tuscany Taupe Metallic on beige leather and Charcoal Granite Metallic on gray leather for the sedan while the coupe was available in Asturias Gray Metallic on gray leather or Brittany Blue Green Metallic on Beige leather.

1991 SE Sedan

The first fourth generation SE was available only as a sedan with a choice of two colors, Solaris Silver Metallic on black leather or Brittany Blue Green Metallic on ivory leather. A few important options debuted on the 1991 SE that found their way onto later models that generation, such as anti-lock brakes and a new, 140 hp engine. For the first time in an SE, an automatic transmission was standard, as there was no manual transmission offered. New 15″ machine finished alloys were an inch larger than those found on the 1989 SE-i models. The usual features of power windows/mirrors/doorlocks, moonroof, high power stereo (non-Bose for 1991) and leather trim were included.

1993 SE Coupe and Sedan

The 1993 SE models marked the last true Special Edition Accords as later models carrying the Special Edition badge were merely the equivalent of well optioned LX models with special colors and wheels. The 1993 SE Sedan and Coupe previewed a new color for the 1994 Accords, Cashmere Metallic. Other colors offered were Geneva Green Pearl on ivory leather for the sedan and Atlantis Blue-Green Pearl on ivory leather for the coupe. The Bose stereo returned for 1993, and these SE models carried the same 140 horsepower four cylinder engine and anti lock brakes that debuted on the 1991 SE. Dual airbags came standard on the sedan while a rear spoiler with integrated LED stoplight was featured on the coupe. Exclusive machine finished 15″ alloy wheels and body colored side molding were included.