Why doesn't Honda make an AWD sedan?
 

Aside from the crosstour...which had its issues...why hasn't Honda introduced an AWD sedan / Accord, Civic or Fit?
My Honda has been amazingly reliable so I'd certainly buy another one if they made an AWD.

I understand that many FF uses may not know the answer to this...I just thought I'd ask.

Thanks,
SS

I don't have the answer either.
But I think it does pose a question about Honda as a whole.

Has their product line become too narrow?
Recent and semi-recent attempts at expansion have had mixed results.

The Insight was more or less a marketing failure, even if I think it was always an underrated product.
As you say The Crosstour had it's issues.

I'm old school, but IMO one of the most interesting, unique and BEST Honda products...is the now defunct Honda Element.

I like The Fit...of course.
But it does seem Honda has become very conservative in the products they are offering.

I think the Honda HRV is a great product. But compared to the Honda Element, which it more or less replaced in the Honda Line-up, The HRV strikes me as a product very much developed with a strong input from focus groups. It's a product designed to appeal to the largest contingent of possible buyers.

I would say from my Gen 2 Fit...to my Gen 3 Fit, even the Honda Fit has become more conservative. While the Gen 2 Fit had a rebellious look in comparison to the rest of the Honda line at the time, The Gen 3 Fit borrows exterior and interior styling ques from all the rest of the Honda Line-up. It's a beautiful hatch-back IMO, but there is no mistaking it as anything BUT a Honda. The interior IMO, while well appointed and very nice, looks pretty much like a standard Honda dash.
I liked the 125 cup holders in the Gen 2 Fit, and the slopping and rolling 2 compartment dash board, and the "look" that was unique to The Fit at the time.

So I think the real question is...is Honda becoming too conservative with their entire product line?

Because AWD is needless for 99.999999% of situations?

And decreases fuel economy in 100% of situations?

fitchet...I agree with most of what you're saying with one exception...the new Honda civic looks edgy and new (although the rear end looks like some kind of transformer), the hrv is boring and under powered, the crv is a soccor moms car, the ridgeline (a vehicle I was looking forward to) looks odd...like a crv with a truck bed, im not a fan of the style of the 3rd gen fit. That leaves the accord. I really liked the style of the 2017 accord but the 2018 model looks downright hideous.

mike...if 99% of situations not call for an awd sedan why do most of the other manufacturers offer one and how does subaru manage to sell so many cars?

What AWD sedans do Toyota/Chevy/Ford/Hyundai/Kia offer?


Marketing. There's a myth that you need AWD to drive in snow, mud, etc. It is simply not true.

<- Never been stuck in the snow, only has owned FWD/RWD cars.

Currently the ford fusion and ford taurus have awd editions and they also made the 500 in awd back in the day that I can think if off hand. Toyota used to make an awd matrix tho nothing now. I did say most do... not all. Of course a fwd and rwd car can drive in the snow... Ive been doing it for years too but an awd car would certainly handle better than a fwd in the snow (all other things being the same).
Ive had a fwd car that was a tank in the snow and ive had lightweight cars that weren't so go in the snow (my fit). Ive also had big, heavey rear wheel drive cars that went ok in the snow but not without the tires spinning and rear end kicking out from time to time. Neither are as good in the snow as an awd. Besides who wants to shovel out their car from under huge drifts of snow at 5:30am if they dont have to?...not me.

The only thing AWD has an advantage at is accelerating.

There is zero advantage to cornering or braking an AWD in the snow.

I'd rather be going slowly if I'm going to crash at all.

But IDK, I'm not a believer in the all-American concept of maximum excess.

How many people who buy AWD cars aren't specifically looking for AWD? I mean, to the point where they are so convinced of its superiority that they gravitate towards Audi, Subaru, or big SUVs that have the off road persona only marketing can give? I think that in today's US market, the vast majority of people looking for AWD and don't want a Subaru will demand an SUV or a crossover- just not worth designing it into your average sedan. Anyone looking for an average sedan and facing two different window stickers will say "gee, this one gets better mileage, for whatever reason."

Good for you.

Depends where you live, what time you have to travel home or to work, how far your commute is and all sorts of other variables. I live out in the country. Consider myself an above average driver. I've driven to work in snow storms and counted 56 cars in the ditch in my 40 mile commute and made it to work That being said I've also been stuck in the snow with a RWD, FWD and AWD vehicles with snow tires. It's not pleasant. The AWD vehicle will go through the snow significantly better than the FWD and AWD vehicle assuming they all have snow tires. It's not going to turn better, or stop better but when you're driving home at 2am on drifted over roads that haven't seen a snow plow in hours you'll appreciate how much more traction it has going through the snow.


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Then go buy an AWD car if you're such a person.

Enjoy your 25 MPG & cheap fuel while you can.

I already own two besides the Fit. :)

One I race, so the gas millage is extremely skewed. The larger SUV my wife drives, and gets about 33mpg

Rob...I think Mike forgot to mention that he lives in south Florida :)

I know that awd has nothing to do with being able to stop in the snow but assuming both vehicles have snow tires and traction control...I would put my money on an AWD vehicle to get around corners quicker (if that was the goal).
I'm not looking for a awd so I can drive fast and take fast turns in a snowstorm. I plan driving the same way I would in a 2wd vehicle...I've seen way too many awd suv's in a ditch on the side of the highway because they thought they were invincible. I also plan on buying snow tires (something most awd sedan owners don't bother with). Living just outside of Boston there are a lot of hilly streets with traffic lights at the top that don't get plowed very well so it'll come in handy in those situations when I'm at a dead stop on a hilly street and need to get moving again. It'll also come in handy when I go to get out of my parking spot at work after it's snowed all day and I've been plowed in by the city snow plows all afternoon as well as when I make it home from work and haven't had a chance to shovel my steep driveway. AWD will definitely help in all of these situations.
Consumer reports said there is almost no difference in AWD vs FWD when driving in the snow however they also said "we found that all-wheel drive didn’t aid in braking or in certain cornering situations" meaning there were situations where they found that it did help.
I understand that with the traction control systems...they have made huge advances with the way fwd cars get through snow etc...but in no way does having awd make it worse...right? So if I can buy a car that's awd for the same price I'd be willing to spend on a fwd vehicle then I'm getting the awd if only for the few times I'll actually need it.

I know this isn't in snow and the other cars are highly modified late model vehicles but it's entertaining and worth a viewing just to prove that it is better on gravely surfaces when paired against faster vehicles. The hosts have no stake in which one wins...they just did it for the fun of it and the Subaru impresses (with traction control turned off I must add).

2017 Subaru Legacy gets 25 mpg city 34 highway.

I myself like the Symmetrical AWD


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Honda just hasn't gotten "it" for a long time and is slipping more and more in my eyes.

There are reasons outside of snow for AWD. My AWD Lincoln can power out of a turn better than any front drive car and pulled a 1.8 60' time at the track. In the real world, that equates to me being able to pull out in traffic, nail it, and effortlessly reach cruising speed. All while riding on 20" all season radials. Even our anemic Fit spins the tires and goes no where. AWD cars just go!

Acura is the one most held back by Honda's lack of AWD. The RLX is probably the lowest selling vehicle in it's entire class. Very few want a $60,000 front drive car.

I suppose these days that fuel economy is Honda's primary goal. That's just not the primary goal of every shopper.

I live in Wisconsin.

Acura has one of the best AWD systems in existence. Their SH-AWD is very well rated by everyone. It is available on the RLX & TLX......

I stand corrected! Sadly, it appears that the RLX only comes with AWD if you spec it as a hybrid. Something else that not everyone wants. I for one do not.

Honda's packaging is the major problem with myself and most of my family.

I know that they try to cut down to as few of sku's as possible, but they cut us right out of wanting anything currently offered. Well, except the Type-R, but it's hard to swallow the idea of a $40,000 Civic.

I don't think the debate needs to be centered around whether you like AWD or not.
Whether you think it's a good purchase for anyone.

I can tell you, where I live, a lot of AWD vehicles are sold, used and liked.

My visiting brother once looked around my neighborhood and called it "Subaru Land". So even though I don't own one, I can attest to the popularity of AWD vehicles and AWD sedans.

IMO suggesting Honda doesn't offer a AWD sedan because they aren't potentially popular, for whatever reason, isn't really the point.

Honda also doesn't offer...

A v6 powered car - starting 2018, offered under Acura label to be fair
A manual equipped car in a higher trim level package
A non-cvt automatic until $35k+ or so

To be completely fair...1. Honda is not a big company compared to their competition. 2. Honda is gaining market share despite not currently making products that I have much interest in.

I lost any interest in Toyota eon's ago and they just keep rising in sales. They got AWD sedans to the market by purchasing Subaru.

Toyota owns 20% of Subaru. The 20% that GM used to own but was required to sell as part of the government bailout. Subaru's Indiana plant wasn't at capacity, so I believe the purchase allowed them to increase US production by also building the Camry in Indiana? While Subaru is a small auto manufacturer, Fuji Heavy Industries is huge.