Auto advertising seems to be aimed at one of two groups: baby boomers trying to recapture their youth or "Gen Y," the twenty-somethings Scion was shooting for– and missed. Honda has decided to split the difference and target Generation X to reinvigorate sales of their [new] Accord. Advertising Age [sub] reports Honda wants to lower the median age of Accord buyers from its current 54 to somewhere between 30 and 44-years. Only Gen X buyers aren't as "inspired" to own a Honda because they perceive the brand's current products to be too fuddy duddy. So Honda's largest ever ad spend on a single model will tempt Gen X buyers with ads embodying a more "emotional appeal." Whether Honda's PC patrol– which nixed the marketing department's idea to sell the Accord hybrid as a performance car– will loosen-up sufficiently to let the ad guys draw on Honda's Hooners and Tunerz heritage remains to be seen.
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I’m 24 and I love the new Accord. It will be a few years before I can buy a new car, but it is definitely on my list of possibilities. My sister (age 29) bought an Accord last year and loves it. With 240HP and a fairly sporty ride, I think it is a blast to drive.
Also, there are several 2-door Accords blasting around town with 20-somethings as the pilots. I think they just need to shed some light on this car’s potential.
I hit the gen-x target perfectly, at 40. Until they offer a real wagon version of the Accord again, well, eff-you Honda.
Well, if Honda wants to get this Gen Xer back, they’re gonna have to inject a little more personality into its cars.
The new Civic Si is okay, but test driving the Miata changed my mind about buying the Civic real quick.
I still recommend Hondas to everybody, but their current offerings (except the long in the tooth S2000) offer no emotional content whatsoever.
Honda needs to win over more hearts, they win over minds just fine.
As a Gen X buyer, I’d much rather buy a Buick GNX.
Johnny: or a Citation X-11. :)
Well I guess Gen X-ers are getting bigger and fatter, so its a natural transition into the now full-size Accord. That sucker looks huge!
Probably not so much a snub as a recognition that boomers are already “in the bag.”
Well I’m a 41 yr old Gen-Xer and I’m already a Honda fan. Except I’d prefer a new Civic or even a Fit to the Accord, which is a bit large-marge for my tastes.
Honda, if you care, I’d like much better iPod integration (control, menu navigation) and Sirius radio (do they have that, I forget?). I warn you, this is a Gen Xer talkin’, save your money and do what I say.
i’m 33, i like Honda, but i’ll never get an Accord… would prefer a Fit, or the 5-door Civic that NA will never get :(
I’m 30, and have never owned anything other than Honda. Might not ever either. Bought new: ’98 Civic EX, 2003 Civic LX-G, 2003 Honda Odyssey. Bought used: ’98 Civic SI. Other than the 2003 Civic, I’ve had nothing but great experiences with those vehicles. All the while, we would give the Accord a chance – lengthy test drives, research, etc. And every time we’d leave it at the dealership.
If the new styling fixes that, then I’ll continue to consider it. As it is, I’d much rather try and cram my 3 kids into the SI than drive around in an Accord.
I’m 33 and just got a 97 Accord LX Limited Edition and I love driving it. It doesn’t have the VTEC? engine but it’s still a fun car to drive. It has the nice rims, spoiler, sun roof a sporty look if you ask me. I also have 2 kids and there is plenty of room in the back for their seats and I can hide them in the trunk when I’m “out”. :) I was driving a 97 Neon and man was it tight in the back. I looked at a Civic but thought it was too small for my needs.
Johnny: How about a Fiat X 1/9?
rjzinger :
97-98 would be the last year I would have considered an Accord – they were still small-ish, had nice tails etc. I thought the negine noise was a little loud though. My in-laws had an SE replete with wood trim but not the leather. definitely a nice car.
I’m a 30 year old Gen-Xer. I can say that the current Accord holds no appeal for me what so ever. It has gone down the ‘toaster with wheels’ path of the Camry.
I want a car with personality. I want to get a kick out of driving. I like something that looks good, not non-offensive. Heck, I prefer an ugly car over a boring one.
Well, speaking from the target demographic, I can say that almost all the steps that Honda’s taken to try to go younger seem very ill-considered to me. I happily drove my ’89 Civic into the ground, enjoying its sensible and attractive design and suprising comfort and handling; I ought to be a natural Civic customer for the replacement, but there’s no way I’d buy the bloated new model with the h4xx0r-chic digital speedometer. (If they’d even just swap out the instrument panel for something vaguely normal I would at least be tempted to test-drive it.) The Accord, to me, both the new model and the ’06-on earlier one, is a more appealing proposition despite the fact that I prefer much smaller cars, because the Accord is comfortable and sensible, and attractive in an understated way, as well as more fun than a Camry. I wish they wouldn’t make it so bloody huge — it’s a Honda, not a Cadillac — but I’d still much sooner drive an Accord (or a Fit, but you lose a lot of comfort) than a current-model Civic, which appears to be a strange attempt to play to a brain-damaged tuner-kid demographic while still retaining sensible-mom appeal, pleasing neither end of the demographic.
@ Sajeev and rjzinger :
What about the Gremlin X, and then the Pacer X. I think there was even a Matador X.
test drove an accord and a camry and a mazda 6 back in 2005-bought the mazda cause it was the best bang for the buck and was the most fun to drive-im 36 and my next car i want more handling and rear wheel drive-looks like a used bmw or maybe chevys new rear wheel platform for me:)
The advertising strategy might be Gen X, but the size of the car and the conservative styling say geezer.
Okay, time for me to chime in. I’m 32, so I am right in the midst of the supposed target audience of this car, but the styling is just plain awful in my opinion, at least for the sedan. I guess I’m one of the few that found the last gen, in particular the 03-05 versions rather attractive. I liked the fact that it felt as comfortable as a Buick on the inside, looked like an expensive Euro sedan on the outside, but drove and sounded like a Honda. It was also the perfect size for me. I’m single, so I don’t have a need for a full size car. So sorry Honda, I’m going to have to sit this one out, or perhaps look for a nice used 03-07 Accord when my beloved Olds finally dies in a few years.
FWIW I had found a sketch of what was supposed to have been the new Accord, and it was a knockout. I wish I still had the link to where I found it. It featured a rounder greenhouse with seductive curves and bold fender lines, with only a slight family resemblance to the Civic at the very front. Now had Honda brought that car out, I might would have been looking for a way to make my Olds meet it’s demise early!!!
Oh well….
I’m 37 years old. I have owned a 1996 Honda Del Sol VTEC since it was brand new. I love that car. It has personality. It’s quick and fun to drive. It’s not my daily driver anymore since I bought a new BMW 2 years ago, but it’s a fantastically interesting and fun car.
None of the newer Honda offerings have that kind of personality. They’re DULL. They’re BLAND. They’re like a freakin’ Camry. I’m sure they’re actually still great cars. I’m sure they drive well. But I guess I’m just too young, or think I’m too young, to drive something that boring.