Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1978 Accord.
The 1978 Honda Accord is the subject of this overview, yet the model's recorded complaint history runs only from 1990 to 2022, placing this model year outside the measured reliability window. Within that span, Accord complaints reached their high in 2003 with 2,013 and their low in 2022 with 213, figures that describe the vehicles covered by the dataset rather than the 1978 car itself. Because it predates that window, the 1978 model cannot be ranked on the same reliability continuum; it serves here as a contextual starting point rather than a data-backed chapter in the Accord's documented complaint history.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Overall length | 163 in |
| Overall width | 63.8 in |
| Overall height | 52.4 in |
| Wheelbase | 93.7 in |
0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.
Independent road tests for the Accord of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.
| Year | Trim / engine | 0–60 | ¼ mile | HP | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | CVCC 3-door Hatchback 1.6L I-4 | 15.20 sec | 19.30 sec | 68 hp | FWD |
| 1979 | CVCC Sedan 1.8L I-4 | 12.00 sec | 18.80 sec | 72 hp | FWD |
| 1976 | CVCC 3-door Hatchback 1.6L I-4 | 13.80 sec | 20.00 sec | 68 hp | FWD |
| 1981 | Sedan 1.8L I-4 | 13.40 sec | 19.20 sec | 75 hp | FWD |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
PROLONGED CONTACT WITH ROAD SALT MAY, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, CAUSE SERIOUS RUSTING. THIS CAN WEAKEN CERTAIN UNDERCARRIAGE COMPONENTS: LATERAL SUSPENSION ARMS, FRONT CROSSBEAM AND STRUT COIL SPRING LOWER SUPPORTS. Remedy: VEHICLES WILL BE INSPECTED AND, IF NECESSARY, TREATED WITH A RUST PREVENTIVE COATING. IN SOME CASES, REPLACEMENT OF COMPONENTS WILL BE PERFORMED, WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.