Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1980 Accord.
The 1980 Honda Accord, introduced as part of Honda’s early midsize lineup, recorded an exceptionally low total of two owner complaints and experienced no recalls, making equipment issues the only noted concern. Although the data set spans complaints from 1990 to 2022, the 1980 model sits at the very beginning of that timeline, far removed from the peak of 2,013 complaints recorded in 2003 and well below the lowest later figure of 213 complaints in 2022, underscoring its strong standing in the brand’s overall reliability record.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Overall length | 172 in |
| Overall width | 64.2 in |
| Overall height | 52.4 in |
| Wheelbase | 93.7 in |
| Curb weight | 2150 lb |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | CVCC Sedan 1.8L I-4 | 12.00 sec | 18.80 sec | 72 hp | FWD |
| 1981 | Sedan 1.8L I-4 | 13.40 sec | 19.20 sec | 75 hp | FWD |
| 1978 | CVCC 3-door Hatchback 1.6L I-4 | 15.20 sec | 19.30 sec | 68 hp | FWD |
| 1976 | CVCC 3-door Hatchback 1.6L I-4 | 13.80 sec | 20.00 sec | 68 hp | FWD |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
The provided federal record spans model years 1990 through 2022, so direct data for the 1980 Honda Accord is not available for trend comparison. However, the target year’s own complaint profile is exceptionally sparse: just two complaints, one for equipment and one for latches/locks/linkages, with a single crash-related report and no fire incidents. In contrast, the broader generation shows a clear escalation in complaint volume from 1990 onward, peaking at 2,013 complaints in 2003, with recalls similarly rising to a high of 24 that year before gradually declining. The 1980 model year, predating this dataset, falls well before the surge in reported issues, implying that if it were part of the same trend arc, it would sit at the very beginning of a long upward slope. Given the extremely low complaint count and absence of recalls in the target year’s limited data, the 1980 Honda Accord appears to have a minimal reported problem history, though this may reflect incomplete data capture for a vehicle of its age rather than inherent reliability. For a buyer, this suggests a potentially trouble-free example, but thorough inspection is warranted due to the lack of comprehensive federal documentation.
All 2 complaints on record, top 2 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.
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 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.