2003 Honda Accord Tourer 2.4L T 5AT FWD (200 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Along with the seventh generation of the Accord in Europe, Honda also introduced a station wagon version for its contender in the mid-size segment, which wasn’t named Aerodeck anymore.

When Honda introduced the first estate version of the Accord on the car’s third generation, the Japanese automaker named it “Aerodeck”. It said that the vehicle was more aerodynamic. However, customers were not highly attracted by it since it wasn’t practical enough, which made the car manufacturer reconsider its approach to this market segment and created the Tourer. Unlike the previous station wagon versions of the Accord, this one adopted the “form follow function” principle. In addition, the car came with a well-equipped interior even in the base trim level, a reckoned reliability index, and the best turbodiesel in its class.

The aggressive front styling of the Accord surprised customers who were used to seeing a bland look for this nameplate. However, the Japanese automaker had already started to invest more in its design department, and the 2003 Honda Accord Tourer was one of the first to benefit from that. The angular-shaped headlights flanked a pentagonal-shaped grill that pointed downward. Below, the car manufacturer installed a wrapped-around plastic bumper featuring a second air intake in the apron flanked by a pair of side scoops that cooled the front rotors.

From its profile, the car revealed a short and low nose followed by a raked windshield. Up to the B-pillar, the 2003 Honda Accord Tourer shared its body panels with its sedan sibling. It was unveiled in 2002 and enjoyed great success on the market. For the Tourer version, the greenhouse’s long roof was extended well beyond the rear seats, above the trunk space, and suddenly dropped in a vertical tailgate. The overall design wasn’t something to write home about, but it was the brand’s commitment to providing a generously sized trunk, even if that meant that it had to alter the look of the vehicle.

Inside, the automaker installed a roomy cabin with mild-bolstered seats at the front and a 60/40 split-folding bench seat. Thanks to the longer wheelbase than the sedan version of the Accord, the Tourer provided more legroom for those seated in the back. Fronting the driver was a rounded-shaped instrument cluster where the speedometer took center stage. At its bottom, the automaker put an LCD that showed the odometer. The center stack housed the HVAC controls and the stereo. As an option, the automaker also offered a sat-nav unit.

Under the hood, Honda installed a small range of engines under the hood of the seventh generation of the Accord. Customers could get the vehicle with a choice of three powerplants ranging from 2.0 to 2.4-liter displacement. In addition, a 2.2-liter turbodiesel named CDTi provided excellent fuel efficiency. However, that was the only oil-burning option, which didn’t please some of the customers. The gasoline-powered versions were paired with either a five- or six-speed manual, while a four-speed automatic was available at extra cost.