Here we have a beautiful black Honda Accord 2.0 EXi HG7200. The sixth-generation Honda Accord was the first generation Honda Accord that was made in China. Production started in 1999 at Guangzhou-Honda.
The Guangzhou-Honda Accord sedan for China
This particular car is a very early one, as we can see by the ultra-rare HG7200 sticker. This was a government-mandated factory designation. Until the early 00s, carmakers were obliged to have these designations on the back, using either a badge or a sticker. Nowadays, this is only mandatory for commercial vehicles.
This is it! HG is the factory code for Guangzhou Automobile. 7200 is the code for the car. For more on Chinese car designations, read this.
The Guangzhou-Honda badge is special, too. The manufacturer wrote Guangzhou in Chinese characters and Honda in Latin script.
Later, the Chinese government required all carmakers to use only Chinese script, even for foreign brand names. The policy changed again afterward, allowing manufacturers to use both Chinese and Latin script simultaneously — the full name in Chinese and the full name in Latin letters.
The engine
Power came from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol engine with 147 hp, mated to a 4-speed automatic or a 5-speed manual, sending all horses to the front wheels.
The interior
The interior was in reasonable shape for its age. The steering wheel is huge. Automatic ‘box in this car, with a classy wood-style gear lever knob.
The seat covers are aftermarket and very common in China.
The sporty alloys are factory original. Honda dealers sold the Honda-themed license plate frames.
This Honda Accord looks good enough to ride for a few more years. And when it does, one day, it may become a classic.