Honda Plans Accord Wagon Revival to Rival Outback by 2029

Honda is preparing an elevated, wagon-bodied version of the Accord for a mid-2029 launch, according to Japanese publication Response. The vehicle would directly challenge the Subaru Outback and Toyota Crown Signia, marking the first time in over a decade that the Accord nameplate carries a tailgate rather than a traditional trunk.

The automaker last attempted this formula in 2009 with the Accord Crosstour, a bulbous liftback based on the eighth-generation sedan. It failed commercially against the standard four-door. Yet it still outsold the Acura TSX Sport Wagon — literally the European and Japanese Accord wagon sold under Honda’s luxury badge in the U.S. at the same time. Buyers preferred the Crosstour’s extra ground clearance over cargo utility. That purchasing behavior explains why Honda is trying again, but with a fundamentally different shape.

Response reports the upcoming model will not be a simple reboot of the Crosstour. Instead of a polarizing fastback silhouette, engineers are targeting a true wagon profile. Test mules resembling a lifted Accord have been photographed driving on Japanese roads. Industry observers initially identified those prototypes as the China-market Avancier, though U.S. retail branding could revert to the Accord Crosstour moniker if the project reaches American showrooms.

Powertrain details remain sparse, but the report points to Honda’s next-generation hybrid system. This setup evolves the current e:HEV architecture deployed globally and is scheduled to debut in select models by mid-2027. By the time the wagon arrives two years later, the current eleventh-generation Accord platform will be roughly seven years old, necessitating either a new chassis or a heavily reworked version of the existing architecture.

The competitive landscape has shifted drastically since 2009. Sedan sales have cratered across the industry while raised wagons command premium pricing. Subaru moved the Outback entirely to its larger Global Platform in 2020, pushing its starting price past $30,000. Toyota replaced the aging Venza with the Crown Signia, a hybrid-only wagon-SUV crossover starting near $45,000. Honda currently offers no direct answer to either vehicle in North America, relying instead on the CR-V and Passport to capture buyers abandoning sedans.

The mid-2029 timeline aligns with the expected product cycle for the twelfth-generation Accord. Honda has not officially confirmed the wagon variant for the U.S. market.