Honda became the fourth biggest car seller in the U.S. before introducing the first generation of the Accord in 1976 and climb up the ladder of success.

Before the Accord, Honda only sold Civics and small 600s. While its cars were miles away from any comfort or performance models, they were the champs of fuel efficiency. After three years on the U.S. market, the company’s management knew that the brand would need more than just tiny, mass-market vehicles, so they started to work on the Accord in 1972. The Accord shared many parts with its smaller brother Civic, but it was bigger and more spacious, although the three-door version was not the best choice for a family vehicle.

The hatchback shape with a sloped tailgate was a matter of taste, but other carmakers already had that kind of profile on the market, such as the European VW Scirocco, which appeared in 1974. At the front, the Accord featured double round headlights with a grille surrounded by a chromed trim. Its door handles were flush to the bodywork due to mandatory regulations.

Inside, there was a sense of simplicity with a rather minimalist dashboard design, where the instrument cluster featured four dials and a few warning lights. In those times, Honda didn’t care too much about performance and cared more about comfort and fuel efficiency. The one-piece folding rear bench seatback was easy to operate in the back, with one hand only.

Under the hood, Honda installed a 1.6-liter engine, an evolution over the 1.5-liter unit installed in the Civic. Its cylinder-head design allowed the car to get a leaner but more efficient powerplant, which returned an excellent fuel efficiency.