Honda slashes Accord price by nearly 15,000 USD, joint-venture sedans fight for survival in China
A limited-time promotion has reduced the plug-in hybrid version of the Honda Accord e:PHEV to 138,800 yuan (20,280 USD), marking one of the largest official price reductions announced by a joint-venture sedan in China in early 2026. The offer, announced by GAC Honda in February, applies to existing customers repurchasing the model and is limited to 1,000 units, according to company information and dealer disclosures published within the past week, as 36kr reported.
The promotion represents a reduction of 100,000 yuan (14,610 USD) compared with the model’s official suggested retail price of 238,800 yuan (34,890 USD). The scale of the discount drew attention in China’s automotive market, where price competition has intensified in the 100,000 to 150,000 yuan (14,610 to 21,920 USD) segment during the first quarter of 2026.
Recent months’ market performance data reflect declining volume for the brand. According to production and sales disclosures released in January 2026 by parent company GAC Group, GAC Honda sold 4,558 vehicles that month, representing a year-on-year decrease of 69.86%. Full-year 2025 sales totalled 351,900 units, down 25.22% year over year. Within the same group, the electric vehicle brand GAC Aion reported January sales of 21,600 units, up 171.63% year on year.
Recent pricing adjustments have also appeared across other Japanese joint-venture brands in China. GAC Toyota introduced limited-time subsidies of up to 22,000 yuan (3,210 USD) for the Wildlander SUV, along with additional replacement incentives. Meanwhile, Dongfeng Nissan applied discounts of up to 21,000 yuan (3,070 USD) on updated versions of the Teana sedan and 10,000 yuan (1,460 USD) on the Sylphy compact sedan during recent promotional campaigns.
China’s broader vehicle consumption environment remains under pressure. Data published by the China Automobile Dealers Association showed that the automotive consumption index stood at 31.1 in January 2026, a historically low level. Multiple manufacturers, including domestic electric vehicle brands and global automakers, have introduced financing incentives such as extended low-interest loans to support retail demand.
Within this competitive context, price reductions on established joint-venture sedans coincide with increased availability of plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles from domestic manufacturers in similar price ranges. The Accord e:PHEV is positioned in China’s midsize sedan segment, which includes both internal combustion and electrified models.
GAC Honda stated that the discounted Accord e:PHEV units are part of a limited-anniversary promotion marking the Accord’s 50-year global history. Production and sales plans for the model beyond the promotional allocation were not disclosed.
