Honda's New GT Concept Is Not What People Want, But It Paints An Interesting Future For The Japanese Brand

There are just two days left of the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show (at the time of writing this article) and we have seen some interesting concepts and models from, both, Chinese and foreign carmakers. Chinese carmakers are currently pushing to establish a foothold in the US market, but it will be slightly different than what they did in Europe, where they simply undercut the competition. Partnerships are a big deal in the modern-day automotive industry and Honda recently unveiled two new models, co-developed with two of the premiere Chinese car companies.  

The GAC Honda GT and Dongfeng Honda GT are a continuation of the "Ye Series” and are described as two different ideas and yet seemingly almost identical, in terms of styling. The press release describes the GAC Honda GT as expressing “a seamless, sophisticated and smart sense of the future” while the Dongfeng Honda GT “expresses an emotional sense of the future that stimulates people who see the vehicle".  

I don't know what any of that means, but I decided to look at Kirk Kreifel's video on it, and more specifically the comment section. That's usually a good way to look at how people receive a new model, and to no surprise, this is not what US buyers want at all. For now, these two fastback models are China-exclusive, and it looks like they are aimed at the new Lexus ES BEV. The Japanese luxury brand is one of very few carmakers that are, currently, doing well on the Chinese market, as it marked 16.1 percent growth in the first quarter of 2025. 

What people think of the Honda GT models 

@enmass90 says: “That accord looks like a Kia design lol” 

@AbronHawkins says: “The Accord we need and deserve is a new one with an improved 2.0-liter turbo with available all-wheel drive.” 

@Imdrha: “If the Accord had that before, I probably would've gotten it over my Mazda 3 turbo.” 

@Marc-King777 says: “Honda is insane for not having an all-wheel-drive Accord in the NA market. Insane!” 

@WyzantTutoring-e7k says: “And a 3.5-liter V-6 from the pilot and Passport, and Ridgeline.”

While I share much of the above-quoted opinions, Honda will never make an Accor like this again, for a few reasons.  

Honda won't give us the Accord we want because no one will buy it. There will be some enthusiasts who would, but ultimately, the price tag will be too close to the more practical and versatile SUV models like the Honda Passport and Pilot. Why bother with a sedan that's priced in the high $30,000 to mid-$40,000 price range, when you can have plenty of great V-6-powered SUVs instead? 

By now, it's guaranteed that the Honda Accord will never get a V-6 again. The current Accord's hybrid powertrain is geared for efficiency and saving you money in the long run. The tenth-generation Accord's K20 turbo-four engine – shared with the Honda Civic Type-R and Acura Integra Type-S, but with a smaller turbocharger – is what most people, including me, wanted in the new model.  

Honda probably felt this would hurt sales of the more luxurious Acura TLS, which shares the same underpinnings, plus an optional SH-AWD. Not giving us an enthusiast-centric Honda Accord is just smart business decision-making at this point. It is clear you can't make everyone happy, so carmakers are focusing on what makes profit – too bad Nissan isn't taking any notes. 

Honda is securing a future in the vast Chinese EV market 

Honda is partnering with major Chinese companies to regain lost ground after Chinese carmakers and protectionist policies played havoc on legacy carmakers with an established market share. One of its partnerships allows Honda to utilize DeepSeek AI technology in its new vehicles. The goal for Honda is to offer a flagship model in China, and we see an interior heavily inspired by Acura models, which are no longer sold on the Chinese market.  

Luckily, performance vehicles will still be on Honda's agenda 

While the Honda Accord will, likely, never return to being a sporty sedan, a recent interview where The Drive spoke with Nissan's Nissan North America Vice President, Ponz Pandikuthira painted suggests exciting prospects. Apparently, a mid-engine Nissan GT-R is possible thanks to a narrower partnership with Honda. This suggests that a new NSX is in the works. Talks between Honda and Nissan never ended, but it all hinges on Nissan getting its act together. The last NSX did not sell well, but Honda has a chance to get this right and maybe recapture the essence of the original mid-engine supercar this time. 

What do you think of the direction Honda is taking? Would you like to see a variant of the Accord better tailored to enthusiast needs? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below. 

Dimitar Angelov's automotive interests made him an expert in a wide variety of vehicles. Japanese brands like Toyota are closest to his heart, although performance cars in general are his favorite segment, which is why he is constantly on the lookout for the best deals on the market. Dimitar Angelov's car passion and knack for the written word led him to complete a Master of Arts in Media and Communications, and classic car restoration. Dim is happy to get behind the wheel of any car and share his impressions. You can follow Dimitar on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.

 Image source: Honda press release