Honda’s Last Stick-Shift V6 Accord Is Destined To Become A Collector’s Item
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” It’s unlikely that Ferris Bueller was pontificating on the demise of manual gearboxes and naturally aspirated engines during his day off, but his logic still applies. It only seems like yesterday that we could get a stick shift and a free-breathing V6 or V8 anywhere, but blink, and they all seem to have disappeared.
In a world of EVs, hybrids, and ever tightening emissions controls, the straightforward nature of cars of the past is sorely missed by many enthusiasts. The allure of these simpler cars has meant that many old-school analog classics have been snapped up, with prices skyrocketing. But there is one out there that a lot of people may have forgotten, and it comes at a price that most of us can afford.
Manual V6 Cars Are The Stuff Of Dreams In 2026
While cars have become faster and more sophisticated, with the kind of dashboard screens that we once had in our living rooms, the complexity (and often extra weight) has become a burden. No wonder that car fans look misty-eyed to the past, as they scan the classified ads for JDM classics that had a simple spec, light weight, and a manual gearbox.
The Honda/Acura NSX that launched in 1991 with a 270-hp 3.0-liter V6 and a 5-speed manual may have seemed like a skim-milk alternative to a full-fat V8-powered Ferrari 348, but everyone quickly realized that the NSX’s combination of clever simplicity (not to mention the 8,000-rpm VTEC wizardry) and day-to-day drivability meant that it had rewritten the future. Suddenly, gearheads asked themselves if they really needed anything more than six cylinders and a stick shift.
The 2017 Coupe Was The Last Manual V6 Accord
|
Engine |
24-valve V6 |
|
Power |
278 hp |
|
Torque |
252 lb-ft |
|
Gearbox |
6-speed manual |
|
0-60 mph |
5.8 seconds |
|
Quarter Mile |
14.2 seconds |
By the time the new Accord Coupe was unveiled in 2012, you could be forgiven for wondering why Honda even bothered. Mid-size coupes were a thing in the ’90s, but they had long started to die out, with SUVs taking over, and even BMW launching a coupe crossover in the form of the X6. But for those of us who weren’t into driving a truck with a cropped roofline, we could be glad that the Accord Coupe existed.
It’s a handsome thing, the two-door version of the ninth gen Accord, if not particularly aggressive looking. But under the hood was one of the sweetest of sweet-spot engine and transmission options. There was a four-cylinder Coupe, but ignore that—it was the performance-oriented Accord EX-L V-6 Coupe that was of most interest, and this would be the last of the line with a manual.
The 2017 Accord Coupe Is A Lot Better Than Its Pared-Down Looks Suggest
For the V6 Coupe, Honda had ditched the Variable Cylinder Management (VCM®) technology (which could deactivate up to half of the cylinders while cruising) of the auto sedan, and replaced it with a performance-tuned valve train, intake and exhaust systems to further broaden the torque curve in the low- to mid-rpm range. This resulted in 278 horsepower and 252 lb-ft of torque from the J35Y3 3.5-liter V6 VTEC engine.Costing $31,745 in 2016, the Accord EX-L came loaded with goodies like 18-inch wheels, leather seats, and LED taillights.
The V6 Accord Coupe may not worry a rowdy V8 muscle car in a straight line, but it’s not slow. The sprint to 60 mph takes 5.8 seconds, and the quarter 14.2. But it’s the way that it gets down the road effortlessly and without fuss that really impresses.Carbuzz also pointed out that the Accord Coupe is kind on your wallet and trouble-free, citing Repairpal’s figure of a measly $316 annual average repair and maintenance bill.
The Accord Coupe Will Be A Future Classic
Manual VTEC Hondas are the kind of cars that send the JDM community into a frenzy. One minute, there are plenty of relatively affordable NSXs around, the next, the prices have skyrocketed into orbit. In 2025, an ’03 NSX-R sold for well over a million bucks, but it’s not just the jazzy limited edition models that command huge prices. According to Hagerty’s Valuation Tools, you’ll now need $92,200 to buy a 1995 Acura NSX-T in good condition, while a 2003 Acura NSX-T with a 3.2-liter V6 costs $108,000. Even four-cylinder manual Hondas sell for a lot. A 1997 Acura Integra Type-R will fetch $43,200, while a low-mileage 1997 Civic Type-R will cost around $30K. A 2007 Honda S2000 now sells for $32,200.
What all this means is that straight-shooting VTEC Hondas have a large following, and that means the Accord V6 manual could, and should, come under that umbrella. These manual Coupes are estimated to be rarer than some Lamborghinis too, so they will soon be a very rare sight among a sea of identikit EVs.
The Accord Coupe V6 Is A Bargain — For Now
What is wonderful about the manual Accord V6 6MT is that people don’t seem to notice it, and we aren’t just talking about its sleeper looks. The four-cylinder versions of the Accord Coupe sell for as little as $5,000, but the V6 stick isn’t that far ahead. When a clean-looking, original-owner 2012 Honda Accord EX-L Coupe V6 6-Speed went up for sale on Bringatrailer.com in 2025, with 109,000 miles on the clock, it looked like this could be one of the best early examples on the market. But the selling price was just $11,750, despite plenty of admiring comments to accompany the sale.
A 2016 Honda Accord Coupe EX-L V6 6-Speed with just 34k miles on the clock sold for $23,750. Considering the Accord’s legendary reliability, coupled with the fact that you get one of the company’s all-time great V6s and a manual, you have a sleeper Honda that may just be the next big thing on the used market.
Sources: Hagerty, Repairpal,
Related posts
Latest Post
No Comments