This first-generation Ballade kicked off a huge alliance: nine months after Honda struck a deal with British Leyland, the same car launched in Britain as the Triumph Acclaim — the start of the Honda-Rover partnership.
Median 89 hp across 194 similar cars
Lead trim: Ballade 1.3 EJ · up to 79 hp
Honda Ballade SS / STSS/ST · 1980–1983
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Honda Ballade SS / ST yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactThis first-generation Ballade kicked off a huge alliance: nine months after Honda struck a deal with British Leyland, the same car launched in Britain as the Triumph Acclaim — the start of the Honda-Rover partnership.
The Honda Ballade began in September 1980 as a four-door, higher-equipment version of the Civic (its name is the French word for a ballad, the Ballade being the four-door sedan and the Quintet its five-door hatchback partner, both high-luxury Civic derivatives). It was developed alongside the Vigor, a higher-content Accord, and in Japan was sold only at Honda Verno dealerships alongside the Vigor, Prelude, CR-X and Quint; it competed with the Toyota Sprinter and Nissan Laurel Spirit as the Civic competed with the Corolla and Sunny. It was launched nine months after Honda's agreement with British Leyland to produce their own versions of the car, and although the original Ballade was never sold in Europe, British Leyland built its own version as the Triumph Acclaim from 1981 to 1984; in North America it was sold as the Civic Sedan. It had a 1.3-litre EJ or 1.5-litre EM four-cylinder with a 2-speed Hondamatic or a 4/5-speed manual.
Collectors Spotted in the Honda Ballade Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Honda Ballade yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballade 1.3 EJ | 1980–1983 | 1.3 L Inline-4 | 67 hp | 72 lb-ft | — | — | — | — |
| Ballade 1.5 EM | 1980–1983 | 1.5 L Inline-4 | 79 hp | 90 lb-ft | — | — | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
This Ballade wasn't just a Civic with a different face — its shared body panels also became the basis for the CR-X sports car and, an ocean away, the Rover 200.
This first-generation Ballade kicked off a huge alliance: nine months after Honda struck a deal with British Leyland, the same car launched in Britain as the Triumph Acclaim — the start of the Honda-Rover partnership.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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