August 2007: Honda Motor Company

[siegen]

American Honda Sets New All-time Record, August Sales Up 4.7 Percent
Honda Division, CR-V, Odyssey and Fit each set new all-time records
Press Release

09/04/2007 - TORRANCE, Calif. -
American Honda Motor Co., Inc., posted all-time record monthly sales of 158,342 Honda and Acura vehicles in August, up 4.7 percent while breaking the previous record of 156,173 set in August 2005, the company announced today. American Honda year-to-date sales totaled 1,066,320, up 1.6 percent on a daily selling rate basis*.

Honda Division posted all-time record sales of 141,906 in August, up 6.7 percent compared to last year while breaking the previous division record of 136,952 set in August 2005. All-time records for individual models include the CR-V with sales of 23,192, up 42.1 percent for the month; the Odyssey with sales of 19,324, up 2.9 percent for the month; and the Fit, up 167.7 percent with sales of 6,408 for the month. Accord sales increased 37.3 percent to 47,360. Ridgeline sales increased 12.8 percent to 4,439.

"Demand remains strong for Honda cars and trucks," said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda. "The launch of the all-new, redesigned 2008 Honda Accord this month should further increase our sales momentum going into the fourth quarter."

Acura Division posted sales of 16,436 with new August records set for the MDX and RDX, resulting in Acura light truck sales increasing by 35.8 percent. Sales of the Acura MDX increased 35.5 percent to 5,816. Acura RDX sales increased 36.7 percent to 1,860. August sales of the TL luxury performance sedan totaled 4,992; the TSX sports sedan totaled 3,245.

Previous all-time records for individual Honda models include: CR-V sales of 20,413 (October, 2006), Odyssey sales of 18,773 (August, 2006), and Fit sales of 6,343 (July, 2007).

*The daily selling rate (DSR) is calculated with 27 days for August 2007 and August 2006. Year-to-date, the DSR is calculated with 205 days for 2007, versus 204 for 2006. All percentages in this release reflect DSR.

For more information about Honda vehicles, please visit www.honda.com. For media inquiries, please go to www.hondanews.com.

For more information about Acura vehicles, please visit www.acura.com. For media inquiries, please go to www.acuranews.com.

[siegen]

What's going on with Accord, Pilot, and Element sales? Looks like they're literally dumping old Accords off the lots, wonder what kind of incentives they're offering. And the Pilot and Element are feeling the heat big time. The Pilot is down 4,000 units compared to last month, and way off compared to last year August. Maybe GM's new Outlook/Acadia/Enclave triplets are stealing sales, they sold a total of 12,893 between the 3, for August. Accord sales, with big incentives, might have stolen from Honda's SUV sales too.

[Northstar]

I've seen numerous ads for $199/month on the Accord. Pilot is probably down because of the Lambdas and perhaps the new Highlander as well.

It was a very odd month. Probably 75% of the vehicles were down but the ones that were up saw very big gains. If the Accord had been flat, it would have resulted in a down month.

I am still scratching my head as to why the CR-V is setting the charts on fire because it's not that good of a vehicle. I guess most other vehicles in that class aren't very good either, though.

[regfootball]

I am still scratching my head as to why the CR-V is setting the charts on fire because it's not that good of a vehicle. I guess most other vehicles in that class aren't very good either, though.

pilot is down like in half, but honda only mentions that the CRv is up.

more pilot sales were lost than CRv sales gained.

accord mustve cannibalized toyota with the big incentives.

CRv is pitiful, but if you want a honda and can't afford the pilot, that's where the crawling recreational vehicle gets a sale. they're popular with women, and whipped men, and we never would accuse of those groups of sound vehicle judgement.

Edited September 4, 2007 by regfootball

[siegen]

I am still scratching my head as to why the CR-V is setting the charts on fire because it's not that good of a vehicle.

CRv is pitiful

So what exactly do you guys not like about the CR-V, in particular? Why is it not good? Have you driven one?

pilot is down like in half, but honda only mentions that the CRv is up.

So the headline should read:

American Honda Sets New All-time Record, August Sales Up 4.7 Percent

Honda Division, Pilot sets All-time Record low, down 50.2 percent

Would that make you happy?

[I hope GMRULES again]

Honda must of really been pushing the Accord to make way for the new model. I saw a lot of the $199 a month ads too. 47K Accords in one month has to be a record.

[CARBIZ]

So what exactly do you guys not like about the CR-V, in particular? Why is it not good? Have you driven one?

So the headline should read:

American Honda Sets New All-time Record, August Sales Up 4.7 Percent

Honda Division, Pilot sets All-time Record low, down 50.2 percent

Would that make you happy?

Overall, I like the CR-V, but I find the look a little too 'busy.' It's like the Honda designers went to the Mazda School of Design, passed with honors, but are trying too hard. For sure, this CR-V is a vast improvement over the previous one, but IMO the previous CR-V was very, very bland.

Still, I just sold a Malibu LT to a woman who has an Accord lease up soon: can you say STICKER SHOCK. She could BUY the Malibu LT (V-6, XM, etc) for the same as a LEASE on the new Accord.

Score one for GM.

[Northstar]

So what exactly do you guys not like about the CR-V, in particular? Why is it not good? Have you driven one?

I have not tested one, but I rode along with my aunt for a test drive in one. She thought she was set on it until she drove it. Here is my quote from the thread:

First up was the CR-V. For some reason she thinks their cute, and I guess we all have our own opinions. She thought it was what she really wanted, and had high hopes. She picked out one she liked (sticker was $28.5k) and we were on our way. We both thought it was terrible. Harsh ride, loud, annoying engine buzz, lots of road noise, cheap interior (hard plastics, hollow souonding), and she really hated the gauge "hood" which was quite possibly the cheapest piece I've seen on a car. It was also rather cramped, for me at least. The transmission also wasn't the smoothest thing ever. So that ended up being out of the possibilities pretty quickly.

To sum everything up, nothing was spectacular, a lot of it was crap, and the only good thing I could find for people to like was a few H's. To clarify, the guage "hood" sounded hollow and felt rather brittle (though obviously it wasn't going to break into pieces). The only good interior material I could find was the armrest on the door. The rest is explained.

[A Horse With No Name]

Overall, I like the CR-V, but I find the look a little too 'busy.' It's like the Honda designers went to the Mazda School of Design, passed with honors, but are trying too hard. For sure, this CR-V is a vast improvement over the previous one, but IMO the previous CR-V was very, very bland.

Still, I just sold a Malibu LT to a woman who has an Accord lease up soon: can you say STICKER SHOCK. She could BUY the Malibu LT (V-6, XM, etc) for the same as a LEASE on the new Accord.

Score one for GM.

Actually this is a case where you should be able to sell on "car" as well as price. IMHO the Malibu is actually a nicer car than the Accord, and I would buy a Malibu if they were priced the same.

Shockingly, I've talked to several people lately who agree with me on this.

Chris

[siegen]

IMHO the Malibu is actually a nicer car than the Accord, and I would buy a Malibu if they were priced the same.

Shockingly, I've talked to several people lately who agree with me on this.

Chris

Nicer as in looks nicer in pictures, or have you driven both?

[CARBIZ]

The beauty (and the challenge) of selling Chevrolet is that we have TWO cars, whereas Honda only has one. I have had many customers who do not like the new design direction of Honda, who have emerged from the hang over of drinking the Japanese kool aid and who are willing to give GM a fair shake. The thing is, obviously the Impala and the current Malibu are completely different animals. What the person is currently driving should greatly influence the direction the salesperson takes the customer in.

Pickiness aside, I would not say the current Malibu is better or worse than the Accord, but since price is always a factor, the Malibu at 0% finacing for 60 months, and $2,000 'on the hood' (as guys on this site like to say) makes the 3.5 equipped LT about $2-3k cheaper than the base Honda, before the cheaper interest is factored in. I sold a Maxx to a customer yesterday and they were driving a '99 Century with 290k km (about 200k miles, for you guys south of the border) that had never had any problems, just oil changes. I had steered them toward the Impala, thinking that the ride/comfort would be what they wanted, but upon closer interviewing, determined they wanted a bigger rear opening area, almost like the HHR. They had never heard/seen the Maxx and loved it.

Not to too my own horn, but any salesperson who has not learned to LISTEN to their prospect, deserves to make the $20k a year that he/she is making. Of course, I am excited about the upcoming Malibu, but the current one is a fine ('good enough' for some whiners out there) automobile and in a city of $4 a gallon gas and outrageous insurance prices, many people are looking for a good value.

Honda is where GM was 10 years ago - arrogant and bloated. If they don't get their house in order, they will be looking down the barrel of a re-invigorated Detroit and wonder where their market share increases went.