December 2008 Sales: American Honda Motor Co.

[VenSeattle]

American Honda Reports 2008 Annual and December Monthly Sales
Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/
Link to Press Release

Civic and Fit post gains for the year


TORRANCE, Calif., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc., today reported 2008 annual vehicle sales of 1,428,765, a decrease of 8.2 percent compared to 2007 results on a daily selling-rate* basis. American Honda's December sales totaled 86,085, a decrease of 34.7 percent.


Honda Division's 2008 annual sales of 1,284,261 decreased 6.7 percent compared to 2007. Honda Division's December monthly sales of 75,405 represent a decrease of 34.0 percent compared to 2007. Annual total car sales of 794,421 for the Honda Division increased 1.0 percent and set a record for the fourth consecutive year. The division's truck sales decreased by 16.9 percent to 489,840.


Accord, the top-selling Honda model for 2008, achieved annual sales of 372,789, down 5.3 percent. December Accord sales decreased 28.5 percent, to 22,348. Civic sales totaled 339,289 for the year, up 2.1 percent. December Civic sales decreased to 17,302, down 36.4 percent. Annual Fit sales of 79,794, up 40.9 percent, set a record for the third consecutive year. December Fit sales decreased 1.5 percent, to 5,039.


"American Honda's sales mirror the industry's current condition," said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "We believe Honda will be in a strong position when the market stabilizes."


The Acura Division's total year-end sales of 144,504 vehicles represented a decline of 20.0 percent. December Acura sales totaled 10,680, down 39.3 percent. The Acura TL led the division with annual sales of 46,766, followed closely by the Acura MDX with sales of 45,377 - the previous best-selling Acura in 2007.


*The annual Daily Selling Rate (DSR) is calculated with 308 days for 2008, versus 307 for 2007. Both December 2007 and 2008 included 26 selling days. All percentages in this release represent DSR.


For more information or downloadable high-resolution images of Honda and Acura vehicles, please visit www.hondanews.com for Honda and www.Acuranews.com for Acura. Consumer information is available at www.honda.com for Honda, www.Acura.com for Acura.

          American Honda Vehicle Sales For December 2008
                                          Month-to-Date
                                     December  December  DSR**
                                        2008      2007 % Chg.
                                     -------   ------   ------
    American Honda Total              86,085   131,792  -34.7%
    ----------------------
       Total Car Sales                50,918    73,186  -30.4%
       Total Truck Sales              35,167    58,606  -40.0%
          Honda Total Car Sales       44,762    63,773  -29.8%
          Honda Total Truck Sales     30,643    50,437  -39.2%
          Acura Total Car Sales        6,156     9,413  -34.6%
          Acura Total Truck Sales      4,524     8,169  -44.6%
    Domestic Car Sales *              40,642    54,174  -25.0%
    ----------------------
       Honda Division                 37,035    48,186  -23.1%
       Acura Division                  3,607     5,988  -39.8%
    Domestic Truck Sales *            30,629    43,373  -29.4%
    ----------------------
       Honda Division                 26,105    35,204  -25.8%
       Acura Division                  4,524     8,169  -44.6%
    Import Car Sales                  10,276    19,012  -45.9%
    ----------------------
       Honda Division                  7,727    15,587  -50.4%
       Acura Division                  2,549     3,425  -25.6%
    Import Truck Sales                 4,538    15,233  -70.2%
    ----------------------
       Honda Division                  4,538    15,233  -70.2%
    ----------------------           -------   ------- ------
    MODEL BREAKOUTS BY DIVISION
    Honda Division Total              75,405   114,210  -34.0%
    ----------------------           -------   ------- ------
        Fit                            5,039     5,118   -1.5%
       Accord *                       22,348    31,255  -28.5%
         Memo:  Accord Hybrid              1       150  -99.3%
       Civic *                        17,302    27,190  -36.4%
         Memo:  Civic Hybrid           1,036     3,223  -67.9%
       S2000                              72       210  -65.7%
       Insight                             0         0
       FCX                                 0         0
       FCX Clarity                         1
    ----------------------           -------   -------  ------
       Odyssey  *                      6,950    14,907  -53.4%
       Pilot *                         6,735    10,403  -35.3%
       CR-V *                         13,933    18,659  -25.3%
       Element *                       1,336     2,875  -53.5%
       Ridgeline                       1,689     3,593  -53.0%
    ----------------------           -------   -------  ------
    Acura Division Total              10,680    17,582  -39.3%
    ----------------------           -------   -------  ------
       RSX                                 0         1
       TL *                            3,607     5,988  -39.8%
       TSX                             2,304     2,838  -18.8%
       RL                                245       586  -58.2%
       MDX *                           3,383     5,906  -42.7%
       RDX  *                          1,141     2,263  -49.6%
    ----------------------           -------   -------  ------
    Selling Days                          26        26

                                           Year-to-Date
                                     December  December  DSR**
                                        2008      2007 % Chg.
                                        ----      ---- ------
    American Honda Total           1,428,765 1,551,542   -8.2%
    ----------------------
       Total Car Sales               877,703   882,215   -0.8%
       Total Truck Sales             551,062   669,327  -17.9%
          Honda Total Car Sales      794,421   784,073    1.0%
          Honda Total Truck Sales    489,840   587,365  -16.9%
          Acura Total Car Sales       83,282    98,142  -15.4%
          Acura Total Truck Sales     61,222    81,962  -25.5%
    Domestic Car Sales *             661,736   706,504   -6.6%
    ----------------------
       Honda Division                614,970   647,959   -5.4%
       Acura Division                 46,766    58,545  -20.4%
    Domestic Truck Sales *           444,263   476,297   -7.0%
    ----------------------
       Honda Division                383,041   394,335   -3.2%
       Acura Division                 61,222    81,962  -25.5%
    Import Car Sales                 215,967   175,711   22.5%
    ----------------------
       Honda Division                179,451   136,114   31.4%
       Acura Division                 36,516    39,597   -8.1%
    Import Truck Sales               106,799   193,030  -44.9%
    ----------------------
       Honda Division                106,799   193,030  -44.9%
    --------------------             -------   -------  ------
    MODEL BREAKOUTS BY DIVISION
    Honda Division Total           1,284,261 1,371,438   -6.7%
    ----------------------           --------- ---------   ----
        Fit                           79,794    56,432   40.9%
       Accord *                      372,789   392,231   -5.3%
         Memo:  Accord Hybrid            198     3,405  -94.2%
       Civic *                       339,289   331,095    2.1%
         Memo:  Civic Hybrid          31,297    32,575   -4.2%
       S2000                           2,538     4,302  -41.2%
       Insight                             0         3
       FCX                                 6        10  -40.2%
       FCX Clarity                         5
    ----------------------           -------   -------  ------
       Odyssey  *                    135,493   173,046  -22.0%
       Pilot *                        96,746   117,146  -17.7%
       CR-V *                        197,279   219,160  -10.3%
       Element *                      26,447    35,218  -25.1%
       Ridgeline                      33,875    42,795  -21.1%
    ----------------------           -------   -------  ------
    Acura Division Total             144,504   180,104  -20.0%
    ----------------------           -------   -------  ------
       RSX                                 1       296  -99.7%
       TL *                           46,766    58,545  -20.4%
       TSX                            31,998    33,037   -3.5%
       RL                              4,517     6,262  -28.1%
       MDX *                          45,377    58,606  -22.8%
       RDX  *                         15,845    23,356  -32.4%
    ----------------------           -------   -------  ------
    Selling Days                         308       307
       * Honda and Acura vehicles are made of domestic and
        global sourced parts.
     ** Daily Selling Rate



                 Month-to-Date               Year-to-Date
            December  December  DSR**  December  December  DSR**
              2008     2007   % Chg.     2008     2007   % Chg.
              ----     ----   ------     ----     ----   ------

    Hybrid   1,037    3,373   -69.3%    31,495   35,983   -12.8%

[regfootball]

ssurprised that the element took such a hit.