American Honda December 2009

[Justin Bimmer]

American Honda December Sales Up 15.6 Percent

Annual sales led by Accord, Civic and CR-V

TORRANCE, Calif., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc., today reported December monthly sales of 107,143, an increase of 15.6 percent on a daily selling-rate* basis. American Honda's 2009 annual vehicle sales totaled 1,150,784, a decline of 19.5 percent compared to 2008 results.

Honda Division's December monthly sales of 96,568 represented an increase of 18.9 percent compared to 2008. Honda Division's 2009 annual sales of 1,045,061 decreased 18.6 percent compared to 2008. The top-three best-selling Honda models for 2009 were the Accord, 290,056; Civic, 259,722; and CR-V, 191,214.

Accord monthly sales increased 17.3 percent for December to 28,238. Monthly Civic sales increased by 19.8 percent to 22,319. The CR-V, the country's best-selling SUV in 2008 and 2009, increased sales by 24.5 percent to 18,686 for a new December sales record. Additional models with monthly sales gains included the Pilot, up 26.6 percent to 9,184, and the Odyssey, up 19.8 percent to 8,966.

"The good news is that the market appears to be stabilizing and we have more reasons for optimism in 2010," said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda. "There seems to be light at the end of the tunnel; let's hope it's not another train coming, but rather, brighter days ahead."

The Acura Division's year-end sales totaled 105,723, down 26.8 percent. December Acura sales totaled 10,575, down 8.1 percent. The TL led the division with annual sales of 33,620, followed closely by the MDX with sales of 31,178.

December TSX sales increased 17.9 percent to 2,926. December RDX sales increased 4.4 percent to 1,283. The much-anticipated Acura ZDX four-door sports coupe made its sales debut in the second half of the month.

*The annual Daily Selling Rate (DSR) is calculated with 308 days for 2009 and 2008. December 2009 included 28 selling days versus 26 selling days for 2008. All percentages represent DSR.

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

American Honda Vehicle Sales For December 2009

Month-to-Date Year-to-Date

December December DSR** December December DSR**

2009 2008 % Chg. 2009 2008 % Chg.

---- ---- ------ ---- ---- ------

American

Honda

Total 107,143 86,085 15.6% 1,150,784 1,428,765 -19.5%

-----

Total

Car

Sales 61,020 50,918 11.3% 700,214 877,703 -20.2%

Total

Truck

Sales 46,123 35,167 21.8% 450,570 551,062 -18.2%

Honda

Total

Car

Sales 54,706 44,762 13.5% 635,901 794,421 -20.0%

Honda

Total

Truck

Sales 41,862 30,643 26.9% 409,160 489,840 -16.5%

Acura

Total

Car

Sales 6,314 6,156 -4.8% 64,313 83,282 -22.8%

Acura

Total

Truck

Sales 4,261 4,524 -12.5% 41,410 61,222 -32.4%

Domestic

Car Sales * 51,010 40,642 16.5% 551,357 661,736 -16.7%

-----------

Honda

Division 47,843 37,035 20.0% 517,737 614,970 -15.8%

Acura

Division 3,167 3,607 -18.5% 33,620 46,766 -28.1%

Domestic

Truck Sales * 44,660 30,629 35.4% 412,787 444,263 -7.1%

-------------

Honda

Division 40,399 26,105 43.7% 371,377 383,041 -3.0%

Acura

Division 4,261 4,524 -12.5% 41,410 61,222 -32.4%

Import

Car Sales 10,010 10,276 -9.5% 148,857 215,967 -31.1%

---------

Honda

Division 6,863 7,727 -17.5% 118,164 179,451 -34.2%

Acura

Division 3,147 2,549 14.6% 30,693 36,516 -15.9%

Import

Truck Sales 1,463 4,538 -70.1% 37,783 106,799 -64.6%

-----------

Honda

Division 1,463 4,538 -70.1% 37,783 106,799 -64.6%

-------- ----- ----- ------ ------ ------- ------

MODEL BREAKOUTS

BY DIVISION

Honda

Division

Total 96,568 75,405 18.9% 1,045,061 1,284,261 -18.6%

----- ------ ------ ----- --------- --------- ------

Fit 4,570 5,039 -15.8% 67,315 79,794 -15.6%

Accord * 28,238 22,348 17.3% 290,056 372,789 -22.2%

Memo:

Accord

Hybrid 0 1 1 198 -99.5%

Memo:

Accord

Cross-

tour*** 2,079 0 2,564 0

Civic * 22,319 17,302 19.8% 259,722 339,289 -23.5%

Memo:

Civic

Hybrid 471 1,036 -57.8% 15,119 31,297 -51.7%

S2000 19 72 -75.5% 795 2,538 -68.7%

Insight 1,639 0 20,572 0

FCX 0 0 0 6

FCX Clarity 0 1 5 5 0.0%

----------- --- --- --- --- ----

Odyssey * 8,966 6,950 19.8% 100,133 135,493 -26.1%

Pilot * 9,184 6,735 26.6% 83,901 96,746 -13.3%

CR-V * 18,686 13,933 24.5% 191,214 197,279 -3.1%

Element * 1,426 1,336 -0.9% 14,884 26,447 -43.7%

Ridgeline 1,521 1,689 -16.4% 16,464 33,875 -51.4%

--------- ----- ----- ------ ------ ------ ------

Acura

Division

Total 10,575 10,680 -8.1% 105,723 144,504 -26.8%

----- ------ ------ ----- ------- ------- ------

RSX 0 0 0 1

TL * 3,167 3,607 -18.5% 33,620 46,766 -28.1%

TSX 2,926 2,304 17.9% 28,650 31,998 -10.5%

RL 221 245 -16.2% 2,043 4,517 -54.8%

-- --- --- ------ ----- ----- ------

MDX * 2,899 3,383 -20.4% 31,178 45,377 -31.3%

ZDX * 79 0 79 0

RDX * 1,283 1,141 4.4% 10,153 15,845 -35.9%

--- ----- ----- ---- ------ ------ ------

Selling Days 28 26 308 308

* Honda and Acura vehicles are made of domestic & global sourced parts.

Accord includes Crosstour, Hybrid.

** Daily Selling Rate

*** Accord Crosstour sales are recorded in Honda total truck sales and

Honda domestic truck sales.

[siegen]

Before anyone blasts it, the ZDX sales represent something like 2 weeks of sales with extremely limited availability (most dealers only had demos).

[Intrepidation]

much-anticipated Acura ZDX

[Robert Hall]

I've seen 2 Crosstours on the road (looks much better in person, at least in profile). Have yet to see a ZDX on the road.

[siegen]

I've seen 2 Crosstours on the road (looks much better in person, at least in profile). Have yet to see a ZDX on the road.

I've heard that quite a bit, that the Crosstour looks much better in person. I have yet to see one.

No surprise on the ZDX, it just came on market and the inventory appears to be ramping up slowly. It's too early to tell how well it's going to do or how much demand there is for it.

[ocnblu]

Wow, the new-model Fit isn't doing so great, is it?

Remind me again how Americans are flocking to small cars, and the domestics are out of touch because they don't offer a plethora of them for eager Americans to purchase?

[siegen]

Wow, the new-model Fit isn't doing so great, is it?

Remind me again how Americans are flocking to small cars, and the domestics are out of touch because they don't offer a plethora of them for eager Americans to purchase?

New model? It's been out for over a year and has been selling about where it normally has. There were a few months that the Fit shot into the 10,000's (last gen I think), but that was probably just overreaction by the public to gas price spikes. A selling rate of 5,000 is good. I'm not sure if Honda is building the Fit in the USA yet, but until they do they are suffering due to the exchange ratio on vehicles with small margins like the Fit -hence a fairly low supply.

[Lamar]

Well, I have seen gas going up again (at least locally). Let's see if Fit sales follow it.

[regfootball]

Before anyone blasts it, the ZDX sales represent something like 2 weeks of sales with extremely limited availability (most dealers only had demos).

no i was going to blast it on its looks.

[regfootball]

can you believe there are 2,079 people who bought the crosstour? OUCH i may have an ugly in my garage but i surely didn't pay honda premium dollars to get it......