April 2006 Sales: American Honda Motor Co.

[VenSeattle]

Press Release

American Honda Reports Record April Sales

Torrance, Calif. 05/02/2006 -- Boosted by the sixth consecutive month of record light-truck sales, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., posted a best-ever April sales result of 139,124 vehicles, an increase of 6.5 percent over April 2005. April was the fourth-best month in the company's U.S. sales history.

American Honda posted record April car sales of 82,372 units, up 4.7 percent over last year, and record April light-truck sales of 56,752 units, an increase of 9.3 percent over year-ago results. Year-to-date American Honda total vehicle sales of 472,968 rose 7.6 percent over the same period last year.

Record April sales of Honda Division cars and light trucks, including individual April records for the Odyssey, Pilot, Ridgeline and CR-V, pushed Honda Division sales to an all-time April record of 119,752 units, up 6.7 percent over year-ago results. April marks the fourth-best month in the Honda Division's U.S. sales history, with year-to-date Honda Division sales rising 9.5 percent to 407,945 vehicles. Since going on sale April 20, the new Honda Fit sold 3,792 units, helping drive Honda Division car sales up 3.5 percent over April 2005 to 67,414 units, on a daily selling rate basis.

"Honda light trucks are some of the most fuel-efficient in their segments, and that is definitely something customers are responding to in this time of rising fuel prices," said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda. "We're not seeing a shift away from light trucks right now, but we are seeing customers make purchase decisions based on fuel economy."

The Acura Division posted strong April sales of 19,372, with record April car sales of 14,958 units. The TSX and TL both set all-time records with 3,911 and 7,975 units, respectively.

[LTB51]

Kind of amazing to see the TSX coming on strong like that two years after introduction.

[VenSeattle]

Kind of amazing to see the TSX coming on strong like that two years after introduction.

Now, if Acura could just figure out how to sell luxury cars over $40,000... the new RL hasn't been the 'Mover & Shaker' that Acura hoped for. 4 months into the year and only 3600 sold.

[Satty]

Whats up with the drop in hybrid sales? I remember the thread about Honda cutting back Accord hybrid production, but I didnt think sales would be that low.

[VenSeattle]

I'm curious to watch how Fit impacts Civic sales over the next several months... (if any)

[balthazar]

Chart percentages look majorly F'ed up.

What the flaming Hell is the 'Daily Selling Rate' but a weasly way to wriggle out of less-than-good numbers?? Were there markedly less selling days in April of '05 vs. '06? I doubt it.

Check it:

acura division~

April '05 : 6823

April '06 : 6983

difference: 160 more units. 160 over 6823 units is a 2.3% increase.... yet the "DSR" column reports an amazing 6.3%.

A 6.3% increase over 6823 units would be 429 more units, not 160.

Someone care to spin this?

[Satty]

There were 26 days (Monday thru Saturday) on which they could sell cars this year, there were 27 last year. All companies do it.

[VenSeattle]

There were 26 days (Monday thru Saturday) on which they could sell cars this year, there were 27 last year.  All companies do it.

Not all...

per this topic article:

Ford and DaimlerChrysler reported unadjusted results, while GM and the Japanese automakers adjusted their percentages to reflect the selling-day rate.

[bobo]

I thought that the new Civic would be doing a lot better. The old Civic sales weren't that good.

[Intrepidation]

Why is the FCX there?

Accord sales are pretty off

[balthazar]

DSR is completely meaningless. An HSR (hourly sales rate) would actually be more telling; some dealers have much longer hours than others. Why is this more accurate system not used?

Stupid statistic spin doctors.

Edited May 3, 2006 by balthazar

[Flybrian]

Yo' momma so ugly, even the RL outsold her.

[VenSeattle]

On the way out to dinner, I actually saw my first FIT... ALREADY! The Driver looked late 50's with two teenagers sitting in the backseat.

Geeeze.... Well, I'll say this... Scion might lose a lot of senior buyers to the new Fit. In person the Fit is more conservative, yet still more attractive than anything Scion offers. Fit also offers a 5-speed automatic while EVERY Scion only offers a 4-speed automatic. As Edmunds puts it, a 4-speed automatic is "about as cutting edge as a cassette deck."

[Intrepidation]

Yo' momma so ugly, even the RL outsold her.

hah wrong thread tho

[Matt276]

I thought that the new Civic would be doing a lot better.  The old Civic sales weren't that good.

A lot of people now choose Toyota over Honda. I see more new Corolla on the road than new Civic.

[VenSeattle]

A lot of people now choose Toyota over Honda. I see more new Corolla on the road than new Civic.

The 2007 Civic is all new. How do you tell a 2007 Corolla from a 2003, 2004, 2005, or 2006?

[sciguy_0504]

Fit also offers a 5-speed automatic while EVERY Buick only offers a 4-speed automatic. As Edmunds puts it, a 4-speed automatic is "about as cutting edge as a cassette deck."