American Honda Reports an Increase in April Sales [5.5.8]

[T Mac]

Honda Division posts an April record with individual records from Fit, Civic, Civic Hybrid and CR-V

05/05/2008 - TORRANCE, Calif. -

American Honda Motor Co., Inc., posted an April sales result of 135,180 vehicles, a decrease of 1.3 percent over April 2007 sales of 126,419 vehicles, on a daily-selling-rate basis*, the company announced today.

American Honda posted April car sales of 82,252 units, up 7.1 percent over last year, and April light-truck sales of 52,655 units, a decrease of 12.1 percent compared to year-ago results. Year-to-date American Honda total vehicle sales rose 0.5 percent over the same period last year, to 487,822 units.

Individual April records for the Fit, Civic, Civic Hybrid and CR-V helped push Honda Division sales to an April record of 122,155 units, up 1.4 percent over year-ago results. Models showing sales increases included Fit, with sales of 5,938, up 38.5 percent; Accord, with sales of 34,628, up 10.5 percent; Civic, with sales of 34,163, up 8.2 percent; Civic Hybrid, with sales of 4,324, up 39.8 percent, and Ridgeline, with sales of 4,158, up 7.5 percent. Year-to-date division sales rose 2.7 percent, to 437,257 vehicles.

"Selling conditions are certainly tough, but at Honda we see this as an opportunity," said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda. "In difficult times, consumers make very rational, thoughtful purchase decisions, which play into Honda's core brand strengths of fuel economy, safety and quality."

The Acura Division posted April sales of 13,025 vehicles, down 20.9 percent. The TL performance luxury sedan was Acura's top-selling model with 4,291 units, followed by the MDX luxury SUV with 3,899 units, the TSX sports sedan with 2,602 units, the RDX turbocharged crossover SUV with 1,672 units and the RL luxury performance sedan with 561 units.

*The daily selling rate is calculated with 102 days year-to-date 2008, versus 101 for 2007. April 2008 included 26 selling days, versus 24 for 2007.