American Honda October Sales Increase 3.7 Percent; All-New CR-V Sets All-Time Sales Record

TORRANCE, Calif. 11/01/2006 --

Honda and Acura total vehicle sales of 110,624 for October increased 3.7 percent over last year on a daily selling rate basis, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today. American Honda light truck sales of 52,789 led the increase with a 15.6 percent gain that broke the previous October record of 49,193 set in 2004.

Sales of the all-new 2007 Honda CR-V totaled 20,413, representing an increase of 95.7 percent in its first full month of sales while shattering the previous all-time record by 3,744 units from July 2005. Total year-to-date sales for American Honda continued on a record-setting pace of 1,271,134 cars and light trucks for the year, up 3.9 percent and on-track for a 13th consecutive year-over-year sales increase.

(for the full press release, including sales numbers by model, go here (http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/061101/law130.html?.v=28))

I've tracked Element sales numbers since Jan 04. This is the second lowest # of units sold in that time. (Jan 05 was 3262). Let the debate begin. :D
Shaky economy?
Gas prices?
Painted panels?:rolleyes:
Pricing on the "TOP OF THE LINE" model gotten too high?
New competion? (New CR-V, FJ, etc.)

I've tracked Element sales numbers since Jan 04. This is the second lowest # of units sold in that time. (Jan 05 was 3262). Let the debate begin. :D
Shaky economy?
Gas prices?
Painted panels? :rolleyes:
Pricing on the "TOP OF THE LINE" model gotten too high?
New competion? (New CR-V, FJ, etc.
You know this man!!!!:razz:

One factor is probably cause it's not selling to the kids. Our beloved "e" is too darn practical. It's also starting to get high content considering the safety and cosmetic enhancements and therefore priced out of the GenX market. If you're 16-25, why buy a $20K+ "box" when you can trick out a new xB or late model Civic hatchback on the street for $15K?

The real irony here is that the safety improvements and refinements on the "e" make it a tremendous "practical" value. I think about all the little things that have been improved in the last 2 model years and its' amazing. For this hard work, Honda is rewarded by a bunch of A.D.D. car shoppers flocking to the "coolest" new toy (Scion, FJ, you name it). I saw Squawk Box this morning and the auto guy (Phil Labeau?) ran a segment talking about the tremendous new vehicle pipeline Honda has and how the Japanese makers are leading the pipeline wars in general. Ford surprising had the best US pipeline which was interesting. :rolleyes:

It's totally the new CR-V. Look at its sales numbers. They've gone from 10K a month to 20K a month. All of that extra volume didn't come just from stealing sales from Detroit and other car companies. Some of those folks would have bought Elements.

I have to believe Honda expected this and that's why the upgrades for the '07 and the SC, to keep interest in the car. They still are on track to selling 50,000 Elements this year and that has always been Honda's goal.

Honda is doing a HUGE marketing push on the new CRV - I see at least 10-15 ads a night for Honda - 2 are the "truck" ads (which include the E) and the rest are the CRV. CRV sales are huge and the ALL the other models in the "truck" line are down 20% - except the Odyssey - which is down 4% -----all while they had record truck sales.

I am not so sure that the potential Element buyers are going for the CRV instead. The two are really quite different and the CRV is more expensive. I think the CRV buyers who have been WAITING to buy the new model have all rushed in to trade their old CRV (or similar) on a new one.The E is down about the same as the similar models. The van really is a different market - I know Honda has it in the same category but the buying demo for a multi passenger people hauler is quite different from SUV's and trucks. Of course the CRV is a big (HUGE) seller right now but the E is still performing with NO marketing push at all for the "new" SC model. People can't buy what they don't know about. I look for a big improvement in E sales in mid Nov and into December...simply from word-of-mouth.

The downturn in sales across the board (in general) from 05 is partly due, I think, to the election year slowdown in spending pre election. Honda has still managed to sell a LOT of vehicles though, at a time when sales are sloooow on big ticket items. I have been car shopping with my sister lately and the showrooms are DEAD here in Dallas ...since beginning of October. Lots of thumb twiddling and TV watching going on everwhere. Honda has the new CRV and the Fit to get people in to the showrooms, although based on MY mail recently, the sales people are hitting their previous customer lists pretty hard, so I would imagine they are slower than they'd like to be right now too.

No doom or gloom predictions from me - the trucks are kickin butt overall. The E is a niche vehicle and has held steady since it's release with NO major redesigns or changes to speak of. People who love the E aren't going to be happy with a CRV. It's not for everyone but once you fall in love with an E, nothing else will do.

Wow, I guess not everyone thinks the CRV if fugly.

Wow, I guess not everyone thinks the CRV if fugly.
It's not so much fugly as boring, bland and nondescript. If people do take notice it inspires a pefectly acceptable "nice" response but nobody is going to run across a parking lot to get a look or ask what it is. The new CRV's are squarely in the safe and comfortable middle ground of SUV's. Exactly where Honda and it's buyers want it to be. Happy for them- am sure they are thrilled and Honda Honda has a new updated winner in the "make me look like everyone else" catogory.

It's a Honda - just not one that invites any sort of passion.