Honda Automobiles: Honda Accord and CR-V are America’s Most Popular Car and SUV with Retail Car Buyers in First Half of 2014; and Honda CR-V Captures the Title of Best-Selling SUV of the Past Decade

  • Retail car buyers choose Accord more than any other car in America1
  • CR-V builds on ten years as the most popular, best-selling SUV in America2
  • Accord, Civic, CR-V and Odyssey each post segment-leading retail results at the halfway mark of 20141

With the Accord and CR-V attracting retail customers in record numbers in the first half of 2014, Honda is again leading the industry with the most popular car and SUV in America, according to a Honda analysis of new-vehicle retail registration data from IHS Automotive. Based on Honda forecasts, the Accord and CR-V are on track to repeat their 2013 full-year results as top picks with U.S. retail car and SUV buyers, while CR-V continues to hold the title as the best-selling SUV in America for more than a decade.

Accord is once again the most popular car in America, with industry-leading sales to individual U.S. car buyers for the first half of 2014, while CR-V is both the retail and outright best-selling SUV based on retail registrations through June 2014, a position it’s held for seven of the past 10 years, culminating in the highest sales of any SUV in America during the past decade. Joining the Accord and CR-V as retail leaders in their segments for the first half of 2014 are the Honda Civic and Odyssey minivan.

Moreover, each of Honda’s four segment-leading models is on target to repeat its retail leadership performance from 2013, despite the fact that Honda has the lowest overall incentive spending among the top seven automakers. Three of the four models – Accord, Civic and CR-V – are each on track to earn sales in excess of 300,000 units for the second consecutive year, with fleet sales in the low single digits, as Honda targets all-time record sales in 2014.

“More individual customers put a new Honda Accord in their driveway in the first half of this year than any other new car in America, and SUV buyers continue to choose CR-V more than any other SUV in America,” said Jeff Conrad, senior vice president and general manager of the Honda Division. “While competitors rely on deep-discounts and sales to corporate and rental fleets, Honda continues to achieve steady and sustainable growth based on the quality and value of our products in the hands of individual customers.”

Honda brand highlights for the first half of 2014 include:

  • Excluding full-size pickups, the Accord, Civic and CR-V continue to hold three of the top five slots – first, third and fourth, respectively – in retail registrations among individual car buyers in the first half of 2014.
  • The Accord, with retail registrations totaling 181,939 units through June, has strengthened its lead over its nearest competitor in the past three months, compared to the first three months of 2014.
  • Retail registrations accounted for 98.2 percent3 of all Accord registrations for the period, according to Honda analysis of IHS Automotive new-vehicle registration data.
  • Civic retail registrations of 160,293 units led all compact cars, increasing its lead over the closest segment competitor, which is now more than 26,000 units, compared to cumulative totals in the first quarter of 2014.
  • CR-V is America’s outright best-selling SUV of this year, and of the past decade. On a retail basis, CR-V registrations rose 6.6 percent to 153,968 units compared to the first half of last year, giving CR-V a more than 27,000-unit lead over the #2 selling vehicle in the segment so far in 2014.
  • Odyssey retail registrations of 62,096 units continue to make it the top choice among retail minivan customers –at 32 percent retail segment share. As a result, Odyssey sales have comprised nearly 1 of every 3 minivans purchased by individual buyers in America in 2014.

About Honda
Honda offers a full line of reliable, fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive automobiles for American car buyers through approximately 1,000 independent U.S. Honda dealers. The Honda lineup includes the Accord, Crosstour, Civic, Fit, CR-Z and Insight along with the Pilot, and CR-V sport-utility vehicles and the Odyssey minivan.

Honda has the highest brand fuel economy4 and the longest-lasting cars5 of any mainstream automotive brand in America, and more models achieving an IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating than any other automotive nameplate.

Honda has been producing automobiles in America for more than 30 years and currently operates 16 major manufacturing facilities in North America. In 2013, more than 94 percent of all Honda vehicles sold in U.S. were made in North America, using domestic and globally sourced parts.

1 Based on IHS Automotive, Polk U.S. new vehicle registration data for 2013 and Jan-Jun 2014 in the Honda small car, mid-size car, compact passenger van, and mini SUV segment.

2 CR-V Total Sales Numbers for Best-Selling SUV of the Decade from Automotive News Data Center

3 Based on IHS Automotive, Polk U.S. new retail vs total registrations for 2013 and Jan-Jun 2014 in the Honda  mid-size car segment.

4 Based on model year 2012 fuel economy data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and its report: “Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends: 1975 Through 2013.”

5 Longevity based on IHS Automotive: Polk U.S. vehicles in operation vs new vehicle registrations for 1988-2013 for Honda and competing non-luxury brands.

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