Honda Reports Best Month Ever Due To Civic [6.3.8]

[T Mac]

06/03/2008 - TORRANCE, Calif. -

American Honda Motor Co., Inc., May sales of 167,997, up 11.3 percent on a daily-selling-rate basis(1), shattered the company's all-time sales record for any month as Civic sales reached 53,299, up 28.3 percent versus last May and surpassing the previous monthly record for any car in the lineup.

New all-time records set in May included (previous record in parentheses):

* American Honda total vehicle sales of 167,997 (August 2007:158,342)
* American Honda total car sales of 114,796 (August 2002: 95,686)
* Honda Division total vehicle sales of 153,104 (August 2007: 141,906)
* Honda Division total car sales of 105,548 (August 2003: 84,390)
* Honda Civic Sales of 53,299 (May 2007: 39,993)
* Honda Civic Hybrid sales of 4,676 (May 2007: 4,520)
* Honda Fit sales of 8,205 (March 2008: 6,835)
* Acura TSX sales of 4,564 (April 2006: 3,911)

"The dramatic increase in car sales appears to be one of the most profound shifts in automotive buying patterns in more than a decade," said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda. "Record sales of the Honda Civic clearly demonstrate an accelerated trend toward fuel efficiency."

Honda Division sales of 153,104 increased 13.9 percent for the month as total car sales reached 105,548, up 30.7 percent. The Honda Civic, with sales of 53,299, set a new monthly sales record for any model in the Honda lineup, surpassing the previous record of 49,098 set in August 2003 by the Accord.

May 2008 Accord sales of 43,728, up 31.9 percent versus last year, set a new May record, surpassing the previous high of 43,589 set in May 2004. The CR-V set a new May mark of 19,959, exceeding the previous record of 19,513 set in 2007. Honda Division reported truck sales of 47,556, a decrease of 11.4 percent. Year-to-date Honda Division sales are up 5.4 percent to 590,361.

Acura Division sales totaled 14,893. Sales of the completely redesigned 2009 TSX sports sedan increased 53.7 percent and set a new all-time record of 4,564, exceeding the previous record of 3,911 set in April 2006.

American Honda reported May truck sales of 53,201, a decrease of 12.1 percent. Year-to-date American Honda sales increased 3.1 percent to 655,819.

(1) All percentages in this release reflect the daily selling rate as calculated with 27 days for May 2008, versus 26 for 2007. Year to date, the daily selling rate is calculated with 129 days for 2008, versus 127 for 2007.