Supply constraints have hit Honda hard.
Honda recently released its sales figures for April, and it’s pretty clear that the Japanese brand has been hit hard by ongoing supply constraints. In general, the automotive industry is feeling the pain of the ongoing semiconductor chip shortage, which stretches far beyond the ability to produce cars.
To combat the ongoing price increases, Honda recently made it easier to buy a used car by extending its certified used-vehicles program to cars up to 10-years old.
The year started on a low, with dealers putting unreasonable markups on the new Civic Si. Though Honda has little control over some shady dealings, it has increased the maximum term of its financing plans to 84 months. All these measures haven’t been able to stop disappointing April sales.
Reading Honda’s April sales chart is like reading a Nicholas Sparks novel. It’s just sadness all around, and it continues until you eventually turn to Rick & Morty for some relief.
The total domestic car sales for Honda, including Acura cars, during April 2022 was 35,040. That sounds impressive until you glance over the April 2021 figures, which came to 49,192. That’s a drop of 28.3 percent. The Acura division suffered slightly less, with a decline of 18.8 percent.
Truck sales took a severe dive. The Honda division took a 41.2 percent dive in April 2022 compared to April 2021, while Acura’s truck sales dipped by 38.1 percent.
The model that took the biggest dive is the Acura RLX. In April 2021, Acura sold 26, and a year later, it sold one unit. That’s a 96.2 percent drop but is little surprise since the RLX has been discontinued.
On the Honda side, Clarity sales dropped by 88.5 percent in April 2022 compared to April 2021. However, the Clarity is a full import and competes in a niche market. There are some highlights, however. The HR-V scored its 15th month of increased sales, and the Accord Hybrid continues to do well. The CR-V was Honda’s top seller last month with 18,000 examples finding new homes. Acura sold nearly 11,000 units, 4,735 of which were the new MDX flagship. Acura’s sedans also posted their best sales figures in a single month in April, with TLX sales nearing 2,000 units.
The all-new Honda HR-V is on the way, and it will compete in a sought-after segment. It also seems as if Honda is returning to its sporty roots, which should do wonders to boost its image.
