Honda Sales Speed Up in May to New Record; Civic Sets All-Time Record [6.1.7]

[T Mac]

06/01/2007 - TORRANCE, Calif. -

Record May sales for American Honda Motor Co., Inc., increased to 145,367, up from 141,810 in 2006, breaking the previous May record set in 2004, the company announced today. The Honda Division posted record May sales of 129,447, up from May 2006 results of 125,639.

With one additional selling day in May 2007, the daily selling rate* (DSR) percentage change represents a 1.4 percent decline for American Honda and a 0.9 percent decline for Honda Division. Year-to-date American Honda sales increased to 625,994, up 1.0 percent.

Honda Division's new May record was bolstered by all-time record sales of the compact Civic and subcompact Fit and a new May record for the CR-V crossover SUV - the best-selling SUV in the U.S. Civic sales of 39,993, up 32.6 percent for the month, shattered an all-time record of 36,533 set in August 2001. Civic Hybrid sales of 4,520, up 50.4 percent, also broke the all-time record of 4,146 set in August 2005. Record May CR-V sales increased by 35.9 percent to 19,513. Fit results of 5,361 achieved a new all-time record.

"Small is big right now," said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda. "Smaller vehicles have become more attractive for multiple reasons and we expect this trend to continue for the time being."

Additional large volume Honda Division products for May include the Accord, 31,915; Odyssey, 15,235; and Pilot, 10,133. Ridgeline and Element volume respectively totaled 3,600 and 3,187. Year-to-date, Honda Division sales of 551,220 are up 2.5 percent with total car sales increasing by 3.9 percent and light truck sales increasing by 0.7 percent on a DSR basis.

Acura Division sales totaled 15,920. The recent introductions of the completely redesigned MDX luxury SUV and all-new RDX crossover SUV pushed Acura light truck sales up 82.6 percent to 6,635. The MDX posted strong May sales of 4,623, up 27.2 percent versus last year and up 7.1 percent for the year on a DSR basis.

*The daily selling rate is calculated with 26 days for May 2007, versus 25 for 2006.

For more information about Honda vehicles, please visit www.honda.com. For media inquiries, please go to www.hondanews.com.For more information about Acura vehicles, please visit www.acura.com. For media inquiries, please go to www.acuranews.com.