New Accord drives big Honda sales gains in March

(April 3, 2013) TORRANCE, Calif. — American Honda has reported March 2013 U.S. sales of 136,038 units, an increase of 7.1 percent compared with March 2012. The Honda brand posted March 2013 sales of 121,938 units, an increase of 5.3 percent compared with March 2012.  Acura U.S. March sales of 14,100 units increased 26.3 percent compared with March 2012.

On the Honda side, the award-winning Accord continues to rack up impressive sales numbers, trumping the segment in retail sales, up 36.4 percent from last March with sales of 36,504 units. The heavily refreshed Civic was the brand's second best-selling model, posting March sales of 27,665.

The redesigned 2013 Crosstour sees third consecutive month of sales growth, and along with Pilot, each model enjoyed sales gains of more than 11 percent from last March.

"Our core models, Civic, Accord, CR-V and Odyssey, continue to lead the industry where it counts, in retail sales," said John Mendel, executive vice president of Sales at American Honda. "It's particularly rewarding to see Accord and Civic winning new customers against a headwind of competitor incentives and value-reducing fleet sales."

At Acura, the RDX set its 11th-consecutive monthly sales record, up 284.8 percent from last March, and is the top-selling Acura model in March with sales of 3,875 units.
   
Sales of the all-new flagship RLX sedan, which went on-sale March 15, are off to a solid start with 336 units sold, that's about the number the outgoing RL sold in all of 2012.

TL was the top selling Acura sedan in March with sales of 3,080 units, ILX sales continue to bolster Acura totals with sales of 2,059 units.

"As we close in on a full year of sales, it's clear that the RDX is an undisputed success," said Jeff Conrad, vice president and general manager of Acura Sales. "With the all-new RLX off to a great start and a redesigned MDX coming soon, expect great things from Acura this year."