Strong Accord sales drive Honda's October uptick

American Honda Motor Co. reported strong October sales as its redesigned Accord continued to lead the pack.

The U.S. sales division of Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (NYSE:HMC) reported total sales of 114,799 vehicles in October, compared with 110,624 in October 2006, the company's highest October sales total in two years. The Honda division, nearly 90 percent of the month's sales, posted an 8 percent sales increase to 101,913 vehicles, up from 94,747 last year.

Honda executives said in a release that sales continue to gain momentum, driven by a positive response to the company's redesigned Accord, which features a larger interior and more power. Sales of the flagship model grew 31 percent in October to 30,936 vehicles, bringing year-to-date sales for the model up 10 percent.

Sales in the company's luxury Acura division were down 19 percent during the month, with the company's car models leading the downturn while sport-utility vehicle sales were up 11 percent. The division sold 12,886 vehicles in October, compared with 15,877 last year. Acura sales year-to-date are down 9 percent at 149,612 vehicles, versus 164,967 in the first 10 months of last year.

Honda division sales are up 5 percent year-to-date at 1.16 million, compared with 1.11 in the same period last year. That gain brings total American Honda sales up 3 percent for the year at 1.31 million vehicles, compared with 1.27 in 2006.

Marysville-based Honda of America Manufacturing Inc. runs five production and assembly plants in Central Ohio, where the company turns out Honda Accord and Civic cars, Element and CR-V light SUVs, and Acura TL sedans and RDX SUVs.

Honda also operates a 600,000-square-foot distribution hub in Troy.

E-mail dayton@bizjournals.com. Call 528-4400.

Source: [url=http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/dayton/stories/2007/10/29/daily38.html]San Antonio Business Journal[/url]