American Honda set all-time calendar year sales records for cars, light trucks and total vehicles in 2000, according to sales figures released today by American Honda Motor Co. Inc. It was the fourth straight year of record American Honda sales.
Total American Honda vehicle sales of 1,158,860 were up 7.6 percent. Total car sales of 882,055 were up 3.2 percent from last year and topped the previous record set in 1998. Light truck sales of 276,805 were up 24.6 percent from last year's record.
Honda Division sales also set a new record of 1,016,179, up 6.0 percent from 1999. Honda's increase was led by a 62.9 percent increase in Odyssey sales to 126,705 and a 2.0 percent increase in Civic sales to 324,528.
Acura Division sales of 142,681 jumped 20.9 percent for the year, partly as a result of the introduction of the all-new award winning MDX luxury sport utility vehicle. In addition, TL sales of 67,033 were up 18.5 percent and set a new record. CL sales rose 17.7 percent for the year and RL sales increased 10.9 percent.
"The market may have slowed in the last couple of months, but 2000 was still a good year for the industry and a great year for Acura and Honda," said Dick Colliver, American Honda executive vice president. "The big winners were light trucks, especially the Odyssey and the new MDX. We expect that trend to continue in 2001 with a full year of MDX sales and the new Odyssey plant in Alabama coming on line."
Total American Honda sales of 88,035 for the month of December were up 2.7 percent on a daily sales basis. Acura Division sales of 13,577 were up 40.7 percent, setting a new record for the month, topping the former mark set in 1987.
