American Honda Reports March Sales of 88,379

Honda Insight hybrid goes on sale; Acura TSX sports sedan up

TORRANCE, Calif., April 1 /PRNewswire/ — American Honda Motor Co., Inc., posted March vehicle sales of 88,379, a decline of 33.7 percent compared to March 2008, based on the daily selling rate*, the company reported today. Honda Division posted March sales of 79,374, a decline of 34.2 percent compared to March 2008.

“The sales decline appears particularly steep when compared to last year’s strong first quarter,” said John Mendel, executive vice president of sales for American Honda. “The launch of the all-new Honda Insight hybrid is helping to better position the company for a tough economy where affordability and efficiency count more than ever. The demand for innovation still exists.”

The 2010 Insight debuted in limited quantities on March 24 and achieved sales of 569 in its first partial month of sales. Honda Division total car sales decreased by 32.6 percent, to 49,346. Honda Division light-truck sales decreased 36.7 percent, to 30,028.

The Acura Division posted sales of 9,005, a decline of 29.5 percent compared to March 2008. Sales of the TSX sports sedan, the brand’s second-best-selling model for the month, increased 16.6 percent, to 2,556.

*The daily selling rate is calculated with 25 days for March 2009 and 26 days for March 2008. All percentages reflect the daily selling rate.

For more information or downloadable high-resolution images of Honda and Acura vehicles, please visit www.hondanews.com or www.acuranews.com. Consumer information is available at www.honda.com and www.acura.com.

                  American Honda Vehicle Sales For March 2009
                                 Month-to-Date           Year-to-Date
                             March   March  DSR**    March   March  DSR**
                              2009    2008 % Chg.     2009    2008 % Chg.
                              ----    ---- ------     ----    ---- ------
    American Honda Total    88,379 138,734  -33.7% 230,985 352,642  -33.6%
    --------------------
       Total Car Sales      55,294  83,214  -30.9% 136,786 201,399  -31.2%
       Total Truck Sales    33,085  55,520  -38.0%  94,199 151,243  -36.9%
          Honda Total Car
           Sales            49,346  76,117  -32.6% 120,938 181,769  -32.6%
          Honda Total Truck
           Sales            30,028  49,329  -36.7%  85,527 133,333  -35.0%
          Acura Total Car
           Sales             5,948   7,097  -12.8%  15,848  19,630  -18.2%
          Acura Total Truck
           Sales             3,057   6,191  -48.6%   8,672  17,910  -50.9%
    Domestic Car Sales *    41,132  60,958  -29.8% 102,798 148,395  -29.8%
    --------------------
       Honda Division       37,901  56,689  -30.5%  94,760 136,753  -29.8%
       Acura Division        3,231   4,269  -21.3%   8,038  11,642  -30.0%
    Domestic Truck Sales *  29,259  42,508  -28.4%  82,260 114,980  -27.5%
    ----------------------
       Honda Division       26,202  36,317  -25.0%  73,588  97,070  -23.2%
       Acura Division        3,057   6,191  -48.6%   8,672  17,910  -50.9%
    Import Car Sales        14,162  22,256  -33.8%  33,988  53,004  -35.0%
    ----------------
       Honda Division       11,445  19,428  -38.7%  26,178  45,016  -41.1%
       Acura Division        2,717   2,828   -0.1%   7,810   7,988   -0.9%
    Import Truck Sales       3,826  13,012  -69.4%  11,939  36,263  -66.6%
    ------------------
       Honda Division        3,826  13,012  -69.4%  11,939  36,263  -66.6%
    -----------------        -----  ------  -----   ------  ------  -----
    MODEL BREAKOUTS BY
     DIVISION
    Honda Division Total    79,374 125,446  -34.2% 206,465 315,102  -33.6%
    --------------------    ------ -------  -----  ------- -------  -----
       Fit                   5,300   6,835  -19.4%  14,292  15,641   -7.4%
       Accord *             22,722  36,214  -34.7%  55,279  87,802  -36.2%
         Memo:  Accord
          Hybrid                 0      53               1     143  -99.3%
       Civic *              20,645  32,740  -34.4%  50,530  77,532  -34.0%
         Memo:  Civic
          Hybrid             2,869   3,769  -20.8%   5,307   7,322  -26.6%
       S2000                   110     328  -65.1%     266     794  -66.1%
       Insight                 569       0             569       0
       FCX                       0       0               0       0
       FCX Clarity               0       0               2       0
    --------------               -       -  -----        -       -  -----
       Odyssey  *            8,156  13,261  -36.0%  20,247  33,697  -39.1%
       Pilot *               6,789  10,168  -30.6%  20,146  31,424  -35.0%
       CR-V *               12,959  18,974  -29.0%  38,472  50,684  -23.1%
       Element *               912   3,207  -70.4%   3,143   8,030  -60.3%
       Ridgeline             1,212   3,719  -66.1%   3,519   9,498  -62.5%
    ------------             -----   -----  -----    -----   -----  -----
    Acura Division Total     9,005  13,288  -29.5%  24,520  37,540  -33.8%
    --------------------     -----  ------  -----   ------  ------  -----
       RSX                       0       0               0       1
       TL *                  3,231   4,269  -21.3%   8,038  11,642  -30.0%
       TSX                   2,556   2,280   16.6%   7,255   6,648   10.6%
       RL                      161     548  -69.4%     555   1,339  -58.0%
    -----                      ---     ---  -----      ---   -----  -----
       MDX *                 2,221   4,434  -47.9%   6,326  12,961  -50.5%
       RDX  *                  836   1,757  -50.5%   2,346   4,949  -52.0%
    ---------                  ---   -----  -----    -----   -----  -----
    Selling Days                25      26              75      76
       * Honda and Acura vehicles are made of domestic and global sourced
         parts.
      ** Daily Selling Rate

                                 Month-to-Date           Year-to-Date
                             March   March  DSR**    March   March  DSR**
                              2009    2008 % Chg.     2009    2008 % Chg.
                              ----    ---- ------     ----    ---- ------
               Hybrid        3,438   3,822   -6.4%   5,877   7,465  -20.2%

SOURCE American Honda Motor Co., Inc.