American Honda's U.S. sales advanced 8.9 percent last year on the strength of Honda and Acura crossovers, along with a big jump for the freshened Ridgeline midsize pickup.
Light-truck deliveries rose 17 percent at the two brands combined, while car sales fell 2.2 percent, the automaker said Tuesday. Total 2021 sales were 1,466,630.
In the fourth quarter, American Honda sales dropped 22 percent to 287,206 compared with the same period a year earlier. Honda brand volume skidded 21 percent, and Acura deliveries were off 26 percent.
In December, combined sales slid 23 percent to 105,068. Honda sales fell 22 percent for the month while Acura sales dropped 29 percent, the company said.
Notable nameplates: Honda Accord, down 26% in December; Civic, down 1%; HR-V, up 17%; CR-V, down 34%; Ridgeline, up 22%; Acura TLX, down 71%; RDX, down 40%
U.S. market share: 9.7% in 2021, up from 9.2% in 2020.
Incentives: $1,478 per vehicle in the fourth quarter, down 41% from a year earlier, TrueCar says.
Average transaction price: $32,252 in the fourth quarter, up 4.7% from a year earlier, according to TrueCar.
Quote: "All things considered, we had a very successful 2021 with record sales of light trucks and electrified vehicles coupled with incredible demand, especially for all-new models like the Civic and Acura MDX," said Dave Gardner, executive vice president of national operations at American Honda.
Did you know? Honda's freshened Ridgeline got a sales boost of 29 percent last year, while the redesigned Acura MDX midsize crossover saw deliveries rise by 26 percent. Light trucks at both brands set sales records in 2021.
