{"id":238013,"date":"2023-01-25T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-01-25T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thedetroitbureau.com\/?p=238013"},"modified":"2023-01-25T09:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-01-25T14:00:00","slug":"honda-hopes-hybrids-lead-rebound-from-terrible-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/2023\/01\/honda-hopes-hybrids-lead-rebound-from-terrible-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"Honda Hopes Hybrids Lead Rebound from Terrible 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Things didn\u2019t go very well for Honda last year, U.S. sales tumbling by more than a third due to \u201cparts shortages, production challenges and logistics issues.\u201d But the automaker\u2019s new sales chief says he is \u201cbullish going into 2023,\u201d and one key reason is an expanding line-up of hybrid models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Honda
Honda SVP Mamadou Diallo believes the worst has passed for the automaker.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The auto industry, as a whole, has struggled during the last several years, much of that due to the ongoing shortage of semiconductors. But Japan\u2019s third-largest automaker was particularly hard hit, combined U.S. sales for the Honda and Acura brands plunging to 975,915 units from 1,465,884 in 2022, a 33.4% decline. Among major manufacturers, only Jaguar Land Rover posted a larger, 35.3% decline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHonestly, last year was frustrating for us,\u201d Mamadou Diallo, who currently serves as vice president of automobile sales for American Honda, said during a virtual media roundtable. \u201cJust when we thought we had cleared one hurdle we were hit with another.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Out of the woods? Maybe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

But things are starting to look better, said Diallo, who will be promoted to senior vice president April 1<\/a><\/span><\/strong>. Where Honda had just 20,000 vehicles in dealer stock at the start of 2022, inventories are up well over 100,000 vehicles right now. And, with chips and other critical parts in better supply, the automaker is betting it will be able to drive up production for the North American market to more normal levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a background briefing Tuesday, Diallo forecast the Honda brand alone will generate U.S. sales of at least 1.2 million this year, while the high-line Acura brand is targeting volumes of around 160,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"2023
Honda’s worked diligently to move the new Pilot TrailSport from a so-so offering to a top competitor in its class.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe aren\u2019t out of the woods, yet,\u201d Diallo said, injecting a note of caution. But \u201c(g)oing into 2023 I think the worst is over for us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A continuing flood of new product<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If the Honda and Acura brands really can regain momentum, much for the credit will go to the flood of new products they launched in 2022 \u2014 and more is coming for 2023. The list last year included normally high-volume offerings such as the Honda HR-V and CR-V, as well as niche variants like the Civic Type-R. Acura won raves for the reborn Integra model<\/a><\/span><\/strong> which, among other honors, was named North American Car of the Year earlier this month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And there\u2019ll be more in 2023. The Honda Pilot SUV is just reaching showrooms<\/a><\/span><\/strong> in large numbers, and there will be major updates this year for both the Honda Passport SUV and Ridgeline pickup. Both of those models, as well as the new Pilot, come with new off-road \u201cTrailSport\u201d variants that Honda expects to win over the growing number of buyers who want more rugged and capable light trucks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Betting big on hybrids<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Honda also is betting on an expanded line-up of hybrids, starting with a gas-electric version of the latest-generation Civic. And there\u2019ll be a hybrid package for the 12th<\/sup>-generation Honda Accord coming to market this year, as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"2023
The Civic Type R is going to get a more fuel efficient sibling later this year \u2014\u00a0a hybrid.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Hybrids should make up at least \u201c50%\u201d of the sales for models where they\u2019re available, a list that also includes the latest-generation CR-V, Diallo said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The automaker is ramping up its electrification program and plans to not only add more hybrids but also begin rolling out long-range battery-electric vehicles. Hybrids, said Diallo, will be a critical \u201cbridge\u201d in the rollout of the automaker\u2019s first EVs, the Honda Prologue<\/a><\/span><\/strong> and Acura ZDX.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hybrids the transition to Honda\u2019s EV assault<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

They\u2019ll reach U.S. showrooms in 2024, though potential buyers will have the opportunity to start placing orders later this year. In a departure from its normal marketing approach, buyers will only be able to purchase the ZDX \u2014 and future Acura EVs \u2014 online. They\u2019ll still have the opportunity to kick the tires at showrooms, however, and dealers will still oversee deliveries and repairs \u2014 in accordance with most state franchise laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first two EVs are being developed as part of a joint venture between Honda Motor Co. and General Motors. The Japanese automaker\u2019s big push into the battery-car market won\u2019t begin until 2026, however, when it starts rolling out vehicles based on its own EV platform. By 2030 it expects all-electric models to make up as much as 50% of its U.S. sales \u2014 including all of those by the Acura brand. It\u2019s longer-term target is to go 100% electric with both brands worldwide by 2040.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Honda’s looking to rebound from a very difficult 2022. It’s also counting on a strong \u2014 and growing \u2014 line-up of hybrids to make the transition to EVs simple and successful. Get details at TheDetroitBureau.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":238019,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7,8,5,1608,10,1164,2648,1347,9],"tags":[9520,9519,9517,475,9518],"make":[],"post-state":[],"category_old":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238013"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=238013"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238013\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":238023,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238013\/revisions\/238023"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/238019"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=238013"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=238013"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=238013"},{"taxonomy":"make","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/make?post=238013"},{"taxonomy":"post-state","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-state?post=238013"},{"taxonomy":"category_old","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category_old?post=238013"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}