Honda Civic 2012
Can the 2012 Civic turn around Honda's flagging sales?
What's the matter with Honda, especially in Canada, and can the ninth-generation 2012 Honda Civic fix the problem or problems?Consider: Last month Civic sales plunged 51 per cent compared to a year ago in January. Five rival compacts all out-sold the Civic: Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Chevrolet Cruze and Ford Focus.
The Civic may have finished 2010 as Canada's best-selling automobile for the 13th straight years, but Civic sales last year were down 8.2 per cent, to 57,505 from 62,645 in 2009.
Overall, Honda brand sales were down 0.7 per cent, while sales at Honda's luxury brand, Acura, were up just 1.5 per cent. New vehicle sales in Canada last year were up about seven per cent, reports DesRosiers Automotive Consultants, which means Honda underperformed in the market and the Civic really stumbled.
Ever-sunny in disposition, Honda Canada Executive Vice-President Jerry Chenkin says the Civic actually did quite well last year, all things considered. Yes, Honda slapped on incentives to ensure another sales crown, but he also says Civic incentives were richer in 2009. Virtually all Civics are bought by real retail customers, not fleet buyers, he adds, throwing yet more positive spin on a poor performance.
This week at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto, Honda's latest, best hope for resurgence is on display at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. So-called "concept" versions of the 2010 Civic sedan and Si coupe offer plenty of details about the new Civic lineup going on sale in April. Honda calls these concept cars, but the company has a rich history of showing concepts that are almost identical to the finished product.
To counter the competition, Honda says the new Civic will be offered in regular and sportier Si gas versions, plus a hybrid is planned. Honda says the new gasoline power trains will offer improved fuel efficiency and the hybrid will be Honda's first with advanced lithium-ion batteries.
Truth is, the 2012 Civic is a test of Honda's ability to navigate a far more competitive landscape than anything the company has faced in at least two decades.
0 comments:
Post a Comment