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Honda is Europe’s Fastest-Growing Mainstream Car Brand in First Half

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Honda Jazz

Honda Jazz

Honda’s sales in Europe through the first six months of the year were strong enough to earn it the title of the continent’s fastest-growing mainstream car brand. In the first half of 2016, Honda delivered a total of 88,242 vehicles to customers across Europe, reflecting a 33.5% year-over-year increase from sales through June 2015.


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Honda cites the HR-V, Jazz, and Civic as being three of its primary drivers of growth during that period. Sales of the HR-V, according to internal estimates, totaled 19,485 in the first six months of the year. Honda also estimates that sales of the Jazz supermini increased 19.9% through June due in large part to a spike in popularity in Italy, where its sales grew 132% from the first half of 2015. Bolstered by the launch of the performance-minded Type R, Honda Civic sales grew 8.3%.

Sales of Honda vehicles increased by double-digits or more in its five largest European markets: the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. Sales in the UK were up 17.4% with 32,482 vehicles delivered; sales in Germany rose 50.1% with 14,716 vehicles delivered; sales in France rose 39.9% with a total of 4,632 vehicles delivered; sales rose 118.9% in Italy with a total of 5,122 vehicles delivered; and sales in Spain just crossed the 5,000-unit mark for a 45.4% year-over-year increase.

“We’re pleased to see the strong start to 2016 sales transfer into sustained growth in the second quarter,” said Jean-Marc Streng, General Manager, Automobile Division, Honda Motor Europe. “What is even more encouraging is the broad base of Honda’s resurgence, with sales increases in all five major European car markets. We continue to hold a healthy customer order bank and feel confident that this positive trend is set to continue.”


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