Kurt Verlin
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Honda Back to Breaking Sales Records in September

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2021 Honda Passport
Photo: Honda

Honda set a new September sales record to cap off a strong 2020 Q3, its first month of positive sales since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Honda brand sales were up 11 percent while Honda trucks (including SUVs and crossovers) were up 20.4 percent, a record performance for the month.

September thus marked a return to the usual for Honda. As before the pandemic, small vehicles were down and big vehicles were up; and also as before, the CR-V SUV stole the spotlight. With sales of 33,572, it was up 29.6 percent compared to last year, a new record for the nameplate. The CR-V Hybrid also recorded its best month with sales topping 3,200, showing improved consumer interest in electrified models.


Related: Honda CR-V Hybrid spotlight

Honda’s other truck offerings did well too, including the Passport, which was up 36.3 percent; the Pilot, up 5.7 percent; and the Ridgeline, up 8.9 percent. The HR-V and Odyssey minivan were down, but not by very much.

And while it would be easy to forget the Accord and Civic for failing to match their September 2019 sales performance, they nonetheless both breached into the 20,000s, making them the bestselling Honda models after the CR-V.

In fact, the Civic posted its best quarter of 2020 despite limited supplies of the hatchback model, and it’s on track to be the bestselling retail car in America for the fifth consecutive year — and the bestselling retail compact in America for the 10th consecutive year.


Related: 2021 Odyssey comes with family-friendly updates

“September marks a high-water mark for Honda sales this year with double-digit gains and our first month in positive territory since the pandemic began,” said Dave Gardner, American Honda’s executive vice president of National Operations.

Gardner added that with high interest in its newly released Acura TLX, the company is optimistic for a strong close to the year. Who would have guessed, just a few months ago, that car sales would bounce back so quickly and strongly?