Honda started last year with about 20,000 vehicles on hand and maintained single-digit inventory days for much of the year, Diallo said.
Looking ahead, Diallo said the brand is optimistic.
“We plan to start this year with about double the inventory on hand we had last year and build about 1.3 million units,” Diallo said.
Turning the pages of what the brand called “the year of the Honda SUV,” Diallo said 2023 would be “the year of digitalization and electrification transformation.”
“This year we will really see evidence of our smart strategy as it leads to fully electrified sales,” he said.
Both brands will debut electric crossovers for model year 2024, the Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX, each part of a collaboration with General Motors. Pre-sales activity for both EVs will begin at the end of his 2023.
The launch of ZDX coincides with Acura’s introduction of an omnichannel sales platform in collaboration with Acura and a small group of dealers.
“We said Acura would be the tip of the spear for digitalization… starting with the first electrification [crossover] With the introduction of ZDX, all Acura EV sales are now 100% online,” said Diallo.
“Whether the process starts in the living room and continues at the dealership or starts at the dealership, [the consumer] When you enter the information online, the dealer becomes part of the transaction,” he said. The brand has not decided whether trading gasoline vehicles will be part of future online sales.
further electrification
Additional efforts to push for electrification will also be made on Honda’s part.redesigned 11th generation AccordBeginning to arrive this month, Honda offers four well-equipped hybrid trims that it expects to attract half of Accord buyers.
Diallo also said Honda will increase hybrid powertrain production at its Ohio plant “almost tripling” to meet volume expectations. We believe that we can build a customer base for electric vehicles. Honda also expects half of CR-V buyers to opt for his hybrid variant of his best-selling compact crossover.
The higher output also applies to the long-awaited Civic Hybrid, which will go on sale in 2024 in sedan and hatchback form. It follows the well-received 11th generation compact sedan in 2021.
Two other major Honda offerings are the five-seater Passport and the Ridgeline pickup. A rugged-looking Passport debuts this fall, with revised TrailSport trim for enhanced off-road capability. The Ridgeline also gets a tougher look and TrailSport joins the lineup.