“All things considered, we had a very successful 2021 with record sales of light trucks and electrified vehicles coupled with incredible demand, especially for all-new models like the Civic and Acura MDX,” Executive Vice President of National Operations Dave Gardner said in a statement. “While we’re not out of the woods yet with supply issues or the global pandemic, I thank our procurement and production team, suppliers, and dealers for braving the difficult obstacles to get products to our customers at this unprecedented time.”
Honda’s namesake division sold more than 1.3 million vehicles last year, including 800,000 light trucks; 100,000 electrified vehicles; and nearly 500,000 passenger cars. The CR-V crossover led the pack with 361,271 units sold, up 8.3% from 2020 total.
The automaker’s Acura division sold 157,408 vehicles, a 14.9% year-over-year increase. Its MDX SUV posted second-best annual sales, topping 60,000 units for the first time since 2014, according to Honda.
Analysts at Santa Monica-based Edmunds.com Inc. estimate that about 15 million new vehicles were sold in the United States last year, and they expect that number to grow to 15.2 million in 2022, which is poised to be “another challenging year marked by inventory shortages amid strong consumer demand.”
“2021 marked an unusual year of highs and lows for the industry: Every automaker across the board struggled at the mercy of their suppliers and logistics amid chip and inventory shortages while simultaneously enjoying skyrocketing consumer demand and minimized spending on incentives,” Edmunds Executive Director of Insights Jessica Caldwell said in a statement. “Sales have been depressed since the spring, but consumer appetite for new vehicles continues to run high, which will only serve to build up deferred demand next year and beyond. In 2022, there won’t be a question of how many new vehicles consumers will buy, but how many vehicles automakers can actually produce.”
Honda also continued its 12-year streak as the presenting sponsor of the 133rd Rose Parade in Pasadena Jan. 1.
