It has been many moons since we talked about Honda, and in the last 12 months a lot has happened.

First, and probably most important, Honda has slipped out of the Top Ten retailers, according to VFacts. Sales are down 36.9% on this time last year, but all is not as it seems.

Many of the models have been quietly dropped as a result of either slow sales, or runout pending a new model.

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Honda Accord
Honda Accord
Honda Accord

ABOVE: All-New Honda Accord, All-New Honda Civic, Civic Type R

Honda’s current line-up

Currently for sale is: CR-V, HR-V, Civic Hatch, Accord and Odyssey. Type R has runout, but the new Civic Hatch was revealed earlier in the year, for a launch date in the 4th quarter this year. Type R will follow some time in 2022.

Civic sedan was dropped permanently. A Honda spokesman said, “When the Civic Sedan was announced last November, we confirmed we would not be bringing it to Australia as the hatch body style is preferred by Australians. “

In more Honda news, Hybrids will become standard as each new model is released. The choice of petrol or hybrid will bring honda into line with many other car makers. The e:HEV lineup will increase over the new few model releases, and it will be interesting to see how it goes. Honda has had a lot of luck with previous hybrid models, and so far this year, only 13 Accords have been sold. Accord is Honda’s only current hybrid model.

Accord was the first of the new Hondas to come under this new regime. It is available as a 140kw petrol, or 158kw hybrid. We’ll bring you a review as soon as the car becomes available after lockdown.

The next new model is Civic Hatch, with H-RV to be the next launch.

What is Honda’s New Sales model?

Honda is among several brands to move to an “agency model” as outlined in our story. Briefly, it means the price is standard across the country, and cars are sold through Honda. Dealers continue to service cars at $125 per standard service. The prices online are drive away, and all charges and fees are included.

A Hondas spokesman said, “Retail sales volumes are no longer our measure of success for Honda Australia. With the current COVID restrictions in Sydney and Melbourne at the launch of our new model, and the rollout of new model in metro area sales in July and August were impacted. We are currently building the pipeline of orders and we anticipate it will take three to fourth months to generate rolling carryovers. Standard YOY VFACTS measure is not true reflection of agency model as it is comparing to old model.”

Tanya Waite, recently purchased a Honda CR-V from Southport Honda on the Gold Coast. She said the Honda Price Promise eliminated a lot of anxiety from the buying process, and saved “a huge amount of precious time.”

“I guess not everyone is a good negotiator and you feel a bit of pressure when you are buying a big ticket item like a car, and that if you don’t negotiate you might not be getting the same deal as other people,” she said.

“So, I actually quite like the fact that everyone is paying the same price. It seems really transparent to me and it’s a level playing field for everyone.

As the transition to the new model has been a complete rethink of the way the carmaker does business, sales figures are expected to normalise over the coming year.

Has Covid affected supply?

Honda confirmed no current issues with supply despite the semiconductor issues. The plant in Thailand is being watched carefully as the country experiences severe Covid rate increases.

Honda continues to be to be a well-designed product that is reliable, safe, and comfortable. There are quirky features such as Lane Watch which give the brand a unique selling point. The next 12 months should provide a clearer picture of where the brand is heading and whether or not the buying public accept the new model.

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