Honda Malaysia reports new monthly sales record for July
Having endured a torrid 2011 and making a hesitant start to 2012, Honda Malaysia is on a firm road to recovery having just announced an all-time high monthly sales record of 5,045 units for July 2012. This impressive surge was fueled by strong demand for the facelifted City and all-new Civic, both of which accounted for over 60% of sales.
“It is with great joy and excitement that we can share this good news with our customers. We had to start this year on a challenging note, however we strived to recapture our high spirits and confidence believing that our Challenging Spirit will help us rise stronger from the dire straits in 2011. And today we are most delighted to announce this record sales achievement in July,” remarked Mr. Yoichiro Ueno, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Honda Malaysia.
The twin natural disasters that struck Japan and Thailand last year, particularly the latter, represented a big blow to Honda Malaysia’s operations, even forcing a temporary shut down of its plant in Pegoh due to insufficient CKD kits available for assembly. The enforced downtime was nevertheless not wasted, as it gave the company time to plan its investments and expansion. A new warehouse was opened in February followed by the completion of a new PDI centre, and it was only recently announced that the Pegoh plant will commence CKD operations for hybrid-powered vehicles.
In addition to the facelifted City and all-new Civic, Honda Malaysia’s line-up was also boosted by the facelifted Insight, the new Jazz Hybrid, and more affordable Grade S variants for the Jazz and Freed. Additionally, the popular CR-Z hybrid is now offered with the option of a CVT alongside its 6-speed manual transmission – further enhancing its appeal.
The facelifted City, which now comes with a 5-year warranty, continues to be Honda Malaysia’s top seller, with 2,217 examples finding homes, accounting for 44% of July’s sales. The Civic sold some 1,094 units, though this figure consists of a mix between the old 8th generation and current 9th generation units. It does not include a further 185 units of the all-new Civic Hybrid. According to a media release by Honda Malaysia, the all-new Civic has thus far accumulated 3,000 bookings.
Mr. Ueno said, “We have achieved the V-shape recovery to come back to the market. We will continue giving our best effort to receive the support and trust from our valued customers in Malaysia. The July sales record would surely encourage our associates, dealers and all business partners to work harder in providing the best products and greatest value to Malaysians. The second half of 2012 looks promising and we want to assure our customers that we will continue providing products and services of the highest quality.”
Pictures: Official Honda release.
Further Details:
– Honda vehicle prices and specifications in Malaysia
– List of official Honda dealerships in Malaysia
