Honda Sales Falter 34% In December - Acura Sales Flatline Dropping 39.3%

That'll teach Honda/Acura to make ugly ass cars! Re: Honda Pilot, Acura TL

Take a look at the new TL's numbers down 39.8%, awful for a new model. Yes, the economy is part of the equation but I think it's the public reaction to Acura terrible new design language.

Everyone expected to see a loss as all people have started to come down in sales. But I can definitely give opinion as could many others on this board as to why Acura tanked so badly.

I would rather drive a V-6 Accord Coupe than anything in Acura's lineup currently. They are beak noses slapped onto some creased metal. No powertrain options to differentiate the models. It is still just navigation, or no navigation. The Type S line was a joke when it was reintroduced. Nothing more than appearance to make your car look go fast boy racer. Then they pumped a few extra horses into the TL Type S. Still not a big deal.

If you want to gain attention and hopefully sales down the road look into the following options:

1) Create an S2000 variant, a nice roadster would fit in the lineup well. While they are at it, create a new S2000.

2) Offer a Coupe again. The RSX may have been a little too young person oriented and was dropped since the Civic Si carries the same power now. But it was a great car. Refine it a bit more, a la G35 Coupe. Again an Acura variant of a Honda Accord Coupe.

3) Boost your power options in ALL MODELS. Still offer a 4cyl TSX, but offer a turbo version or a TL V6 powerplant. Give the TL an optional V8, and for the RL, you can do way better than those numbers for an 8 cylinder engine. Give the MDX a V8 option and a more potent V6. Also give the RDX a V6 option to go with the turbo 4.

4) Scrap the current RL and TL. Look at the 04 design, and build on it, don't destroy it. Clean up a few items, finesse the styling.

5) Type S should mean performance. Upgrade the suspension, give it a throaty exhaust, add some nicely detailed wheels instead of dark grey racer looks. And for god sakes, do something under the hood better than a few extra ponies. Offer two versions of the V6 for the TL, lower power and higher power. Then give it a crazy V8 with 400hp at least. The car is the size of a 5 series, give it some brass.

For December BMW did worse than Honda.
Go to:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/06/business/06auto.html?hp

^ That's because people pulled up to the dealer, saw the 128i and X6 sitting next to each other at the main entrance turned around and went to Mercedes/Audi. LOL!

Just kidding but still funny to think about.

I like that

why Accord Hybrid is not selling at all?
did they stop the production?

no more honda accord hybrid, it didn't sell well. As far as I know, production has been completely halted (I could be wrong, however I do recall Honda saying that they were ceasing accord hybrid production).

Also not the 68% decline (Dec on Dec) for the Civic hybrid. Once again, hybrids AREN'T the "cars people want to buy" unless gas is expensive.

Small hybrids really do not make any sense unless gas is very expensive and you do a lot of city driving. The Prius has soured rational logic... it makes no sense to take small, aerodynamic, lightweight cars and put hybrid systems on them. It makes sense to take big gas guzzlers and hybridize them since all that torque from electric motors is better suited to vehicles of larger mass.

honda misread the market and offered the accord hybrid as a PERFORMANCE hybrid, with the v6. no 4-cyl version was made.

toyota made better calls.

I have to agree with Whelan. Acura's design language is lousy right now.I really think they need to go back to the drawing board. Further he is right in stating the lack of mechanical differences to Honda.All Acura's should be either RWD or AWD. By buying a TSX all you are saying is I want a smaller Honda Accord and I'm willing to pay more money for it.Acura also needs a coupe but not an Acura version of the Accord coupe!

It's the economy Infiniti is doing much worse than Acura the G only sold #300 units more than the TL eventhough they were offering 0% financing for most of December the rest of the lineup is a disater especially the M and FX at -50%+

It's the economy Infiniti is doing much worse than Acura the G only sold #300 units more than the TL eventhough they were offering 0% financing for most of December the rest of the lineup is a disater especially the M and FX at -50%+