Honda sales fall but popularity tops table

The Japanese carmaker Honda saw its car sales fall 36% in the first half this year but four of its models continued to top the popularity table in their respective categories.

The company said it accounted 41,326 of the 141,336 passenger cars sold in the country from January through June, securing a 29.2% market share.

The sales decline reflected the heavy impact of Covid-19 on consumers’ wallets and the auto industry, which saw sales fall 38.7% from a year earlier to 325,773 units of all car types.

“Consumers din’t dare to spend much and some put their decision to buy goods on hold,” a Honda spokesman told the Bangkok Post.

However, the company said it was satisfied with its top ranking in sales of passenger cars for the second year.

The Honda City remained the buyers’ favourite, gaining a 39.3% market share, while the Civic (56.7%) also topped its segment. Among sport utility vehicles, the Honda HR-V (33%) and CR-V (43%) led their segments also.

The company attributed their popularity to “a mix of factors”, pointing to safety technology, attractive prices and a premium look.

Honda Automobile (Thailand) chief operating officer Pitak Pruittisarikorn said he looked forward to better sales in the second half of this year now that lockdown measures have been eased.

“But the market will remain quite sensitive to unexpected incidents,” he said. “If something happens, people may once again be careful about their living habits and spending.”

He expects total market sales for this year will only reach 680,000 units, a 32% decrease from last year.