Three core Honda models — Accord, up 81 percent; Civic, up 98 percent; and CR-V, up 95 percent — helped the automaker achieve that 58 percent increase last month, with Honda division volume rising 53 percent and Acura up 112 percent. May marked American Honda’s third straight monthly increase after a stretch of declines prompted by severe inventory shortages tied to tight microchip supplies and shipping woes.
Sales of electrified models set a Honda brand monthly record of more than 32,000 vehicles in May, according to the Honda division.
The Honda brand ended May with 34,000 vehicles on the ground, up from 12,000 a year earlier, while Acura had about 21,000 vehicles in stock, up from 4,000 at the start of June 2022.
Toyota Motor North America saw sales rise 6.4 percent to 187,205 vehicles in May, with the Toyota brand up 3.7 percent and Lexus up 25 percent. Light trucks, with an 11 percent gain, provided a major lift for the Toyota brand, offsetting an 8.9 percent decline for cars.
The automaker said it ended May with 153,742 Toyota and Lexus models in stock, 27,255 at dealerships and the rest in ports or in transit.
Ford Motor Co.’s May U.S. sales rose 11 percent. The Ford brand was up 12 percent with Lincoln down 14 percent. Led by a 43 percent increase in F-Series volume, Ford’s overall pickup deliveries rose 33 percent last month.
Ford brand sales have climbed for six straight months, while Lincoln volume has dropped for three straight months.
Ford said it ended May with gross stocks of 383,000 vehicles, including medium and heavy-duty trucks.
