Honda dealers are preparing for a two-year stream of freshened and redesigned vehicles, followed by a growing emphasis on hybrids and eventually electric vehicle models.
American Honda management and its retailers held a forward-focused make meeting at the NADA Show, discussing the enhanced products and ways to bolster the franchise in an evolving industry, said William Feinstein, chairman of the Honda National Dealer Advisory Board and president of Planet Honda in Union, N.J.
“We’re very excited about the launch of the new Ridgeline,” which has undergone a design freshen for the 2021 model and went on sale this month, Feinstein told Automotive News. “It couldn’t come at a better time with the truck segment absolutely booming.”act at all,” the dealer council leader said.
But that’s just the beginning after a lull in the Honda product cycle in recent years, Feinstein said.
“I think the next two years are going to be very good for Honda, starting later this year with the [redesigned] Civic and then moving on to next year with the CR-V, HR-V, Pilot — all the big vehicles being redesigned over two-plus years,” Feinstein said.
“The next discussions are going to be around electrification. We have a number of hybrids coming to market. But Honda doesn’t have a true battery electric for a few more years, so there’s enough time to prepare for infrastructure and all that,” he said.
Honda executives engaged dealers on strengthening the franchise, and showed some flexibility on facility requirements, given the industry’s growing focus on digital sales tools. “Honda expressed an understanding that the overall market is in flux,” Feinstein said.
On more immediate concerns, Feinstein reported that inventory levels are sufficient despite the semiconductor shortage.
“Based on what management said, there may be some blips here and there, but I don’t expect it to have a significant impact at all,” the dealer council leader said.