- Honda’s first-quarter volume declined, though Acura still managed gains.
- March was notably weaker, with both brands posting double-digit drops.
- CR-V led the lineup, with hybrid demand playing a major role in its strength.
Like several major automakers right now, Honda has stumbled through the first quarter compared to last year. Still, the company is framing the period as a “strong result,” even as nearly every Honda and Acura model saw sales slip between January and March.
Overall, American Honda posted a 4.2% decline in sales, dropping from 351,557 units in Q1 2025 to 336,830 this past quarter. The Honda division took the bigger hit, down 5.1% to 304,478 units, while Acura managed to edge up 5.2% to 32,352 units.
Things worsened in March, with overall volume dropping 12% to 130,074 units across both brands. Of these, 117,677 came from Honda, a 12.9% decline, while Acura accounted for 12,397 units, marking a modest 2.8% drop.
Read: Honda Cuts $7,500 Off Every Prologue, Including Cars Already On Dealer Lots
However, the carmaker doesn’t appear overly concerned by this downturn, suggesting that comparing last quarter to Q1 2025 “isn’t a good barometer” as it says many shoppers pushed forward their car buying plans last year in anticipation of the Trump administration’s tariffs.
Honda USA 2026 Sales
Prelude Suffers
The new Honda Prelude’s performance through the quarter is particularly interesting. This year, 795 examples have been delivered in the United States, with 280 of those arriving in March. That represents a 6.4% dip from the 299 recorded in February, but a 29.6% increase from the 216 units posted in December.
Through Q1, the Honda Accord stood out as a rare bright spot. Its volume rose 21.9% to 37,317 units, and it remained strong in March with 13,612 units, a 13% increase. The Passport has also started the year well, with year-to-date figures climbing 20.1% to 14,045 units.
Most other Honda models recorded declines during Q1. Civic numbers slipped 2.3 percent, CR-V fell 3.8%, HR-V dropped sharply by 24.2%, Odyssey declined 16.4% , Pilot eased 3.5%, and Prologue deliveries fell by a steep 65.3%.
Despite these declines, the CR-V remained the brand’s top performer in March with 40,793 units, marking its strongest month since April 2025. Hybrid variants played a significant role, accounting for more than half of CR-V and Accord volume.
Things weren’t much better at Acura. The four-door Integra was its standout performer, with 5,877 units sold in Q1, a 25.6% jump from last year. It proved especially popular in March, with sales hitting 2,730 and up 42.2% from March 2025. The ADX is also selling well, with 7,864 delivered through the quarter.
