GREENSBURG, Ind., Jan. 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Honda Manufacturing of Indiana (HMIN) today announced to its team of associates that it will add production of America's best-selling SUV, the Honda CR-V, beginning in 2017. HMIN will continue to produce the Civic Sedan as it adds production of the CR-V.
Honda will start CR-V production in Indiana in conjunction with a production change at a Honda de Mexico (HDM) auto plant in Guadalajara, also planned for early 2017. The Guadalajara plant will transition from production of CR-V to the all-new Honda HR-V to help meet demand for Honda's newest crossover vehicle. The HR-V will then be produced at both HDM plants in Mexico, in Guadalajara and in its newest plant, in Celaya. Together, these production changes support the continued effort to fortify the Honda light-truck lineup.
"Our team is excited to take on responsibility for another important vehicle in the Honda CR-V, leveraging the manufacturing flexibility of our associates and making optimal use of our capabilities in Indiana," said Bob Nelson, president of HMIN. "Producing the CR-V here is one step in Honda's efforts in North America to meet strong customer demand for our light truck products."
HMIN has produced the Civic Sedan since the company started manufacturing operations in Indiana on October 9, 2008. It began production of the all-new 10th generation 2016 Honda Civic in October 2015. In early 2017, HMIN will begin production of the CR-V, America's best-selling SUV in each of the past three years.
This is not the first time HMIN has demonstrated the flexibility to manufacture multiple vehicles. From April 2012 to November 2014, HMIN was the exclusive home to the Acura ILX, a vehicle that was transferred to Honda of America Mfg. in Marysville, Ohio, in 2015. HMIN also previously produced the Civic Natural Gas, then the only mass-produced natural gas passenger car in America.
"We are very proud of our Civic heritage here in Indiana and the introduction of the record selling CR-V to HMIN is another important milestone for our team," said Tim Reisinger, HMIN Manufacturing Division Manager. "Our associates are excited to use their great experience to meet this challenge."
Production of the CR-V in North America began in September 2006 at the East Liberty (Ohio) Auto plant. Production of CR-V by HDM in Guadalajara began in 2007, when the plant transitioned from production of the Accord to the CR-V.
The CR-V is a perennial favorite of American car buyers and was Honda's second highest selling model in the U.S. in 2015. With cumulative U.S. sales of nearly 3.5 million units since its introduction in 1997, the Honda CR-V is the segment's best-selling model of all time and has held the title of America's best-selling SUV for three consecutive years1. In October 2014, Honda introduced refreshed 2015 CR-V, which has been on a record breaking sales run, posting best-ever monthly sales results in nine of the past 12 months, including an all-time, any-month record of 34,771 units set in August. The freshened 2015 CR-V, which was named 2015 Sport Utility of the Year by Motor Trend magazine, also contributed to CR-V's best-ever year in 2015, with sales topping 335,000 units, its fourth straight year of U.S. sales growth and a 3.2 percent increase over 2014 results. CR-V is also the best-selling SUV in America to under-35, millennial buyers3.
About HMIN
Honda became the first Japanese automaker to manufacture cars in the U.S. in 1982 with the opening of its Marysville, Ohio, auto plant. HMIN became Honda's fourth auto plant in the U.S. and its seventh in North America when it began production of Civic sedans on October 9, 2008. With employment of over 2,300 associates and capital investment exceeding $900 million, HMIN manufactures automobiles primarily for the U.S. market, and for export to markets outside of North America. HMIN has the capacity to produce 250,000 vehicles and last year it sourced more than $2.4 billion in OEM parts from 57 suppliers. HMIN maintains one of the lowest environmental footprints of any automobile plant in Honda's global production network.
About Honda in North America
Honda operates 18 manufacturing facilities in North America, including eight automobile plants with the capacity to produce nearly 2 million Honda and Acura automobiles annually, using domestic and globally sourced parts. This comprises more than 90 percent of the new Honda and Acura vehicles sold in the region. The company has invested more than $22 billion in its North American manufacturing operations with cumulative purchases from North American parts suppliers surpassing $330 billion.
1 Based on PAI/Autodata cumulative sales data in the Entry CUV segment 1997-2015CYTD August
2 Based on PAI/Autodata cumulative sales data for all SUV, CUV, MPV, and Station Wagon models 1997-2015CYTD August
3 Based on IHS Automotive, Polk new U.S. retail vehicle registration data for the SUV and CUV segments and age of head of household data for 2015CYTD June
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SOURCE Honda North America
