Honda News: Honda To Dealers: Clear Out 2012 Civics, 2013 Models Coming Nov 29

[William Maley 914]

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

October 23, 2012

"For your dealership to take full advantage of the refreshed Civic and the marketing we will have supporting it you must greatly increase the turn rate on our 2012 Civics. With the unprecedented enhancements we have made to the current Civic after its first year in its cycle you will want to have little to no Civics on hand at arrival time of this refreshed 2013 model. The changes made to the 2013 model will make the outgoing 2012 Civic a difficult model sell when they are side to side. I strongly encourage you to discuss your Civic inventory situation with your district manager today, and set up a sell down strategy that will reduce your total remaining model year 2012 Civics by a minimum of 60% before December 1, 2012. I cannot stress enough, sell down of your 2012 Civics is critical to the 2013 Civic launch and the success of inventory balance at your dealership."

This excerpt is from a letter by David Hendley, Assistant Vice President of Honda National Sales that was given to Autoblog by an anonymous tipster.

Hendley's letter also gives some hints as to what to expect in the 2013 Civic. The 2013 Civic will address the 2012 Civic's interior by having "upgrades and improvements to bring more sophistication and quality to its appearance." Outside, the 2013 Civic will get "dramatic improvements to the exterior styling that moves Civic into a more premium sporty direction."

The 2013 Honda Civic goes on sale on November 29, 2012.

Source: Autoblog

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

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[ocnblu 1,809 6 Vehicles]

2013 Accord is nicer than last year's. Hopefully this Civic re-do is substantive as well.

[dfelt 3,829 5 Vehicles]

Wait and See attitude. I hope the CNG version also gets it. I gong to assume it will.

[A Horse With No Name 3,190]

Civic was one of the worst redesigns in modern history...I'll be interested to see what they did to change it...

[Drew Dowdell 8,615 2 Vehicles]

I wouldn't say it was "worst" it was just unnoticeable as a redesign. When car guys have to look more than once to be able to tell the difference, then you know it was a lame redesign.

[Delta Force79 56]

I wouldn't say it was "worst" it was just unnoticeable as a redesign. When car guys have to look more than once to be able to tell the difference, then you know it was a lame redesign.

I could say the same thing about Porsche. With that said I know the Civic attracts a wider range of people and I agree the redesign was lame. I'm still trying to see what is different about it. I've never been much for Hondas but their designs over the past number of years have lacked any sort of substance, whereas in the past I could at least give them credit for trying. I still like the Acura Legend of the early 90's, I always liked the clean classy look of it. Honda dropped the ball big time when they replaced it with the RL and it seems at least now they're wasting no time in correcting their mistakes in regards to the Civic.