Drew Dowdell

American Honda and Honda Brand Set March Sales Records Fueled by Robust Car Sales; Acura Brand Continues Resurgence Apr 2, 2019 American Honda nets car, truck and overall March sales records, rising 4%, 4.5% and 4.3% respectively Honda cars gain 5.3% while trucks rise 2.9% resulting in March records for both, as well as Honda brand Honda cars sales surge with Accord gaining 5%, and Civic up 3.3% with a new March record Acura sales increase 6.4% in March as resurgence continues with 8.9% gain in first quarter of 2019 Acura RDX sets yet another monthly sales record with a 32.7% increase American Honda Total 148,509 +4.3% Cars 70,420 +4.1% Trucks 78,089 +4.5% Total 134,101 +4.1% Cars 65,829 +5.3% Trucks 68,272 +2.9% Total 14,408 +6.4% Cars 4,591 -10.3% Trucks 9,817 +16.6% Honda Sales Highlights Honda’s record March sales was led by Accord and Civic, as Honda cars were big contributors, even as trucks also set a new March record with strong sales for HR-V, CR-V and Ridgeline. Civic, the retail car sales leader through February, rose 3.3% on sales of 33,653 units for a new March record. Accord gained 5% on sales of more than 25,000 units for the month. HR-V set a March record, gaining 10.7% on sales of 8,582 units. Ridgeline sales were up 4.2% in March, on sales of 2,804 units. Electrified vehicle sales totaled 5,874, with notable gains from Insight, Clarity PHEV and Accord. Acura Sales Highlights Acura sales continued strong momentum with its best March sales in five years, rising 6.4% as the brand completed a strong first quarter. Driving the gains were ILX, up more than 40%, and RDX, which set a new March record. ILX jumped 41.3% on sales of 1,289 units, while TLX sales of 3,141 marked its best month since March 2018. RDX sales increased 32.7% in March, on the way to setting a 10th consecutive monthly record on sales of 5,835 vehicles. MDX maintained a strong pace with sales of nearly 4,000 units.

If they geared it right, it might just be a decent little city runabout.

Ford unveiled the completely redesigned 2020 Ford Escape today ahead of its official showing at the New York Auto Show in two weeks. Some of the biggest news about the Escape comes under the hood where 4 new powertrains debut. The standard engine will be a 1.5 liter Ecoboost 3-cylinder that can run as a 2 cylinder during light load situations. The engine is projected to produce 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque when fueled with premium gas. This is the first Ford engine with cylinder deactivation. The engine will be standard issue on S, SE, and SEL level trims. When properly equipped, the 1.5T will tow up to 2,000 lbs. For those wanting more power, the Titanium trim will have a 250 horsepower, 275 lb-ft Ecoboost displacing 2.0 liters and coming standard with AWD. When running 93 octane, Ford says it will propel the Escape to 60 10% faster than the outgoing model. Towing for the 2.0T is maximum rated at 3,500 lbs. Both Ecoboost engines send power to the wheels via an 8-speed automatic. For the Eco-minded the hybrid returns to the Escape lineup after a 7 year absence, also joined by a plug-in variant. The Plug-in uses an all new 2.5 liter 4-cylinder Atkinson cycle hybrid engine paired with a CVT. The combined output of the hybrid is rated at 198 horsepower and is capable of 85 mph in electric only mode. The hybrid will be available only on the SE Sport and Titanium trim. The Plug-in hybrid will be available on SE, SEL, and Titanium trims. It will have an electric only range of 30 miles. Level 1 and Level 2 charging are available. Level 1 110 volt outlet takes 10 to 11 hours for a full charge from empty, switching to level 2 cuts that time to about 3.5 hours. Total system power increases over the standard hybrid to 209 horsepower, but will not be available with All-wheel drive. Both hybrid models feature 4 EV modes that allow the driver to adjust drive settings to the most suitable for conditions and needs. Auto EV mode - the vehicle decides whether to run on gasoline or electric power. EV Now Mode - the vehicle operates on all-electric drive. EV Later Mode - the vehicle operates on gasoline power to conserve electric miles for later EV Charge Mode - the vehicle operates on gasoline and recharges the battery for later EV only mode. Helping on the efficiency front, Ford designers made the most aerodynamic Escape ever. They made a more sloped roofline and strake, an efficient underbody, and an optimized liftgate spoiler. Overall, the 2020 Escape is 200lbs lighter than its predecessor. The new Escape is longer, lower, and wider than the outgoing model. The two ecoboost engines boast a range of 400 miles per tank, while the standard hybrid with FWD aims for a range of 550 miles. Inside, Ford engineers optimized space to increase headroom and cargo capacity. With the second row in the fully forward position, the rear cargo area can accommodate 4 golf bags or a full size dog crate. On the safety front, the Escape comes with Ford Co-Pilot 360 standard. Other technologies like Adaptive Cruise and Lane-Centering are available. Passengers are entertained via an 8-inch touch screen standard on SE and above. The gauge cluster is a 12.3 inch all digital system that uses 3D animated graphic to indicate drive mode. The 2020 Ford Escape will reach dealers in the fall with the Plug-in Hybrid variant due in Spring 2020. We will have more of the 2020 Ford Escape from the New York Auto Show on April 17th. View full article