The Honda Prelude has seen an improvement in its sales numbers for January, but it still remains below the company's target of 300 units per month. The coupe has been on sale since December and has managed to deliver just 216 units so far, a significant increase from its first full month of sales in December when only 174 units were sold. Despite this, Honda is still short of its goal for the model.
One possible reason for this could be markups placed by dealers nationwide, with some cases seeing prices over $10,000 above the MSRP. This may be deterring potential customers from purchasing the Prelude. On a more positive note, other models within the Honda and Acura brands have seen strong sales numbers in January, including the CR-V, Pilot, Civic, Odyssey, Passport, and ADX crossover.
The demand for these models is likely driving growth for the company as a whole. However, it's clear that the Prelude still needs to find its footing in the market. Honda has stated plans to deliver 4,000 Preludes annually, making it more popular than the Subaru BRZ if buyers materialize.
For now, though, the Prelude remains an underperforming model for the company. The strong sales of other models within the brand may help to offset this, but the Prelude's struggles are a concern for Honda. As the market continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how the Prelude adapts and whether it can meet its target sales numbers.
The Prelude's struggle to gain traction in the market is likely due to a combination of factors, including high markups by dealers and potentially competitive pricing. To improve sales, Honda may need to revisit its pricing strategy and work with dealers to reduce markups. Additionally, the company could consider offering incentives or promotions to attract more customers to the Prelude.
