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Add these fun Honda facts to your sales process to showcase your brand knowledge
In 1922 at the age of 15, Soichiro Honda left school and began working as a mechanic for Tokyo Art Shokai, an automobile servicing company. Six years later, he returned to his hometown, Tenyru, and opened his auto repair business. In 1937, Honda founded Tokai Seiki to produce piston rings for Toyota. Unfortunately, his plants were destroyed by bombings during World War II, and he sold the remains of his company to Toyota.
Honda regrouped and founded the Honda Technical Research Institute in 1946 to build and sell motorized bikes. The success of the bikes led to the formation of the Honda Motor Company in 1948 — and the rest is history. Today, Honda is one of the top automobile brands in the world.
Did you know anything about Honda’s founder before reading that brief story? There are tons of interesting facts about the brand you could use during the sales process at your auto dealership. Sharing some fun Honda facts can help you connect with customers who are thinking of purchasing a Honda, and provide you with some good small talk fodder if you’re trying to keep a conversation going. Either way, if you make your living selling Hondas, you should know as much as possible about the brand so you can do your job well.
Interesting Honda facts that can help you make the sale
1. Honda originally manufactured motorized bicycles
During the post-war period, Soichiro Honda and a team of twelve men created engines to attach to bikes. Honda Motor Company became the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer in 1964.
2. Many Hondas are produced in the U.S.
Honda is a Japanese company, but not everyone realizes that Honda has several manufacturing facilities in America.
3. The Honda Accord was the first foreign vehicle manufactured in the U.S.
The 1982 model was produced in Honda’s Marysville, Ohio plant.
4. Honda makes more than cars and motorcycles
Honda is involved in the manufacturing of other products like watercraft, ATVs, aircraft, mountain bikes, lawn equipment, and solar cells. They even created a humanoid robot called ASIMO.
5. Honda has its own airport
It’s located in Japan near its main plant.
6. Honda is a major exporter of soybeans
They began shipping soybeans from the U.S. to Japan in 1986 because the crop was plentiful in Ohio, Japan had a market for it, and they wanted to invest in the state they were operating in.
7. Honda dominates the Indy 500
Honda-built engines have won more Indy 500 races than any other manufacturer.
8. Honda makes a private jet aircraft
The HA-420 HondaJet is powered by Honda engines.
9. Honda is the largest engine manufacturer in the world
The company makes over 14 million engines a year.
10. The Honda Gold Wing motorcycle has been in production for over 40 years
The first Gold Wing was manufactured in 1974.
11. The Honda Civic was Honda’s answer to the 1973 oil crisis
The first Civic got 40mpg on the highway.
12. Honda made the first four-wheel drive car
It was the 1987 Honda Prelude.
13. Joe drove his 1997 Honda Accord over one million miles
Joe Cicero of Maine reached one million miles in 2011 on the original engine and transmission. Honda gave him a parade and a new 2012 Accord.
14. Early Honda CR-Vs had picnic tables
From 1997 to 2006, every Honda CR-V had a folding plastic picnic table under the cargo area.
15. The Honda Acura is the first Japanese automotive luxury brand
The first Acura was released in America in 1986.
16. The first car mass-marketed by Honda was the S600
It was available as a convertible and fastback coupe.
17. Kelley Blue Book thinks they’re a good buy
In 2016, Kelley Blue Book awarded the “Best Buy of the Year” to the 2016 Honda Civic, CR-V, Pilot, and Odyssey, in their respective classes.
Sell other cars, too? Quick facts about other brands
Toyota has sold nearly 75 percent of all hybrids in the United States.
Hyundai’s sedans are major money-makers for the company — the Sonata and Elantra make up 50 percent of the company’s sales, combined.
Ford is the world’s largest family-owned business.
Dodge designed a special version of their Coronet that was only for sale in Texas.
Although the Purple Heart is usually only awarded to humans, a Jeep received one after it survived two beach landings during World War II.
Subaru’s Indiana automotive plant has zero landfill status, which means nothing from their factory enters a landfill. It was the first auto plant to boast this achievement.
Volkswagen used to give savings bonds to babies that were born in Volkswagen Beetles.
Walter Chrysler, the company’s founder, got his first car when he was 35. He was so fascinated by it that he took it apart and put it back together before learning how to drive it.
Every make and model has an interesting story to tell, so no matter what brand you work for, brush up on your general company knowledge — you never know who you’ll impress, and when they’ll buy a car from you.
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