Honda Motor Co. Ltd. reportedly will cease production of its Accord model at its El Salto, Mexico, plant in favor of CR-Vs.
Honda announced last year it would begin building the cross/utility vehicle in Mexico due to strong demand for the new generation, which sold 27,914 units in the year’s first two months, according to Ward’s data, a 42.1% jump from like-2006. The CR-V ended last year as the best-selling model in Ward’s Middle CUV segment.
The auto maker is boosting the plant’s capacity from 30,000 units annually to 50,000, all earmarked for the CR-V, which also is built for North America at Honda’s East Liberty, OH, plant for North America.
Accord production for Mexico and Latin America will shift to Honda’s Marysville, OH, plant, where the model already is built for the U.S. and Canada, as well as Japan.
“We have the capability to supply Accords to Mexico from either Marysville or Japan and will monitor demand throughout North America in working out the most efficient way to meet the needs of the Mexican market,” a Honda spokesman tells Ward’s.
