KUALA LUMPUR: Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd has targeted to sell about 80,000 vehicles this year but it may have attained the target in just six months.
Company executives said it had received orders for some 105,000 vehicles in the first six months of the year, although such orders did not essentially translate into firm sales or deliveries.
They said July, being the first month after the government lifted the sales tax waiver for the local automotive sector, would be a litmus test for Honda Malaysia as this would more or less determine whether the bookings would translate into firm sales.
The 105,000 bookings included a whopping 50,000 units last month alone as car buyers rushed to take advantage of the sales tax exemption on new vehicle purchases before the incentive expired on June 30.
And that 50,000 bookings included more than 20,000 units of the Hip and Smart Runabout Vehicle, the all-new Honda HR-V.
Honda Malaysia executives said the new HR-V had already been making waves in the market, attracting more than 20,000 units since bookings were opened last month.
This means that customers will have to wait as long as 12 months for their units to be delivered.
Honda Malaysia expects to sell 1,600 units of the new HR-V a month.
"I am pleased to inform that the all-new HR-V has received more than 20,000 bookings," Honda Malaysia managing director and chief executive officer Hironobu Yoshimura said at the launch today.
"With the high-demand of this new model, we would like to update that the waiting period is 12 months, depending on the availability of selected variant. However, rest assured that Honda Malaysia is doing our very best to deliver the new cars to our esteemed customers in a timely manner," Yoshimura added.
He said the extension of sales tax exemption by the government had also boosted Honda car sales.
The HR-V created a brand-new compact SUV segment when it made its debut in Malaysia in 2015.
Cumulatively, some 111,000 units of the HR-V have been sold since its introduction here.
The new HR-V is offered in four variants from three powertrains for customers to choose from based on their lifestyle and preferences.
The powertrains are the hybrid 1.5-litre e:HEV, the 1.5-litre VTEC turbocharged engine and the 1.5L DOHC i-VTEC engine.
Prices start from RM114,800 for the 1.5L S and RM129,800 for the 1.5T E variant to RM134,800 for the 1.5TV variant and RM140,800 for the 1.5L e:HEV RS variant.
The new HR-V, which was developed with the concept of "Amp Up Your Life", has been transformed featuring exceptional styling, advanced powertrain and innovative features yet remaining practical as an everyday companion.
The exterior of the new HR-V has received a full transformation to appear stylish and premium compared to its predecessor.
The front appearance is dominant with a new sporty front grille design while the rear is further elevated with a bold design comprising LED taillight strip.