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New and refreshed models in 2026 are expected to continue Honda Australia's sales comeback after moving to fixed-price sales strategy.
Honda Australia is targeting its third consecutive year of sales growth in 2026, hoping to capture an additional 10 per cent of share off the back of an expected 10 per cent increase in 2025.
Speaking to media, Honda Australia General Manager of Automotive Robert Thorp said the goal is for another year of expanding sales after the brand logged a record-low annual tally of 13,734 units in 2023.
“Year-on-year, we’re sort of looking at about a 10 per cent growth in sales [in 2025], which in a flat market with the level of competition that’s there at the moment, we’re really proud of what we’ve been able to achieve,” Thorp said.
“And that’s also being done on the back of really no new models.
“As we project forward, and we’ve got [Prelude and Super-One launching next year] which will provide some incremental volume.
“Plus, with CR-V and ZR-V … [we] will see an extension of the hybrid range, we’re projecting another 10 per cent growth next year.”
While Honda Australia sales were at 43,868 units in 2019, the brand axed a number of popular models like the Jazz in 2020 before the switch to a fixed-price, agency sales model in mid-2021.
The plan was to ramp down sales to a “sustainable” 20,000-unit yearly figure, but in 2021 sales dropped to 17,562, and again in 2022 to 14,215 before hitting a new low in 2023.
However, Honda’s sales have slowly been climbing since, with 2024’s tally increasing 2.6 per cent to 14,092.
With December 2025 sales still to be counted, Honda Australia has already surpassed last year’s 12-month figure, currently sitting on 14,194 sales to the end of November – or a 9.1 per cent year-on-year increase.
If Honda’s sales trajectory continues, it should finish the year with around 15,484 sales, and if it achieves its 2026 plan, next year’s tally would sit around 17,000 and be one of its biggest 12 months for the brand since switching sales models.
To stimulate growth, Honda Australia will launch the Prelude coupe in April, and its first electric car with the Super-One in the fourth quarter (October – December).
However, the bulk of volume is still expected from mainstream SUVs like the CR-V and ZR-V that will both be refreshed in the first quarter (January – March) of 2026.
At present, hybrid powertrains are limited to top-spec versions of the CR-V and ZR-V, meaning a $59,990 drive-away and $54,990 price respectively, but the update will likely see the barrier to entry of Honda’s petrol-electric SUV pair lowered.
An all-wheel drive version of the hybrid CR-V is also on the cards, taking aim to the likes of the Toyota RAV4, Subaru Forester, and Nissan X-Trail.
Despite a clear plan for 2026, Thorp said Honda would still need to fight for its fair share of sales.
“We also recognise it’s going to be a challenge, the market isn’t just going to give it to us, so there’s still a fair bit of work ahead of us,” Thorp said.
“But that’s what we’re looking for – sustainable growth.”
Tung Nguyen has been in the automotive journalism industry for over a decade, cutting his teeth at various publications before finding himself at Drive in 2024. With experience in news, feature, review, and advice writing, as well as video presentation skills, Tung is a do-it-all content creator. Tung’s love of cars first started as a child watching Transformers on Saturday mornings, as well as countless hours on PlayStation’s Gran Turismo, meaning his dream car is a Nissan GT-R, with a Liberty Walk widebody kit, of course.
