PRESS RELEASE
Polk Research says Honda Accord Still Most Popular With Consumers
Honda Accord Still Most Popular With Consumers
TORRANCE, Calif., Dec. 18 -- Individual buyers picked
the Honda Accord over the Ford Taurus by nearly a two-to-one margin
during the 1996 model year, according to final 1996 model year
registration figures from the independent firm of R. L. Polk and
Company.
The Accord recorded 351,332 individual registrations during the
'96 model year, easily outdistancing the second place Toyota Camry
with 314,415. The Taurus finished seventh overall in individual
registrations, with 180,423.
"It's no contest - Accord is America's most popular car," said
Dick Colliver, Honda Division senior vice president. "It's nice to be
number one in raw sales figures, but it's really nice to be number one
with consumers."
The data is based on new car registrations. R. L. Polk began
separating individual consumer purchases and leases from fleet
purchases in 1993 and the Accord has been number one ever since. Polk
considers a vehicle a fleet purchase when 10 or more vehicles are
registered to the same address
Trailing the Accord and Camry were the Honda Civic, Ford Escort,
Saturn, Chevrolet Cavalier, Taurus, Toyota Corolla, Pontiac Grand Am
and Chevrolet Lumina.
1996 Model Year Top 10 Polk Retail Registrations
Model Individual Fleet Total '96MY
Registrations Registrations Registrations
Honda Accord 351,332 15,476 366,808
Toyota Camry 314,415 42,344 356,759
Honda Civic 289,768 8,233 298,001
Ford Escort 233,080 60,210 293,290
Saturn 212,217 5,186 217,403
Chev. Cavalier 203,952 75,425 279,377
Ford Taurus 180,423 187,620 368,043
Toyota Corolla 171,717 50,106 221,823
Pontiac Grand Am 144,987 84,013 229,000
Chevrolet Lumina 144,218 103,666 247,884
CONTACT: Art Garner, 310-375-5932; Mike Ackerman, 212-765-3804; Andy
Boyd, 313-567-7770
