mmarshall

I'm not sure I buy this on-line-only-policy (no pun intended)....not only from Acura, but from any other automaker that does it. Many people (sensibly, IMO) still like to see, examine, and test-drive vehicles before they purchase or lease.

https://www.engadget.com/acuras-evs-...140054959.html

Acura will sell its EVs exclusively online starting in 2024

The ZDX and ZDX Type S will be the first models available for sale.



Honda NA



Andrew Tarantola|@terrortola|January 25, 2023 9:00 AM

Honda has big plans for the new year and electrification will play a huge part of that, the company's recently-promoted SVP of Sales, Mamadou Diallo, told reporters on Tuesday. Expect to see a lot more Honda and Acura hybrids on the road this year, ahead of a major EV push come 2024.

Overall, Honda is officially aiming to move 1.2 million units in 2023, with Acura shooting for 160,000 units, a 20 - 25 percent increase over what they sold in 2022. And although the company managed to maintain a single-digit days' supply of vehicles throughout last year, it enters 2023 with a glut of cars and trucks and a 17-day supply. As such, dealers are going to be looking to move a lot of that inventory before this year's models start arriving so fingers crossed, we could potentially see some Tesla-level price cuts in the near future.

"In 2023, we will see the strategies we've been talking about, including growing sales of light truck models, increasing volume of hybrid-electric models and the start of digital sales at Acura," Diallo said in a Wednesday press release. "All this leads toward our vision of 100-percent electrified sales by 2040 to fulfill our ultimately goal of zero emissions by 2050."



The ZDX and ZDX Type S will be Acura's first full-EV offerings and serve as the harbingers of the company's new, exclusively online EV sales strategy. Diallo didn't have much additional information regarding how the system would work — such as whether haggling was allowed or how individual vehicle prices would be set — but assured the assembled journalists, "as we get closer to [the ZDX debut], we certainly will be discussing this a little bit more with our dealer body and the press in general. For right now we're still finalizing all those details." Acura joins Ford, Volvo, GM and VW in shifting its electrified vehicle sales to the digital marketplace.

For its part, Honda is planning a significant increase in its hybrid vehicle production in 2023, starting with the newly-redesigned Accord and Accord Hybrid (they'll also be Honda's first with Google Built-In). The company "will continue to increase hybrid sales through core models as an important step in bridging customers to full electrified vehicles while reducing GHG emissions," the Wednesday release reads. Honda anticipates a solid half of this year's CR-V and Accord sales to be of the hybrid variety and its efforts bolstered in 2024 with the introduction of a new Civic hybrid. Sales for the all-electric Prologue begin this year with deliveries set for 2024.

LeX2K

Article does not back up the headline. In fact the article is a confusing mishmash of nonsense for the most part.

Acura is playing word games like Toyota and hopes no one will notice. So it's going to take Acura 17 years to be all hybrid. Wow, slow down Honda.

AMIRZA786

I test drove my Polestar before I bought it:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...estar-2-a.html

My brother in law test drove his Model 3 before he bought his. Explain to me exactly why you don't think you can examine or test drive a car you buy online when everyone I know who bought either a Tesla or Polestar were able to

AMIRZA786

"Many people (sensibly, IMO) still like to see, examine, and test-drive vehicles before they purchase or lease"

You can in fact examine and test drive vehicles from the two companies that sell direct through the internet. I haven't checked, but I believe RIvian is the same

mmarshall

If one can do so, fine. But, technically, at least in my book, an examination and test-drive is part of the buying process. Sample demo-models may or may not be available at the dealership for that test-drive.

AMIRZA786

I fully agree with you. It's silly to buy a car you are going to spend the next 3 to 10 years with and invest a lot of money in without a test drive. But the two companies that do online sales only (no dealerships) allow you to test drive and examine the car before buying. In fact they allow you to thoroughly examine the car before signing off and taking delivery. Why wouldn't Honda do that as well? Most wouldn't buy from a company that doesn't give you at least a test drive

LeX2K

Acura is not preventing you from test driving the car, or examining it. Where is that coming from?

mmarshall

If they only sell on-line, chances are likely (but not 100%) that they wont keep many, if any, at the dealerships for examination or test-driving. As I said earlier in the thread, I consider that part of the (necessary) buying process.

AMIRZA786

So far, everyone that has wanted to test drive a Tesla or Polestar has been able to. You're speculating. I don't understand why you keep repeating the same argument. The same could be true for Dealerships. Try and test drive a 2023 Toyota Crown or 2023 Prius. I called 3 different Toyota dealerships in my area and they told me I wouldn't be able to test drive a Crown until 2024

LeX2K

Why is this likely?

mmarshall

Because it costs them money to keep vehicles at the dealership that they don't sell. And, if those demos get too many miles on them from test drives (or from dealer-employees daily-commuting with them), they can no longer be eventually sold as new vehicles, lessening their value.

Look......I never said it would be completely impossible to test-drive something before buying on-line.....just a lot more difficult in some cases.

mmarshall

I'm not repeating the same arguments.....just answering questions other posters ask me. That's simple courtesy.

LeX2K

Dealerships already have to contend with all of this, online sales or not.
Could be less difficult in some cases. Direct sales model could be 10x times better. Since you've offered no data either way then it's simply guessing. To be clear I'm not making claims either way.

edit - I looked up dealership satisfaction rates they took a major dive recently due to massive gouging. Online sales have a fixed price and that's that much more consumer friendly.

Margate330

Hi mmarshall.

I think the car looks good, I'd drive it.
What's you're thought on the online model, think they can pull it off?

I got a little confused and had trouble seeing where the article ended and you ideas began.

PS- maybe times are changing and people will order cars like they order stuff on Amazon. lol

mmarshall

Time will tell if this policy is successful, but personally I have some doubts. As some others here have noted, a lot will depend on whether prospective buyers can successfully look at, sample, and test-drive examples at the dealership. Personally, I would NEVER order a new vehicle without a test-drive....and I don't recommend that others do it, either.