It’s taken a few years, but consumers are taking certified pre-owned vehicles more seriously these days. Last year, there were 1.83 million CPO vehicles sold – the most ever and more than 92,000 units sold in 2011, according the Autodata Corp. That previously had been the best year ever for CPO sales.
During 2012, 10 brands achieved their strongest year ever for certified sales – Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Maserati, Mazda, Mini, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, and Volkswagen. December CPO sales were down 0.7% from December 2011, but several companies had very strong months. Kia and Maserati had their best months ever, and a few brands had their strongest December sales on record.
For American Honda, the gain in CPO sales was much stronger than the company’s original objective. Acura felt the tightness in the market, but not Honda. Honda dealers were able to source and certify used vehicles. The slow economy and reduced SAAR in 2009 didn’t affect Honda that badly for CPO. “With a 20-plus percent increase in lease maturities in 2013, we are poised for another record in 2013,” said American Honda’s Brian Butts.