Honda Stands by Outlook for 25% U.S. Sales Gain

Honda Motor Co. still expects its American sales to hit their target of 1.46 million vehicles this year from 1.15 million units in 2011 despite a modest 9% increase last month, Bloomberg News reports.

Sales of Acura and Honda light vehicles had jumped 24% year over year to 1.07 million units from January through September.

U.S. sales chief John Mendel tells the news service that the company's slower growth pace in October was caused by Hurricane Sandy, which shut down sales in the Northeast at the end of the month. Industrywide October demand rose only 7% less than half its rate of increase in the first nine months of 2012.

Mendel predicts Honda's American volume will rebound in the final two months of the year, buoyed by strong sales of the CR-V small crossover vehicle, the restyled Accord midsize sedan and the arrival of the next-generation Civic compact late this month. He also expects demand to rise on the East Coast as consumer replace vehicles damaged by the storm.