The American Honda Automobile Division posted U.S. sales increases for two of its most popular nameplates, the CR-V and Accord, but a double-digit decline for the Civic resulted in a 0.4 percent drop overall last month. Acura deliveries rose for a seventh consecutive month.
Ford Motor Co.'s U.S. light-vehicle sales fell 4.4 percent in February as continued weakness in the car market offset a second consecutive month of double-digit gains for its luxury vehicles.
The Ford brand sold 177,085 vehicles last month, a 5.1 percent decline from February 2018, while Lincoln sales jumped 15 percent, according to the Automotive News Data Center.
Ford sold 2,899 of the new Ranger pickup in its second month on sale, up from 2,153 in January. The company's total truck sales rose 4.1 percent, despite a 3.1 percent drop in F-series sales.
Ford's car sales plummeted 37 percent as the automaker continues to wind down many low-margin vehicles. Ford last year said it would end North American production of its sedans. It has already stopped building the Fiesta and Focus, while the Taurus will be discontinued this month. The automaker has not given a firm timetable for ending Fusion production.
Brands: Ford down 5.1%; Lincoln up 15%
Notable nameplates: F series down 3.1%; Mustang down 31%; Fusion down 18%; Explorer up 4.4%; Edge down 4.4%; Escape up 0.1%; Focus down 86%; Lincoln Continental down 60%; Lincoln Nautilus up 27%; Lincoln MKZ up 1.4%; Lincoln Navigator up 33%
Incentives: $4,139, up 1.7 percent from a year earlier, according to ALG
Average transaction price: $38,482, up 3.4 percent from a year earlier, ALG said
Did you know? Lincoln sold 305 Continentals in February, marking the nameplate's worst month since it went on sale in September 2016.
Ford, FCA US and Japan's biggest automakers reported lower February U.S. sales as severe winter weather, lingering effects of the temporary U.S. government shutdown and anxiety over federal tax refunds curtailed showroom traffic.
