Business
* Honda 2012 Accord sales up 28 percent this year
* Accord is No. 2 model in U.S. car sales, behind Camry
* More than 9 million Accords made at Ohio plant
Aug 20 (Reuters) - The first mass-production version of the2013 model year Honda Motor Co Accord sedan, fully madeover and the most important new vehicle for Honda this year inthe U.S. market, rolled off an Ohio assembly line on Monday, thecompany said.
The 2013 Accord will go on sale at U.S. dealerships nextmonth. The 2012 version of the Accord is thesecond-biggest-selling car in the United States so far thisyear, behind the Toyota Motor Corp Camry.
The Accord has been made at the Honda plant northwest ofColumbus, Ohio since 1982, when Honda became the first Japaneseautomaker with a U.S. plant.
Since then, more than 9 million Accord sedans have been madeat the plant.
"For 30 years, the Accord has been the signature vehiclefrom Honda, and it remains the industry benchmark in a verycompetitive segment," said Hide Iwata, president and chiefexecutive of Honda of America Manufacturing.
Honda hopes that the full makeover of the Accord will helpit keep pace or outsell the likes of the Camry, Nissan Altima,Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Malibu and Hyundai Sonata.
Sales generally spike when a model gets a makeover, andHonda expects that the ninth-generation of the Accord willfollow that trend when it goes on sale next month. Sales for thecurrent 2012 version of the Accord are up 28 percent this year.
The midsize sedan market is the most competitive in theUnited States. By year's end, most of the major competitors willbe selling models that have been significantly updated in thepast year.
Through July, five of the 11 top-selling models in the U.S.auto market were midsize sedans. And, excluding pickup trucksand SUVs, five of the top seven were midsize sedans.
The top-selling midsize car through July was far and awaythe Camry, updated last year, at 243,816 sold. That was 24percent more than the Accord, followed closely by the NissanMotor Co Altima.
Most of those Altima sales were for its 2012 model, which is still on dealer lots, sharing space with the new 2013 Altima.
The first revamped Camry rolled off an assembly line inKentucky a year ago this week. Sales of Camry are up 40 percentso far this year.
After Altima in 2012 sales is the Ford Motor Co Fusion. A new Fusion for the 2013 model year will go on salelater this year.
Then, in order, comes the Chevrolet Malibu from GeneralMotors Co and the Sonata from Hyundai Motor Co.
