Honda of Canada Mfg. (HCM) commenced the production of the all-new 2012 Honda CR-V, the highest selling imported Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) of Canada, at Alliston, Ontario. Now, both of Honda Canada's two most popular cars, namely Civic and CR-V, are built domestically. The Canadian subsidiary of the Japanese auto maker will now produce 70 per cent of all Honda cars in the country only, drastically reducing the need for imports.
According to Jerry Chenkin, Executive Vice President, Honda Canada Inc., “The Honda CR-V has set the gold standard in the compact SUV segment and has been embraced by Canadians since it arrived here in 1997. We’re proud that the all-new 2012 CR-V will be Canadian built.”
With the new CR-V joining the list of cars produced by HCM, the Alliston plant has earned the distinction of being the only Honda facility in North America to produce 4 different vehicles on the same line. The unit is used by the company to develop Civic, CR-V and Acura MDX and ZDX, a reflection of the potential of HCM as well as its partners.
Gilles Madore, vice president, Honda of Canada Mfg., said, “It certainly has been a challenging year for our 4,200 Associates at HCM. But with Civic being named Canada’s number one-selling passenger car for the fourteenth straight year and the addition of Honda’s second best-selling vehicle in Canada to our facility, we’re incredibly proud of what we have accomplished and are ready to provide Canadians with a made-in-Canada CR-V.”
November 2011 marked the 25th anniversary of Honda starting production at the Alliston plant. Since it began manufacturing at this plant, the company has rolled out approximately 6 million vehicles and infused over $ 2.6 billion in the country. The manufacturer also procures goods worth $ 1.1 billion from domestic suppliers per annum.
Brad Duguid, Minister of Economic Development and Innovation, commented, “The inauguration of Honda’s new CR-V at the Alliston plant in Ontario signals the strength of the auto sector in Ontario, new momentum for Honda and demonstrates confidence in the province’s economy. This move helps secure our position as a top auto manufacturing hub in North America and protect valuable sector jobs.”
The latest iteration of the CR-V boasts of a contemporary design, along with better interior comfort, mileage and driving experience and many new features as a part of the 'total package' approach being followed by the Japanese car maker. The fourth generation car maintains the benchmarks of quality, refinement and value that its predecessors have set. The new additions in the car as well as the lower MSRPs throughout the CR-V range will ensure that it meets and exceeds the expectations of compact SUV buyers. With a price tag of $ 25,990, the 2012 CR-V will be most inexpensive model of the series since 2002.
Honda Canada was established in the year 1969 and has two plants in Alliston, where it produces a host of cars, including CR-V; Civic Coupe, Sedan and Si models; and the Acura MDX and ZDX. It accounts for the employment of 4,700 people, along with 15,000 dealership personnel in the country. The economical 4-cylinder engines used in the Civic are manufactured at a plant located nearby. The three Honda facilities located in Alliston boast of zero-waste-to-landfill status.
