Honda looks for stronger links with major fleets

Falling business car sales have prompted Honda UK to attempt to develop stronger links with major fleet operators.

The company is asking for a series of meetings in the wake of a 5% drop in registrations year-to-date compared with this time 12 months ago.

“Our volume has fallen to 33% and we’re now looking hard at how we can maintain our fleet business,” said managing director David Hodgetts.

“What we want is to develop our relationships and work more closely with the major players so we can effectively grow our business organically rather than throwing pound notes at it - which is something we frankly are not able to do.”

Low ownership costs will be central to the discussions, with Honda officials spelling out the advantages of high product value and strong residual performances.

Hodgetts added: “We have always protected our residual values by avoiding short term business and we want to build our business on the values of the brand – low depreciation, low running costs and good value in terms of features. We want to talk about lifetime ownership costs rather than just the bonnet price.”