ON the back of its best ever January and February sales, Honda is looking forward to a strong 2002 with the launch of key models and engines.

Orders for the new supermini, the Jazz, and CR-V now stretch into April, while the diesel-powered Civic arrives in April in time for the new company car tax system.

'It looks like being our best ever first quarter, and we look like doing 21,000 sales, with about 60% going to user-choosers,' said a Honda spokesman.

'Our dealers are very buoyant, and it puts us in a strong position for the new Accord.' The new upper-medium car will not arrive until 2003, although it is likely to make its public debut in the autumn at the Paris and Birmingham motor shows.

Honda is already positioning the car at the top end of the upper-medium segment, away from the mainstream sector, claiming the car is significantly larger, more luxurious and of a higher quality than the current model, placing it closer to Saab and Volvo in terms of luxury and performance.