Honda Canada set a new company sales record in 2008, despite a drop-off in the later months of the year.
The carmaker said it sold 171-thousand-358 vehicles in Canada last year, up one per cent from 2007 and its best-ever annual sales in the 36 years it has sold cars in Canada.
The Honda division sold a record 151-thousand-974 units -- bolstered by the Civic, Fit and Pilot brands -- and the Acura division sold 19-thousand-384 units.
Auto sales in Canada were generally more robust last year than they were in the United States, where there was a bigger impact from a major credit crisis, rising unemployment and high fuel prices.
Governments in both countries have been preparing to provide (b) billions of dollars in financial help to the sector, particularly Detroit-based General Motors and Chrysler L-L-C.
However, even in Canada, most of the major automakers saw a drop in sales in the final quarter of 2008 as the country appeared to be headed for a lengthy recession.
