"We will soon have the capability to produce light trucks flexibly among three production lines at two plants in Alabama and Canada," said Hirashima, responsible for Honda's manufacturing operations in North America. "This will further enhance our ability to respond more flexibly and quickly to the needs of our customers."
 |
| With the addition of the new SUT, Honda is becoming a full-line light truck-maker, offering six separate models (concept SUT shown). (Photo: Honda Canada) |
With the SUT, Honda is becoming a full-line light truck-maker, offering six separate models between its Honda and Acura nameplates - the Honda Odyssey, CR-V, Pilot, Element, and Acura MDX completing the lineup.
While Honda's light truck lineup hardly rivals that of General Motors, Ford or Toyota, the Japanese brand that was originally only a carmaker has definitely diversified over the last decade.
 |
| With the SUT's unique styling, Honda is betting on being able to attract non-traditional truck buyers (concept SUT shown). (Photo: Honda Canada) |
The question remains though, will light truck buyers gravitate towards the new SUT? Its radical Element has only seen moderate sales success, while even the highly functional Pilot SUV doesn't measure up to sales of domestic rivals or the Toyota Highlander for instance.
The SUT's styling is odd at best, with funky lines that may not turn on traditional truck buyers. Honda is, of course, relying on non-traditional truck buyers to opt over to this segment when the SUT, a car-like alternative becomes available. This was Subaru's plan too, but sales of its Baja, a pickup truck version of the popular Legacy-based Outback wagon, have been flat.