Honda Vs. Mazda Sales: One Brand’s Cars Are Quietly Up 33% This Year

Crossovers still make up most of what Honda and Mazda sell, but this year the growth is coming from their cars. Mazda’s latest sales report has its car sales up 33% through September, while its SUVs are down 6.7%. American Honda’s report shows the same pattern on a much larger scale, with Honda car sales up 16.5% and its light trucks down 0.3%.

Mazda’s September report shows 3,704 Mazda3s and 3,706 CX-30s, a gap of two vehicles. In last year’s figures through September, the crossover leads by more than two to one.

Cars Are Up And SUVs Are Down At Both Brands

Honda figures are for the Honda brand only and exclude Acura.

Honda sells more than eight times as many cars as Mazda, so its 16.5% gain adds far more vehicles. Cars are about one in eight Mazdas sold this year, and the brand is down 2.9% overall. Mazda called September its best-ever month, with 34,519 sales, but it is still behind last year year to date. Honda is up 4.7% and passed 1 million sales in September, a month earlier than last year.

The Mazda3 Is Catching Its Own Crossover

Through September last year, the CX-30 led the Mazda3 by more than 24,000 sales. This year the gap is 1,900. The hatchback is up 70%, and the sedan still sells nearly twice as many.

Most of Mazda’s other crossovers are down this year too, with the CX-50 the main exception. Mazda’s report doesn’t explain the shift toward its car or away from the CX-30.

Related: Mazda3 Sales Jump 147% as Detroit Three Lose Ground

Honda’s Cars Lead Its Best Quarter In Years

Honda’s car sales rose 20.9% in the third quarter, its best third quarter for passenger cars since 2020. The Accord is up 32.7% this year, and hybrids made up 44% of Accord sales in the third quarter.

Honda’s SUVs are holding steady. The CR-V set a third-quarter record with 110,730 sales, and Honda says it did that with about 17 days of supply. Honda’s light trucks are flat for the year and up 4.3% in the third quarter.

Lance Woelfer, vice president of auto sales at American Honda, credits “a winning formula focused on affordability, record sales of hybrid models and a commitment to offer our customers a balanced lineup of passenger cars and light trucks.”

Related: Honda CR-V vs Toyota RAV4: 2026 Sales Reveal a Stunning Reversal

Verdict: Honda’s Cars Pay Off, Mazda’s Aren’t Enough Yet

Honda’s car gains are large enough in units to lift the whole brand while its SUVs hold steady. Mazda’s cars are growing faster in percentage terms, adding roughly 10,000 sales, but its SUV losses of roughly 19,000 are larger than anything the Mazda3 and MX-5 can make up.

Beyond Woelfer’s comments, Honda’s report doesn’t break down what drove the shift. Pricing, incentives and inventory could all play a part.

If you’re shopping:

• Mazda3 or CX-30: The 2026 Mazda3 sedan starts at $24,650 and the hatchback at $25,650, against $26,375 for the CX-30. Destination is $1,315 on the Mazda3 and $1,595 on the CX-30, so with delivery the sedan is $2,005 cheaper and the hatchback $1,005 cheaper.
• Civic or HR-V: The 2027 Civic sedan starts at $24,995, against $26,600 for the 2027 HR-V. Destination is $1,295 on the Civic and $1,550 on the HR-V, so with delivery the Civic is $1,860 cheaper.
• Stock: Honda reports 16 to 17 days of supply on key models, which may limit choice at some dealerships. Mazda doesn’t publish a supply figure in its report.