Honda and Acura Will Now Certify Pre-Owned Cars Up to 10 Years Old
They’ll still undergo the same 112-point inspection as other CPO cars.
When it comes to buying a used car, there's no shortage of places to look for your next ride. Buyers can choose to purchase something from an internet stranger, a buy-here-pay-here dealership, or one of those app-based services like Carvana. Or, some flock to branded dealerships to scoop up something from an automaker's certified pre-owned selection. There is a shortage of one thing right now, though: cars, both new and used.
A pair of new initiatives recently launched by Honda and Acura might help with that, as well as put some younger drivers in the seat of a car sold by an official brand dealership. They're called HondaTrue Used and Acura Precision Used, and both programs entail the same 112-point inspection as the automakers' other certification programs, but this time for vehicles up to 10 years old.
Essentially, if a brand new model is offered as a 2022 model year on the dealer lot today, the dealership could consider anything up to 2012 for the Used program. Compare that to HondaTrue Certified, which only covers vehicles up to five years old; HondaTrue Certified+, which covered vehicles two years old newer; or Acura Precision Certified, which covers vehicles up to five years old. Previously, Honda and Acura only certified used vehicles that were up to six years old.
Similar to the other programs for both brands, the Used-branded offerings also come with Motor Club club benefits, concierge services, and some complimentary oil changes. There's also a small window for warranty coverage, should something need to be addressed—100 days and up to 5,000 odometer miles for HondaTrue Used, or 6 months and up to 7,500 miles for Acura Precision Used.
This is fairly big news for buyers who avoid buying new vehicles for a myriad of reasons. One of the reasons for the change, according to Honda, is the drastic uptick in used car sales over the past two years.
It's no secret that new car production has been nerfed due to ongoing supply chain issues, and with used outlets such as Carvana, Vroom, and others focusing on the commodity side of vehicle purchasing, Honda believes it can offer a more brand-centric experience with the expansion of its program. Ultimately, Honda and Acura hope to use the program to market not just their vehicles, but its brand to younger buyers. The idea is to pitch these lower-cost certified used vehicles to buyers not yet ready to buy new, then build up brand loyalty for when that day comes.
While this offering isn't a cutting-edge buying experience like General Motors' recently announced CarBravo network, it could still be an attractive offering for those sold on the Honda or Acura brand but would rather not pay new car prices.
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