Production of the Honda CR-V – the most popular SUV in the United States – is to be transferred from the Japanese automaker’s assembly plant outside Guadalajara to its facility in Greensburg, Indiana.
According to a company press release, the El Salto plant will transition from production of CR-V to the HR-V to help meet demand for Honda’s newest crossover vehicle.
Production of CR-V in Guadalajara began in 2007, when the plant transitioned from production of the Accord. With U.S. sales of nearly 3.5 million units since its introduction in 1997, the Honda CR-V is the segment’s best-selling model of all time.
As well as Guadalajara, the HR-V subcompact crossover will will be produced at Honda’s newest plant in Celaya, where the Honda Fit is also assembled. Combined, the two plants are expected to manufacture a quarter of million Honda cars each year.
The HR-V autos are expected to roll off the El Salto production lines in the first months of 2017.
Honda opened its El Salto plant in 1988, producing only motorcycles for the fist seven years. It began its automobile manufacturing operation here in 1995.