With an enviable reputation for reliability, it should come as no surprise that, in 2021, four of the top 25 best-selling cars in the United States bore the Honda badge. The CR-V finished in fifth place overall, with more than 361,000 Americans taking delivery of the evergreen SUV last year.

But, along with the rest of the automotive industry, Honda is having to contend with issues such as supply chain issues and the unrelenting chip crisis. As such, the Japanese automaker saw its sales decline in April 2022. Including Acura, the American Honda managed to shift 35,040 vehicles in April, representing a 28.8% decline compared to April 2021.

These figures tell a chilling story, and the narrative doesn't get better when you look at the company's broader production figures.

Honda's production in China took a tumble, with the numbers falling by as much as 81.4% compared to the same period last year. In total, the automaker's Chinese factories managed to spew out just 31,869 units. A company spokesperson has said the chip shortages have played a big part in this drastic decline. However, this can also be attributed to the Covid-19 lockdowns crippling Chinese industry.

The Red Dragon may represent the biggest reduction but it's a similar story across the board. In the United States where the new Civic is produced, Honda produced 61,648 vehicles and, while that's better than China, it still represents a 29% decline in production output. Overall, Honda's global production fell by as much as 54.2%, for a total of 190,060 vehicles built in April.

Unsurprisingly, this has affected sales figures too. In Japan total new car sales declined by 21.7% compared to April 2021. As the brand prepares to introduce the new Civic Type-R and the next-generation CR-V, these industry-wide issues could prove troubling for the carmaker.

Demand for this aforementioned duo will most certainly be high but, if the carmaker can't keep up with demand, it will be disastrous. It's not just Honda that's dealing with these problems. Fellow Japanese carmakers Toyota and Nissan are suffering a similar fate; the former's global production numbers fell by as much as 9.1% year-on-year, while the latter's saw a 27% reduction, reports Bloomberg. Like Honda, slowed Chinese production is at the source of these woes.