Honda says 2012 Civic inventory is "virtually zero" due to natural disasters

Honda would love nothing more than to sell a boatload of Civic sedans and coupes. Problem is, there just aren't enough of them to go around. Speaking to Inside Line, Chuck Schifsky, an American Honda Motor Co. spokesman, said:

"Civic sales are down for one simple reason: Low dealer inventory as a result of a shortage of small parts caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake earlier this year, which nearly halted production of the 2012 Civic... This is a supply problem, not a demand problem. There just aren't any Civics on dealer lots."

Not only did the earthquake and tsunami in Japan cause production problems, the current flooding in Thailand "will cause another delay in production," says Schifsky. In other words, if you're in the market for a new Civic, you'll likely find yourself waiting for a while.

It's also worth mentioning that we've heard reports that public response to the 2012 Civic has not been the resounding success Honda had hoped for, leading to the possibility that a refresh of the compact will come sooner rather than later.