December 20, 2004

By LISA CORNWELL / Associated Press

Honda's CR-V sport utility vehicle will be made for the first time in the United States at one of two Ohio plants, the sites of five other Honda vehicles.

Honda of America Manufacturing Inc. announced Monday it wanted to move CR-V production from overseas to be closer to the SUV's buyers who mostly live in the United States.

CR-V production will begin in 2006 at one of two plants northwest of Columbus: either the one in Marysville or a nearby plant in East Liberty. The 160-horsepower SUV starts at $19,995.

Japan will continue making the CR-V, but production in the United Kingdom will cease so those facilities can focus more on diesel-fueled vehicles, said Don Hensley, a spokesman for Honda of America in the Marysville office.

Ohio production of the CR-V is not expected to result in more jobs, Hensley said.

The two Ohio plants are Honda's only ones in North America that use the flexible manufacturing system that allows production of cars and light trucks. The East Liberty plant makes the Element crossover vehicle, and a new luxury Acura SUV will be made at one of the two sites. Honda also makes the Accord, Civic and Acura TL cars at Ohio plants, which employ about 16,000 workers.