Buying a used vehicle is often a smart decision. You can dodge the depreciation of a new car and sometimes still have a decent portion of the vehicle’s original warranty left for peace of mind. And more Americans consider themselves budget-conscious, so price and affordability matter. Honda is venturing into new territory to help make used vehicles more available to car buyers.

So if you need a teen car, replacement commuter, or ridesharing vehicle, Honda lets you browse and buy used directly from the automaker. It also might be a revolutionary new way to market cars not considered certified pre-owned.

The new way to buy a used Honda

Honda is charting a new course in the used-vehicle market. The automaker is the first to launch an online channel for selling non-certified used vehicles through hondacertified.com.

Hoping to attract young and budget-minded buyers, Honda is exploring selling used vehicles that fall outside its strict certified pre-owned parameters. And both Honda and Acura badges are available, up to 10 years old.

Because people are keeping their cars longer before trading in, this pool of vehicles is growing and represents a portion of used cars that still have plenty of miles left in them.

What constitutes a certified pre-owned Honda?

Selling certified pre-owned vehicles has been a great way for Honda to repackage lower-mileage vehicles for resale. It’s a perfect answer for marketing lease returns, for example. But what about those vehicles that fall outside the qualifications for certified pre-owned?

CPO cars must be less than five years old with fewer than 80,000 miles. And they must pass a rigorous set of mechanical standards in the service department. 

How buying non-certified has its benefits

Some quality Honda and Acura vehicles are a little older than five years or have a few more miles on them than the CPO-required 80,000 maximum. That might be one of the reasons Honda has introduced this new pre-owned web channel for consumers.

American Honda’s manager of auto remarketing, Dan Rodriguez, told Car and Driver that when it comes to the overall used-car market, there’s a sweet spot and “big opportunity in that six- to eight-year-old range.”

The new platform connects budget-conscious car shoppers with a new pool of potential vehicles. And as Rodriguez pointed out, the hope is to recruit Honda and Acura buyers at a younger age so they become loyal to the brand down the road.

Ideal for teen drivers and beyond

These non-certified Honda and Acura vehicles are typically sold at lower price points. But they still offer outstanding dependability and plenty of life left in them, making them great candidates for teen cars. And with American household budgets feeling the crunch of 2020 and an increased surge in rideshare and delivery side gigs, there might be an even more significant need for these non-certified, reliable cars.

Honda is the first automaker to market these older-model, higher-mileage vehicles direct from its own site. And it may prove to be lucrative because these cars are perfect for teen drivers and beyond.

If you have a teen driver who’s ready for a car, you might want to check out Honda’s new non-certified vehicles. Or if you’ve taken on a delivery side job and need a fuel-efficient, affordable car, this new site might be a gold mine for you. It’s just an example of the auto industry shifting gears to adjust to a new normal. In this case, it’s a dedicated online sales channel for non-certified pre-owned Honda and Acura models.