End of an Era: Ayala and Honda Close a 35-Year Partnership in PH Motoring

For many Filipino motorists, the name Honda Cars Makati is almost synonymous with the Ayala Group. It was 1990 when the country’s oldest conglomerate, through its automotive arm, brought in Honda’s very first dealership in the Philippines. At a time when the car market was dominated by long-established Japanese brands, Honda entered with youthful energy, and Ayala became its trusted local partner. 

Fast forward 35 years, that pioneering dealership has grown into the largest Honda dealer group in the Philippines, with a presence not just in Metro Manila and NCR but also in Cebu, Iloilo, Negros, and Cagayan de Oro. Over 200,000 Honda cars have passed through the hands of customers under the Ayala-Honda partnership, its Civics that became cult classics, City sedans that turned into bestsellers, and CR-Vs that introduced many families to the SUV lifestyle. 

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On Thursday, (October 2⁾, Ayala’s ACMobility and Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) issued a joint statement to announce that the historic partnership is coming to a close. 

“Effective January 1, 2026, the nine Honda dealerships under ACMobility, including flagship branches in Makati, Pasig, and Cebu—will be transitioned to new dealer principals. Until December 31, 2025, ACMobility’s Iconic Dealership, Inc. (IDI) will continue to operate them.

Both companies assured a seamless handover for customers: sales, reservations, after-sales service, and warranties will all remain uninterrupted.

“We are grateful, and indeed proud, to have been part of Honda’s journey in the Philippines for the past three and a half decades,” said Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala, CEO of ACMobility. “This transition reflects our ongoing effort to optimize our portfolio and focus on new growth areas … particularly sustainable mobility and electrification." 

For Honda, the moment is both a farewell and a reaffirmation of commitment. “We thank Ayala for their invaluable contribution over the past 35 years,” said Rie Miyake, HCPI President. “As we work closely with our new dealer principals, we are fully committed to ensuring a seamless transition while upholding Honda’s legacy of excellence, innovation, and outstanding customer service.”

Honda in the Philippines

Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) was established in 1990 as a joint venture between:

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. of Japan, the Ayala Corporation, and The Yuchengco Group of Companies. The venture was part of Honda’s global strategy to expand in Southeast Asia and marked Ayala’s deepening involvement in the automotive industry. The Yuchengco Group, with its banking and insurance arms, provided additional local financial muscle.

Shortly after launching Honda Cars Makati, HCPI opened its Sta. Rosa, Laguna manufacturing plant in 1992. From there, the brand rolled out local favorites, including the Civic, the City, and the CR-V. 

Honda quickly became a household name, often ranking in the top five automotive brands in the Philippines. Its cars were known for combining Japanese engineering with a sporty flair.

By 2020, however, the company ceased local vehicle assembly in Sta. Rosa, pivoting to fully imported units in line with global restructuring. The closure marked a shift, but Honda retained a strong presence through its dealerships, many of them operated by the Ayala Group. 

Analysts say the decision for Ayala to exit its Honda dealership operations is framed as strategic: a chance for ACMobility to focus on future-forward mobility solutions including its successful takeover of the BYD brand in the country, while Honda realigns with new partners to sustain growth in the Philippines.

The symbolism is hard to miss. For decades, Ayala and Honda worked hand in hand as the country’s most established business house and one of Japan’s most innovative automakers. Their collaboration built a loyal customer base, from first-time drivers of the 1996 Civic LXi to families who grew up with successive generations of Honda City and CR-V. This writer even recalls having to sign a document that the Civic I purchased cannot be used as a raffle prize or a taxi unit before I could own one back in 1996. 

Now, as Honda steers into an era of electrification and carbon neutrality, and Ayala accelerates its investments in EV charging networks, fleet electrification, and sustainable transport, their paths diverge, but both continue toward the future of mobility.

Despite the headlines, HCPI assures customers that nothing will change in day-to-day operations. All existing reservations, after-sales service, and warranty coverage remain valid. Dealership staff will contact customers directly regarding car deliveries and service appointments.

For many loyalists, the badge on their steering wheel matters more than the name on the dealership sign. This includes our recent Esquire Garage feature of Macoy “Dubs” Averilla, whose passion for the Honda brand includes owning classic cars like his Honda 1993 Prelude.  Still, for those who witnessed Honda’s rise in the Philippines, the departure of Ayala from its dealership network is the closing of an important chapter in local automotive history.