Ayala’s Honda exit caps wider retreat from traditional auto brands

Insider Spotlight

• Ayala’s ACMobility to end Honda dealership operations effective end-2025.
• The move follows earlier exits from Volkswagen, Maxus, and KTM.
• Remaining auto brands under Ayala now limited to BYD, Kia, and Isuzu.
• Signals Ayala’s accelerating pivot to electrification and charging networks.
• Honda says service continuity and vehicle deliveries will not be disrupted.
  
  

Ayala’s ACMobility will exit Honda dealership operations by year’s end, marking the end of a 35-year partnership, the company said in a statement on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025.

The decision is part of a broader realignment that has seen Ayala gradually exit legacy automotive brands—including Volkswagen, Maxus, and much earlier on, KTM, due to the Austrian motorcycle maker’s bankruptcy.

This latest move leaves Ayala holding only BYD, Kia, and Isuzu in its automotive portfolio.

Why it matters

The pullout highlights a strategic pivot away from legacy dealership operations. Ayala is refocusing its mobility arm on electrification, charging infrastructure, and next-generation mobility solutions, while leaving traditional sales networks to new dealer principals.

The big picture

• ACMobility’s exit covers nine Honda branches nationwide, including Honda Cars Makati, Pasig, Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro.
• Over the past three decades, Ayala-run Honda dealerships sold more than 220,000 units.
• Iconic Dealerships Inc. (IDI), Ayala’s dealer subsidiary, will manage the sites until Dec. 31, 2025, before handing them over to new principals .

Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala

The CEO of ACMobility believes that the future of automobiles is electric.

The corporate angle

“This transition reflects our ongoing effort to optimize our portfolio and focus on new growth areas. Among these are our initiatives in advancing sustainable mobility and electrification,” said Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala, ACMobility CEO.

Honda’s position

Honda Cars Philippines Inc. president Rie Miyake thanked Ayala for its role in Honda’s expansion and reassured customers of stability during the transition.

“We remain firmly committed to Honda’s long-term goals of zero collision and carbon neutrality, advancing safety for everyone and a cleaner environment in the Philippines,” she said.

What’s next

With Volkswagen, Maxus, KTM now gone, and Honda exiting its portfolio soon, Ayala’s auto playbook centers on BYD and Kia—both heavily aligned with EV growth—alongside its Isuzu dealer network.

Its parallel build-out of EV charging hubs signals Ayala’s shift from legacy retail to integrated, future-focused mobility ecosystems.