Honda will bring its latest brand marketing campaign to life aboard an inspirational float that will lead the 134th Rose Parade on January 2, 2023. Honda’s “Forever Determined” Rose Parade float showcases Honda’s commitment to making people’s lives better by constantly advancing mobility through innovative technology and sheer determination. Honda’s “Forever Determined” float marks the 13th time that Honda has led all floats as Presenting Sponsor of the Rose Parade.
Honda will kick off the 2023 Rose Parade with its float serving as the stage for the “Opening Spectacular” for the first time. Honda is proud to announce that the Rose Parade “Opening Spectacular” will feature a musical performance by multi-platinum artists, Fitz and The Tantrums, performing their latest high-energy, infectious new single, “Let Yourself Free.” Honda and Fitz and The Tantrums will be joined by youth singers and the Rose Parade Youth Dance Group, a collection of talented youth dancers, who will help to redefine the term “dance floor-ready bounce” during their “Opening Spectacular” performance.
The “Forever Determined” Rose Parade float highlights new initiatives that Honda is taking on – from the road to the racetrack to the skies – as Honda prepares for an all-electric future. Honda is pursuing the global goal of carbon neutrality for all products and corporate activities by 2050, including a vision for 100% electrified vehicle sales in North America by 2040.
“Our determination to advance the future of mobility is embodied in the Honda products on our parade float and in the 2023 Rose Parade theme of ‘Turning the Corner,'” said Jessika Laudermilk, Assistant Vice President of Marketing for American Honda. “Honda continues to embark on new initiatives utilizing our core technologies that will help people make their own lives better, today and tomorrow, and we’re proud to showcase that in this year’s Rose Parade.”
The groundbreaking Honda products featured on the “Forever Determined” float showcase innovative technology, driven by the ideas and sheer determination of Honda engineers. Represented on the base of the float is the Prologue, Honda’s first all-electric SUV, arriving in 2024, as well as the electrified Acura ARX-06 race machine that will soon compete in the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and a Honda electric motorcycle. Flying high above are the HondaJet Elite II, the fastest, farthest and highest-flying aircraft in its class, and a product of the future, the Honda eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft) which will fly on a new layer of the sky that is much closer to the ground than the existing layer used by airplanes and is a key part of Honda’s future “mobility ecosystem.” Honda’s 2023 Rose Parade float is powered by a specially configured 3.5L V6 engine from Honda.
The Pace Car of the 2023 Rose Parade is the all-new hybrid-electric 2023 Honda CR-V hybrid, the most powerful and fuel efficient CR-V ever. Perfect for daily life or weekend escapes, CR-V is America’s outright best-selling SUV of the past 25 years and the all-new 2023 CR-V hybrid backs up its rugged new looks with a more fun-to-drive personality, excellent fuel economy ratings and increased capability. This all-new hybrid-electric 2023 Honda CR-V represents the latest step in Honda’s effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and progress toward the ultimate goal of achieving a carbon-free society. The all-new CR-V hybrid will be built at both Honda’s Indiana Auto Plant in Greensburg, Indiana and East Liberty Auto Plant in Ohio, continuing the 40-year legacy of Honda’s commitment to build products close to the customer*.
The all-new 2023 Honda Pilot TrailSport serves as the Sound Car for the 2023 Rose Parade. The most off-road capable SUV in Honda history, the all-new 2023 Honda Pilot TrailSport is the ultimate rugged family SUV with tough new styling, more passenger and cargo space and a class-leading combination of off-road capability and sporty on-road dynamics. Special rugged features on this all-new Pilot TrailSport include a raised off-road tuned suspension, all-terrain tires, steel skid plates and expanded all-wheel drive system capabilities. Designed in California and developed in Ohio, the all-new Honda Pilot is built exclusively at Honda’s Alabama Auto Plant in Lincoln, Alabama. Since 2006, Honda has produced more than 2 million Pilots in the U.S*.
Honda and the Pasadena Tournament of Roses® have worked side-by-side for more than 60 years to contribute to a strong sense of community in Southern California and bring entertainment and tradition to people around the world. Honda became the Rose Parade’s first-ever presenting sponsor in 2011. As presenting sponsor for 13 years, the Honda float leads the Rose Parade and showcases the annual event theme.
Honda first collaborated with the Tournament of Roses to provide two-wheeled vehicles for the 1962 Parade. Honda has been a float participant since 1977 and has provided the official Tournament of Roses vehicle since 1994. Honda continues to supply two-wheeled and side-by-side (multi-utility) vehicles for Parade operations.