Honda of the Desert

What Honda of the Desert does

Honda of the Desert is a privately held franchised Honda automobile dealership founded in 1935 and headquartered at 68-025 Kyle Road in Cathedral City, California. The company is owned by Ken Garff Automotive Group, a multi-dealership automotive platform. It serves individual consumers and families in the Coachella Valley, including Cathedral City, Palm Desert, and Indio, with the full Honda lineup — sedans, SUVs/crossovers, minivans, trucks, and the Honda Prologue EV plus hybrid variants.

The business operates a single physical retail site plus a digital 'Buy Online' storefront (powered by Gubagoo) for online vehicle configuration and purchase. The technology stack is built on third-party SaaS rather than proprietary systems: DealerInspire for the website/CMS, Xtime for service scheduling, Botdoc for encrypted document exchange, Kelley Blue Book Instant Cash Offer for trade-in valuation, and ComplyAuto/reCAPTCHA for compliance and bot mitigation. No proprietary technology, AI/ML, or data assets are disclosed.

Honda of the Desert makes money through four streams: (1) new and pre-owned vehicle sales (including Honda CPO and 'Desert Certified' used inventory), with current new stock of 166 units at MSRPs from ~$24,695 to $50,000+; (2) finance and insurance products via Honda Financial Services, including F&I, vehicle protection plans, and trade-in transactions; (3) service and maintenance through an on-site service department with Honda-certified technicians; and (4) parts sales of genuine OEM Honda components. Pricing is MSRP-based for purchases and fixed monthly for leases (e.g., 2026 Civic at $199/mo, Accord at $189/mo, Prologue at $169/mo, Ridgeline at $359/mo), with promotional offers such as the $500 Honda Graduate Offer, Military Appreciation Offer, and a 90-day payment deferral program.

Name

Honda of the Desert

Legal name

Honda of the Desert

Website

https://hondaofthedesert.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Honda of the Desert is a privately held franchised Honda dealership in Cathedral City, California, owned by Ken Garff Automotive Group. It sells new, CPO, and used Honda vehicles and provides financing, service, and OEM parts to retail consumers in the Coachella Valley.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cathedral City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Vehicle Sales: Sales of new Honda vehicles and pre-owned/used vehicles including certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles. The dealership offers Honda's full model lineup including cars, SUVs, minivans, trucks, and electric/hybrid vehicles.
2. Finance and Insurance Products: Finance center offering vehicle financing through Honda Financial Services, trade-in valuations (Kelley Blue Book Instant Cash Offer), and vehicle protection plans.
3. Service and Maintenance: Onsite service department providing vehicle repairs, routine maintenance, and express service options. Schedule appointments online or by phone.
4. Parts Sales: Parts department selling genuine OEM Honda components for DIY repairs and customization. Parts can be ordered online.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Honda of the Desert is a franchised Honda automobile dealership that sells new Honda vehicles, certified pre-owned and used vehicles, and arranges financing and leases through Honda Financial Services. It also operates an on-site service department for maintenance and repairs, a parts department selling genuine OEM Honda components, and an online "Buy Online" purchase channel for digital vehicle sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• New Honda Vehicles Full lineup of new Honda automobiles (sedans, SUVs, crossovers, minivans, trucks, and electric/hybrid vehicles including Civic, Accord, CR-V, HR-V, Passport, Pilot, Prologue, Odyssey, and Ridgeline) sold to individual consumers and families at MSRP with available manufacturer incentives, financing, and lease options.
• Pre-Owned Vehicles Used and pre-owned vehicles from various manufacturers available for retail purchase, including the dealership's "Desert Certified" program and Honda's CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) program offering vetted used Hondas with manufacturer-backed warranty coverage.
• Vehicle Financing and Leasing Finance center that arranges vehicle loans, closed-end leases, and trade-in valuations through Honda Financial Services for qualified retail buyers, with manufacturer promotional offers (Honda Graduate $500, Military Appreciation, Loyalty/Conquest bonus, 90-day payment deferral).
• Vehicle Service and Maintenance On-site Honda service department providing routine maintenance, repairs, and express service for Honda vehicles, with online scheduling through Xtime, Honda-certified technicians, and warranty-covered work (AdvantageCARE).
• OEM Honda Parts Parts department selling genuine OEM Honda components for Honda vehicles, available for in-person purchase or online ordering via Honda DreamShop for DIY repairs and customization.
• Trade-In Valuation (KBB Instant Cash Offer) Trade-in valuation service powered by Kelley Blue Book's Instant Cash Offer that gives customers a cash quote for their existing vehicle which can be applied toward a new or used vehicle purchase at the dealership.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ken Garff Automotive GroupcoreOthersKen Garff Automotive Group is the parent company/ownership group of Honda of the Desert. The Ken Garff affiliation is displayed on the dealership logo and branding, indicating a multi-dealership automotive group ownership structure.
• Honda Motor Co.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHonda of the Desert operates as a franchised Honda dealer, authorized to sell new Honda vehicles, parts, and provide factory warranty service. Exclusive dealer for Honda brand in the local market area.
• Honda Financial ServicescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFinancing partner providing lease and loan products for vehicle purchases. All lease offers and financing promotions displayed on the website are through Honda Financial Services.
• Kelley Blue Book (KBB)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerKelley Blue Book Instant Cash Offer integration allowing customers to get trade-in valuations. Referenced on the website as a partner for trade-in value assessments.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Penske Automotive Group: International automotive retailer with US franchised dealership operations spanning premium and volume brands. Comparable franchised retail model with substantially larger scale, geographic diversification, and brand mix.
• Lithia Motors: One of the largest US franchised auto dealer groups with stores across dozens of brands and geographies. Comparable franchised retail model but at vastly greater scale and with multi-brand and multi-location operations.
• Sonic Automotive: US franchised auto retailer operating new and used vehicle dealerships across multiple brands, including EchoPark used vehicle stores. Overlaps directly with Honda of the Desert on the franchised new car and F&I business at much larger scale.
• Asbury Automotive Group: US franchised automotive retailer operating multiple brand stores concentrated in Sunbelt states. Directly comparable franchised new vehicle sales and F&I business model, though with much larger scale and broader brand exposure.
• AutoNation: Largest US automotive retailer operating multiple brand franchises including numerous Honda stores. Provides a public benchmark for franchised dealership economics at materially larger scale and geographic diversification than Honda of the Desert.
• Group 1 Automotive: US and UK franchised automotive retailer operating multiple brand franchises. Runs the same core dealership business model — new vehicle sales, F&I, service, and parts — at substantially larger scale than Honda of the Desert.

Emerging players

• Carvana: Online-first used vehicle retailer with home delivery, no-haggle pricing, and integrated financing. Competes for used car buyers and trade-in customers in California, particularly digital-native consumers, putting pressure on traditional dealer economics.
• Vroom: Online used vehicle retailer operating a national e-commerce vehicle sales model with home delivery. Competes for used car buyers and could pressure Honda of the Desert's pre-owned vehicle margins as digital car buying continues to grow.

Direct peers

• CarMax: Largest US used vehicle retailer, directly competing with Honda of the Desert's certified pre-owned and Desert Certified used vehicle business. Overlaps on used car retailing, consumer financing, and trade-in acquisition with similar customer demographics.
• Ken Garff Automotive Group: Parent company of Honda of the Desert and operator of multiple Honda franchises across the western US (including Honda Riverdale). Operates the same franchised dealership model with new vehicle sales, F&I, service, and parts — the most directly comparable peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/honda-of-the-desert

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Honda of the Desert