Another month has come to an end, and for major automakers in the U.S., the results do not look great. Only Toyota managed a sales increase from this time last year, and GM took a serious slide. But while CUV sales definitely helped certain brands, and sedans are still struggling, the results aren’t as clearly defined as you might think.
Ford (200,212 units, -7.5 percent)
Winner: Ford Focus (16,505 units, +18.1 percent)
Considering that the third-generation Focus has been on the market since 2011, we’d say it’s long overdue for a redesign. But that apparently hasn’t stopped customers from buying them anyway. If only the Fusion had been so lucky.
Loser: Ford Fusion (13,886 units, -42.2 percent)
Sales of midsize sedans have been on the decline for a while, but the Fusion’s numbers last month are especially depressing. Even a relatively recent refresh and the introduction of the powerful Fusion Sport wasn’t enough to draw in buyers.
GM (226,107 units, -15.4 percent)
Winner: Buick Envision (2,812 units, +97.9 percent)
The Buick Envision still has a long way to go before it outsells the Acura RDX and the Lexus NX, but nearly 3,000 sales in July is nothing to sneeze at. Especially when you see that Buick nearly doubled its sales compared to last July. But this month’s sales are actually down pretty significantly compared to last month.
Loser: Chevrolet Spark (764 units, -81.9 percent)
Back when a gallon of gas cost $4, subcompact cars made a lot more sense. But gas hasn’t been that expensive in a long time, and Chevy’s tiny city car is suffering for it. Fewer than 1,000 sold in July, a massive drop of more than 80 percent year-over-year.
Fiat Chrysler (161,477 units, -10 percent)
Winner: Chrysler 300 (3,090 units, +31 percent)
Sedan sales may have been struggling all year, but this month, the Chrysler 300 managed to surprise us all. Not only did it post a sales increase, it posted a major sales increase. When you consider how long it’s been since the 300 got an actual redesign, last month’s success is even more surprising.
Loser: Fiat 500X (597 units, -37 percent)
The Jeep Renegade may have posted a 12 percent decrease in July, but its platform mate was hit even harder. The bulbous soft-roader didn’t even move 600 units. If sales continue in this direction, you have to wonder how much longer Fiat will keep the 500X around.
Toyota (222,057 units, +3.6 percent)
Winner: Toyota RAV4 (41,804 units, +31.1 percent)
If you want proof that people love their crossover SUVs these days, look no further than the RAV4. It posted a huge sales increase at a time when sales were generally down. It might not be the sportiest CUV on the market, but it sure is a hot seller.
Loser: Toyota Yaris Liftback (361 units, -54.5 percent)
Much like the Chevrolet Spark, America’s disinterest in subcompacts has decimated Yaris sales. It also doesn’t help that the Yaris iA (formerly the Scion iA) is a massively better car. So buyers who actually do want a tiny Toyota are buying the iA, not the Yaris Liftback.
Honda: (150,980 units, -1.2 percent)
Winner: Honda HR-V (9,779 units, +32.3 percent)
Subcompact sedans and hatches might have struggled to sell last month, but Honda didn’t have a problem selling its subcompact CUV. The HR-V posted a huge gain, nearly breaking the 10,000-unit barrier. Honda says that’s an all-time monthly record.
Loser: Honda Ridgeline (2,586 units, -26.5 percent)
The Honda Ridgeline is a great choice if you want CUV refinement paired with pickup truck practicality. But it struggled to find buyers this month, losing more than a quarter of the customers it had a year ago. Could it be that many of the people who would want a Ridgeline have already bought one?
Nissan (128,295 units, -3.2 percent)
Winner: Infiniti Q60 (765 units, +1,133.9 percent)
When Infiniti first introduced the G35 coupe, its combination of performance and good looks made it a huge sales success. Infiniti would probably love to see its latest sports coupe, the Q60, go onto similar success. But while it didn’t manage to crack 1,000 units this month, that’s a humongous increase compared to last year.
Loser: Nissan Juke (739 units, -52.9 percent)
The Nissan Juke has been an unexpected hit for the brand, pulling buyers in with its quirky styling and fun-to-drive character. But apparently, Americans are losing their interest in the Juke. It sold fewer than half as many units this month compared to last year.
Volkswagen Brand (27,091 units, -5.8 percent)
Winner: Volkswagen Touareg (475 units, +54.2 percent)
Last month, Volkswagen announced it would discontinue the Touareg. Not only has it been a slow-seller for a while, there are also newer SUVs in the lineup. But in that same month, the Touareg also managed to post more than a 50-percent sales increase. Huh.
Loser: Volkswagen Tiguan (1,484 units, -56.1 percent)
For Volkswagen, July was a tale of two SUVs. While the one it just decided to cancel sold more than 50 percent more units, the one it just redesigned sold more than 50 percent fewer. Even when you add in sales of the 2018 Tiguan, which VW chose to report as a separate model from the older version, it’s still a significant drop compared to last July’s 3,379 Tiguan sales.
Source: The Automakers