Traditionally, spring is a major selling season for automobiles. This year, however, the thaw has been almost imperceptible. April sales were 65% of those a year earlier; May was slightly better, reaching 66% of year-ago levels. Both figures are a tiny improvement on year-to-date sales, which so far are only 63% of 2008. So things appear to be getting slightly less bad.
Those comparatives would be more encouraging if the year-ago levels weren't depressed as well. Remember, last spring is when gas prices shot up and played havoc with the new-car market. It also sent the model mix haywire, igniting sales of small cars while crushing demand for pickups, SUVs, and even crossovers. May 2008 was the first time in a long time that cars outsold trucks in the U.S. market. The Ford F-150 was toppled from its seemingly permanent position as the bestselling vehicle in the USA, falling all the way down to fifth place.
With gas prices much lower now, and buyers' memories incredibly short, the model mix is much different than it was one year ago. For that reason, we'll look for strength and weakness not by comparing with the distorted May '08 figures, but by looking at May versus April of this year, to get a sense of which makes and models are picking themselves up off the floor and which are still sinking.
[Sales figures from Automotive News; only moves of 10% or greater are noted]
Nissan North America, +43%
Nissan poured it on in May, scoring the biggest move of any major automaker. Credit, in order of importance: Altima, Rogue, Maxima, Cube (which, in its debut month, outsold both the Pathfinder and the Titan), Murano, and Frontier, with an assist from the Infiniti division.
Advancers
Quest +107%
Rogue +74%
Maxima +56%
Frontier +56%
Altima +53%
QX56 +51%
M35/45 +49%
Murano +43%
G35/37 +37%
Pathfinder +27%
Titan +24%
Sentra +18%
Decliners
370Z -18%
Toyota Motor Sales, +21%
The warm sun of spring shone down on nearly all areas of the Toyota/Lexus/Scion auto mall, as nearly every model enjoyed increased sales over April. The only real exception--and with its tiny volume, it's hardly a significant one--was the faddish and fading FJ Cruiser. Although their gains weren't the largest on a percentage basis, the increases for the volume Camry and Corolla/Matrix were the biggest drivers of the company's overall results.
Advancers
Avalon +55%
Land Cruiser +52%
Highlander +35%
GX +32%
Corolla/Matrix +27%
Venza +25%
Yaris +25%
IS +25%
Camry +24%
Prius +21%
xD +21%
RX +20%
LX +19%
tC +19%
ES +16%
Siena +15%
Decliners
FJ Cruiser -20%
Ford Motor Company, +20%
Ford's positioning as the only domestic automaker that's not on the dole appears to be paying off in showrooms, and it enjoyed greater sales gains in May than either General Motors or Chrysler. The good news for Ford was that all three of its U.S. brands and Volvo did better this month. The not-so-good news was that in all four cases, some of the biggest sales jumps (percentage-wise) were in the oldest and least relevant models. Still, nearly every nameplate made at least some headway, which helped Ford clock a solid gain for May.
Advancers
Lincoln +43%
Mercury +33%
Volvo +24%
Ford +18%
S60 +140%
Town Car +127%
Navigator +119%
Expedition +116%
Grand Marquis +79%
S80 +60%
MKZ +49%
Crown Victoria +46%
Explorer +43%
V50 +43%
Flex +35%
Mariner +30%
Milan +29%
Focus +29%
Edge +26%
XC60 +24%
Escape +21%
Ranger +17%
F-series +16%
Mustang +14%
S40 +13%
MKS +12%
Decliners
E-series/club wagon -27%
Sable -13%
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