The Detroit Three still have trouble selling cars at the high rates of the Japanese. Trucks are another matter.
U.S. auto sales in February presented mixed results for offshore brands as all automakers in total sold 1,192,249 light vehicles with an overall market growth of +8.4%. Market share for offshore nameplates dropped to 53.4% from a 54.4% share in January, the result of strong truck sales from U.S. automakers. (Ford and GMC sales rose 10.9% and 9.8%, respectively, from truck purchases.) Overall, offshore brands sold 636,912 vehicles, an increase from the 567,313 sold in January and slightly higher than the 631,191 sold in February 2012.
Five of the Top Ten selling vehicles in February were offshore nameplates. These leading vehicles experienced an average sales improvement of 11.1%. The Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado pickups maintained their first and second positions. In third and fourth place, respectively, the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord continue to be the most preferred cars in the U.S. Followed by the Ford Fusion, the lone domestic car in the list. The Nissan Altima moved into the sixth position, up from number eight last month. The Toyota Corolla/Matrix, in number seven, Ford Escape in eight, Ram pickup in ninth and Honda Civic, completed the Top Ten Seller list.
The Detroit Three all increased share largely as the result of increased truck sales.
Import leader Toyota Motor Toyota Division posted February sales of 149,038 units, +4.4% compared to February 2012. Lexus Division reported February sales of 17,339, up 3.9% compared to the same period last year. Curiously, sales of the Prius family of hybrids at 17,812 were off -13.5% compared to last February when Toyota was heavily marketing the then new Prius c and v.
Since U.S. vehicle sales in January were surprisingly strong, with no automaker stronger than Toyota Motor’s sales increase of almost 27% in a market up 14%, it was payback time. Adding to the interpretive challenge when looking at February sales are economic issues such as endemically high unemployment, increased social security taxes, the sequestration fiasco in Washington, rising gas prices, as well as winter storms on the East Coast. Honda sales fell 2.3%, and Nissan sales were down 7.2%.
“Sales were solid, if not spectacular, in February,” said AIADA President Cody Lusk. “Last month’s results show us that the auto industry’s growth is stable, and capable of withstanding some economic speed bumps.”
Asian automakers held a 44.3% share, down from the 44.8% share in January, but up from 43.9% in December. Although market share declined slightly, overall sales improved, with 528,366 vehicles sold in February, up from 467,414 in January. In February 2012, Asian automakers sold 530,725 vehicles.
European automakers took 9.1% of the February auto market, a slight decrease from the 9.6% share they enjoyed last month and 11.4% in December. The brands sold 108,546 units, up from 99,899 vehicles in January and 100,466 last February.
The Detroit Three finished the month with 46.6% of the U.S. auto market and sales of 555,337 vehicles.
