Automakers sung out 2015 with a resounding crescendo because it was the best sales year since 2000, and the best ever on record. Offshore brands continued to dominate, once you got past the one-two-three punch from the Detroit Three pickup trucks.
Seven of the top ten selling vehicles in December were built by Honda, Toyota, and Nissan. The Toyota Camry remains the top-selling car in the U.S. with its fourth place finish for the month behind Ford F-Series, Chevrolet Silverado, and Ram pickup trucks. Sales for Toyota’s midsize sedan were up 18% from December 2014. In eighth place, Toyota’s Rav4 led all the vehicles on the top ten list with a strong 17.8% increase in sales compared to 2014.
With holiday discounts galore, benign weather, and – above all – cheap money and extended financial terms, Honda was up 12.2% for the month; Kia posted a 19% gain; Nissan sales rose 17.9%; and Toyota saw sales rise 12.4%. As a result they led international brand sales gains. Devastated by the unending diesel scandal, Volkswagen saw sales drop 9.1% compared to December 2014, and 4.8% year-over-year. For the industry as a whole, 2015 marks the sixth year of sales increases.
However, AutoNation (NYSE: AN), America’s largest automotive retailer said the “fourth quarter industry sales environment was more push versus pull…We have begun, and will continue through the first quarter, to take the necessary steps to align our costs, inventory, and pricing strategy to adjust to the current market. In 2016, we expect industry new vehicle unit sales will continue to exceed 17 million,” according to Mike Jackson, Chairman, CEO and President.
International Nameplates Dominate Market Share
International nameplate brands kept their lead in U.S. sales during 2015 taking 54.7% of all new vehicles sold. International brands sold 898,488 units in December, up from 727,213 units in November and 785,495 units in October. During 2015, international brand share fluctuated between 53.5% and just over 56%. Asian nameplates held 45% of the U.S. market last month, equal to their share in November. European nameplates fell from 10.2% in November to 9.7% last month. Domestic brands rose from 44.9% in November to 45.3% in December.
AutoData says that the seasonally adjusted annual rate, aka SAAR, in December was 17.34 million units compared to 16.92 million units a year ago. Total industry deliveries increased 9% compared to last December and 24.6% compared to November 2015. Overall, 1,643,289 light vehicles were sold last month, compared to 1,507,339 in December 2014. Sales for all brands in 2015, un-adjusted for business days, were up 5.7% from 2014.
