Chart Of The Day: Auto Brand Market Share In America In January 2015
With 17.6% of the U.S. market in January 2015, General Motors increased its market share from January 2014’s 16.9% but slid back from December’s 18.2%.
GM car sales slid 7% to account for just 32% of the automaker’s January volume. Light trucks at General Motors – including a pickup range that grew its sales by 42% – jumped 36%.
The big loser? That’d be the Koreans. Hyundai and Kia combined to own 8% of the U.S. market in January 2014, a figure which fell to 7.2% in January 2015. New vehicle sales rose 14% in America last month, year-over-year. Hyundai volume rose to a record-setting January level of 82,804 sales, but the 1% gain severely trailed the industry. Kia sales were up a little more than 3%, although the brand’s car division slid 3% on falling Optima and Cadenza volume.
Timothy Cain is the founder of GoodCarBadCar.net, which obsesses over the free and frequent publication of U.S. and Canadian auto sales figures.
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That 4 banger Hyundai effect hitting Fusion?
Hyundai and Kia need some true off roaders and even pickups. If they can achieve that their sales numbers could easily surpass Nissan. I had a 2004 Kia Sorento, it was a BOF 4x4 with a hi-lo transfer case. the new Sorento as nice as it is isn't an off roader. Sort of the way Nissan went with the Pathfinder, another vehicle reduced. Hyundai/Kia to have a pickup would mean to manufacture in the US. This would be out of the question due to numbers needed to be sold to justify billions spent on setting up a plant. I don't think the Trans Pacific Trade agreement will alter the impost placed on importing a light truck from Korea. It seems the US doesn't want to alter it's stance with Asian nations in comparison to EU nations regarding the "25% impost" on light trucks. So Hyundai/Kia must come up with other ideas to bolster their numbers. Maybe venture into performance style vehicles? I don't know if this will work either. They could produce a large 4x4 SUV with a V8 or turbo V6. They are in a bit of a jam.
@heavyhandle, Nissan and Toyota didn't invest into their pickups. That is full size and mid size. Any company would of had those issues. I think Nissan's problem with investing in pickups can be directed at the Renault part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Even the D40 when it came out was okay, but the pickup became very dated quickly in the styling department. The Taco faired better. I do hope Toyota and Nissan have learnt their lesson, don't take a market for granted.
Hard to believe Subaru outsells VW group.