U.S. Auto Sales Brand-By-Brand Results: May 2016 YTD

Timothy Cain
by Timothy Cain

The U.S. auto industry’s May 2016 sales performance was much better than the numbers suggest, but there were disappointing results in some quarters.

Due to a quirk in the auto sales calendar – May 2016 had two fewer selling days than May 2015 – the period in which sales were generated for the “May” period was simply too brief for May 2016 to measure up to May 2015. This is more easily seen with a look at the daily selling rate picture, where industry-wide results were up two percent, a far less daunting figure than the six percent decline in real volume reported by the industry overall.

Pickup truck sales volume dipped only slightly as Ford F-Series sales jumped nine percent. Toyotas, the Camry and RAV4, claimed top spots among passenger cars and SUVs/crossovers, respectively. The luxury crown was worn by Mercedes-Benz, where strong utility vehicle sales overcame disappointing car sales numbers.

General Motors outsold the Ford Motor Company by 5,702 units to end May as America’s top-selling manufacturer, but GM volume was restricted by poor availability of newer models and less emphasis on fleet volume. Dearborn’s Ford brand continues as America’s top-selling individual brand, though Ford’s car volume plunged 26 percent in May, a loss of more than 22,000 sales.

At Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, meanwhile, May 2016 was the automaker’s 74th consecutive month of growth. Thanks to Jeep’s best-ever month, FCA sales grew by 2,225 units.

Auto BrandMay 2016May 2015% Change2016 YTD2015 YTD% ChangeAcura 13,56117,042-20.4%67,64271,560-5.5%Alfa Romeo 444010.0%273295 -7.5%Audi 18,72818,4281.6%78,48975,3534.2%BMW 29,01731,003-6.4%124,581136,447-8.7%Buick 15,62520,062-22.1%87,36288,783-1.3%Cadillac 12,09914,408-16.0%58,96867,384-12.5%Chevrolet 169,331207,970-18.6%825,503872,363-5.4%Chrysler 24,27629,802 -18.5%112,625139,439-19.2%Dodge 42,83745,268 -5.4%226,921213,6856.2%Fiat 3,1373,867 -18.9%15,19118,661-18.6%Ford 224,941240,912-6.6% 1,061,586 1,024,852 3.6%GMC 43,39550,657-14.3%211,602217,662-2.8%Honda 133,547137,551-2.9%585,998547,0447.1%Hyundai 71,00663,61011.6%306,549303,6481.0%Infiniti 10,82810,4743.4%53,92054,295-0.7%Jaguar 2,1641,20479.7%8,2486,61924.6%Jeep 90,54579,652 13.7%384,440330,16016.4%Kia 62,92662,433 0.8%265,755256,815 3.5%Land Rover 4,9505,382-8.0%30,94327,66911.8%Lexus 26,68229,671-10.1%125,785132,727-5.2%Lincoln 9,8079,1746.9%44,48838,78614.7%Maserati 9451,341-29.5%4,2614,330-1.6%Mazda 28,32829,603-4.3%119,166131,770-9.6%Mercedes-Benz ° 29,29929,582-1.0%134,304136,922-1.9%Mercedes-Benz Vans ° 2,8482,7692.9%12,67711,09214.3%Total Mercedes-Benz ° 32,14732,351-0.6% 146,981148,014-0.7%Mini 4,5955,833-21.2%20,23024,086-16.0%Mitsubishi 9,0259,575 -5.7%43,91141,5815.6%Nissan 122,668124,305-1.3%603,641557,9608.2%Porsche 4,5784,268 7.3% 22,22620,915 6.3%Ram 43,61343,598 0.0%215,736194,86810.7%Scion 6,6594,80638.6%31,54121,09349.5%Smart 420837-49.8%2,1862,850-23.3%Subaru 50,08349,5611.1%232,860228,0832.1%Toyota 185,998 208,102-10.6%842,217867,708-2.9%Volkswagen 28,77934,758-17.2%125,205144,006-13.1%Volvo 5,5365,02310.2%28,06623,38120.0%————— ——BMW-Mini 33,61236,836-8.8%144,811160,533-9.8%Fiat Chrysler Automobiles 204,452202,227 1.1%955,186897,1086.5%DaimlerAG 32,56733,1881.9%149,167150,864-1.1%Ford Motor Co. 234,748 250,086 -6.1% 1,106,074 1,063,638 4.0%General Motors 240,450293,097-18.0%1,183,7051,246,192-5.0%Honda Motor Co.147,108154,593-4.8%653,640 618,6045.7%Hyundai-Kia 133,932 126,0436.3% 572,304 560,463 2.1%Jaguar-Land Rover 7,1146,5868.0%39,191 34,28814.3%Nissan Motor Co. 133,496134,779-1.0% 657,561612,2557.4%Toyota Motor Corp.219,339242,579-9.6%999,543 1,021,528-2.2%Volkswagen Group * 52,197 57,698-9.5% 226,404 241,300-6.2%———————Industry Total1,535,670 1,635,397 -6.1% 7,129,281 7,048,818 1.1%

Source: Manufacturers

[Image Source: Kia]

* Volkswagen Group includes sales figures for Audi, Bentley, Porsche, and Volkswagen brands

° Mercedes-Benz USA releases sales figures for the Mercedes-Benz brand in the conventional sense, vans excluded, as well as totals for the Metris and Sprinter vans. The complete picture is included here.

** Industry total takes into account Automotive News figures/estimates for brands such as Tesla (2,250 May units) and other low-volume, high-priced manufacturers.

Timothy Cain is the founder of GoodCarBadCar.net, which obsesses over the free and frequent publication of U.S. and Canadian auto sales figures.

Timothy Cain
Timothy Cain

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  • Cdnsfan27 Cdnsfan27 on Jun 02, 2016

    Jaguar up 79.7% month to month on first month of limited availability of F-Pace and XE, up 24.6% year to year. The turnaround has begun!

  • 05lgt 05lgt on Jun 02, 2016

    Is the Hyundai jump an anomaly or are they growing that much market share?

    • VoGo VoGo on Jun 02, 2016

      Don't call it a comeback; they've been here for years.

  • Rick T. If we really cared that much about climate change, shouldn't we letting in as many EV's as possible as cheaply as possible?
  • Slavuta Inflation creation act... 2 thoughts1, Are you saying Biden admin goes on the Trump's MAGA program?2, Protectionism rephrased: "Act incentivizes automakers to source materials from free-trade-compliant countries and build EVs in North America"Question: can non-free-trade country be a member of WTO?
  • EBFlex China can F right off.
  • MrIcky And tbh, this is why I don't mind a little subsidization of our battery industry. If the American or at least free trade companies don't get some sort of good start, they'll never be able to float long enough to become competitive.
  • SCE to AUX Does the WTO have any teeth? Seems like countries just flail it at each other like a soft rubber stick for internal political purposes.
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