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

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.