Who's Buying What? Certain Automakers Making Inroads in Minority Communities

Regardless of what your college instructors claim, individuality remains a virtue. And, while (legally and harmlessly) going your own way is still a good thing, great masses of individuals often gravitate towards the same thing. It’s an age-old phenomenon, one easily seen in the buying preferences of minority communities.

If you’re someone who values the time-honored affordability and usability of the common sedan, thank the African-American community. They’re still buying tons of them. If you value innovation and industry disruption, tip your hat at the Asian community. They show an increased affinity for trying new things.

While registration data shows America’s visible minorities haven’t diverged too far from last year’s buying preferences, a few surprises can be found in data drawn from the first half of the year.

Registration data collected by IHS Markit and published by Automotive News shows one major change: the elevation of the Tesla Model 3 to the top-selling vehicle among Asian buyers. In last year’s first-half data, Tesla’s compact EV was nowhere to be seen.

Basically, the entries in last year’s top five list ( Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Toyota Camry, Honda Civic, Honda Accord) moved down one notch to make room for the Model 3. Circumstantial evidence makes this new entry less of a surprise for yours truly. The first three Model 3s I ever saw were piloted by Asian drivers.

Elsewhere, top-seller lists showed less drastic evolutions. Among African-Americans, sedans still rank highly, occupying the top three positions. Those vehicles are the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Honda Civic. Good choices, all. And while the Ford F-Series cropped up in second place last year, the world’s best-selling vehicle dropped to fifth place in the first half of 2019. In fourth? Ram trucks, which didn’t make the list last year.

Speaking to AN, IHS Markit Chief Diversity Officer Marc Bland noted the rising popularity of pickups among African-American buyers. This, he said, presents a marketing opportunity automakers so far haven’t capitalized on.

Ram’s impressive sales surge is something we’ve documented in 2019. The brand now outsells General Motors’ pickups by a healthy margin, giving Ford’s segment-leading F-Series a run for its money. Ram also shows up in the number seven spot among Hispanic buyers, ahead of F-Series, but behind the fifth-place Chevrolet Silverado (which doesn’t move from last year’s standings).

What’s missing from the African-American shopping list in this latest data dump? The Nissan Sentra, which posted a fifth-place win last year. In 2019, it doesn’t rank in the top 10. Which isn’t to say sedan marketing should fall by the wayside — those players still in the game (imports, namely), have a years-long connection with minority communities and retain plenty of goodwill, despite the growing number of crossover and truck sales.

Among Hispanic buyers, the sedan still reigns supreme; only the positions have changed. The number one choice is still the Honda Civic, while the Toyota Camry moved up two spots from last year’s No. 4 result. The Corolla moves from third to second place, while the RAV4 moves up a spot to third.

[Image: Fiat Chrysler, Tesla, Honda]