America's 10 Fastest Growing New Vehicle Nameplates - October 2014 YTD

The Chevrolet Corvette is the fastest growing auto nameplate in America through the first ten months of 2014.

Four of the other members of this list of America's fastest  growing vehicles are also General Motors products.

Corvette volume is up 146% this year, an improvement of 17,150 units. Two other nameplates, the Lexus GX and Mercedes-Benz S-Class, have both doubled their October 2013 year-to-date volume.

Thorough redesigns certainly play a big role, as the Corvette, S-Class, Lexus IS, GMC Yukon, and Cadillac Escalade are all freshly revamped models. The Lexus GX460 wasn't a new product for MY2015, but Lexus did update the GX while making a conscious decision to more actively pursue sales in a market that's increasingly leaning toward SUVs and crossovers. The same could be said for the Toyota 4Runner.

As for the mostly forgotten Infiniti QX50, formerly the EX, its presence in this group basically adds fuel to an embarrassing fire. The EX debuted nearly seven years ago and, aside from a single powertrain upgrade and a name change, has undergone little in terms of re-engineering. An increase of 45% in 2014 points us not to a sudden uptick in sales but 2013's downturn. Last year, the QX50/EX tumbled 38%. Sales had fallen 42% in 2012 and 28% in 2011 and have never been higher than the 12,873 units Infiniti achieved in its first full year, 2008. Acura will sell more than 40,000 RDXs this year.

But a list of the fastest growing nameplates shouldn't be filled with Infiniti doom and gloom. The Corvette, one of Detroit's most iconic machines, will generate more than 30,000 sales in 2014, the first such occasion since 2007. True blue off-road enthusiasts can get excited about the surge of interest in the 4Runner – year-to-date sales have already reached a seven-year high. Ruthless executives will be pleased by the S-Class's surge. S-Class volume hasn't been this strong in eight years.

Rank	Vehicle	10 Months 2014	10 Months 2013	% Change	+ Difference
#1	Chevrolet Corvette	28,909	11,759	145.8%	17,150
#2	Lexus GX460	17,935	8,603	108.5%	9,332
#3	Mercedes-Benz S-Class	19,581	9,539	105.3%	10,042
#4	GMC Savana	24,200	12,585	92.3%	11,615
#5	Lexus IS	40,809	25,630	59.2%	15,179
#6	Buick Encore	41,213	26,532	55.3%	14,681
#7	GMC Yukon	33,661	21,928	53.5%	11,733
#8	Cadillac Escalade (Regular Wheelbase)	15,095	10,022	50.6%	5,073
#9	Toyota 4Runner	61,582	41,844	47.2%	19,738
#10	Infiniti QX50/EX	2,308	1,588	45.3%	720

We have not included vehicles which weren't on sale throughout 2013. (The Buick Encore went on sale in January of last year.) We've also measured the vehicles on a percentage scale. If measured by volume, the Infiniti QX50's paltry 720 extra sales would not be sufficient to crack a fastest-growing list. For the record, many of America's best-selling vehicles have generated far greater additional sales in 2014's first ten months. The Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Silverado, Honda Accord, Kia Soul, Nissan Rogue, Nissan Sentra, Nissan Versa, Ram P/U, Subaru Forester, Toyota Corolla, and Toyota RAV4 have all added more sales than the Toyota 4Runner, this vehicle which, among vehicles on this list, most greatly expanded its volume.

GCBC's Most Popular Auto Sales Figures - November 2014

The Honda Accord's sales figures were the most commonly viewed numbers for a specific model on GoodCarBadCar.net in November 2014, a position the Accord has held many times over the last few years.

Trailing the Accord was an Accord-related car, the Acura TLX. The TLX generates nearly 5000 U.S. sales in addition to the Accord's 27,128 in October while ranking second in among premium brand cars in Canada.

In this post you'll also find the most commonly read October 2014-related sales articles at GCBC over the last month and the most frequently viewed GCBC Driven reviews, as well. No review was read more often than our take on the new Subaru Outback. Readers check out the complete monthly U.S. brand-by-brand results more often than any other article.

Automobile manufacturers will begin reporting their November 2014 and year-to-date U.S. and Canadian sales figures on Tuesday, December 2, 2014. GoodCarBadCar will be updated throughout the day with brand results from automakers competing in the United States and Canada. Later on Monday afternoon, U.S. November best seller lists for cars and trucks and SUVs will be published, as well.

As always, sales figures for all manufacturers, makes, and models will be updated in GCBC's free searchable database of historical monthly and yearly sales data. For non-mobile users (or mobile users who have opted to view the full site by selecting that option at the bottom of the page), you can also select a vehicle, a brand, a manufacturer, or total industry figures in a dropdown menu near the top right of this page. The in-depth breakdown of November 2014 new vehicle sales begins in earnest straightaway at the beginning of December.

CARS - NOVEMBER VIEWS
#10: Jeep Cherokee
#9: Honda CR-V
#8: Chrysler 200
#7: BMW 3-Series
#6: Tesla Model S
#5: Honda Civic
#4: Toyota Camry
#3: Ford F-Series
#2: Acura TLX
#1: Honda Accord

OCTOBER 2014 SALES ARTICLES
#10: Top 20 Worst-Selling Vehicles In America - October 2014
#9: Canada Vehicle Sales Rankings By Model - October 2014 YTD
#8: U.S. Pickup Truck Sales Rankings By Model - October 2014 YTD
#7: U.S. Car Sales Rankings By Model - October 2014 YTD
#6: U.S. SUV/Crossover Sales Rankings By Model - October 2014 YTD
#5: Top 20 Best-Selling SUVs In America - October 2014
#4: Canada Auto Sales Brand Rankings - October 2014 YTD
#3: Top 20 Best-Selling Cars In America - October 2014
#2: U.S. Vehicle Sales Rankings By Model - October 2014 YTD
#1: U.S. Auto Sales Brand Rankings - October 2014 YTD

REVIEWS
#10: 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Laramie Crew Cab 4x4
#9: 2014 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid
#8: 2014 Audi SQ5
#7: 2014 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Edition 30
#6: 2015 Hyundai Sonata Limited
#5: 2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Touring
#4: 2015 Chrysler 200 S AWD
#3: 2015 Subaru Legacy 3.6R Limited
#2: 2015 Mercedes-Benz C400 4Matic
#1: 2015 Porsche Macan S

RECOMMENDED READING
GCBC's Most Popular Auto Sales Figures - October 2014
GCBC's Most Popular Auto Sales Figures - September 2014
Complete U.S. Auto Sales Recap - October 2014
Complete Canadian Auto Sales Recap - October 2014

2015 Volkswagen Golf 1.8 TSI Comfortline Review - You Get What You Pay For

13 years ago, Golf-based Volkswagen GTIs produced 180 horsepower from a 1.8L turbocharged four-cylinder powerplant. Over the last week, I’ve been driving a brand new Golf that’s also fitted with a 1.8L turbocharged four-cylinder. It generates 170 horsepower.

In 2002, you could pair Volkswagen’s 1.8T with a 6-speed manual transmission. Our test car used a 5-speed manual.

Is this progress? Strangely, yes.

THE GOOD • Overall on-road behaviour • Powerful base engine • Luxurious ambience • Interior quality • Timeless styling

THE BAD • TDI still more appealing than TSI • Not exactly inexpensive • Fuel economy disappointed • 5-speed? • Rear seat space could use a boost

The new car makes way more torque: 185 lb-ft at 1600 rpm compared with 173 lb-ft at 1950 rpm. According to EPA tests, it also travels 25% farther on a litre of fuel. Regular fuel, too. The old car drank premium.

Regardless of what the spec sheet says, the new 1.8T is still a very quick car when mated to the 5-speed manual. And though the transmission would surely benefit from a tall sixth gear and feels as though it could use more tightly spaced ratios, shift quality is excellent and the clutch is friendly, with no learning curve required.

Over the course of a decade and multiple generations of Golf, the greater gains have (clearly) not come in terms of outright power but in overall refinement and the driving experience as a whole. These upgrades are unlikely to change the fact that the wild fuel economy figures achieved by diesel-powered Golfs will still draw greater Canadian attention. Like the well-behaved child who always carries his dishes back to the sink with two hands and efficiently and correctly finishes his homework, but who still sees all his parents’ attention paid to his delinquent little brother, der neue base Golf does its level best but still isn’t as desirable as its siblings.

OUR CAR
This four-door, manual-shift Golf, loaned to us for a week-long visit by Volkswagen Canada was priced at $25,985 (freight and PDI included) with one $1695 option package. As a mid-grade Comfortline example, this Golf featured a sunroof, leatherette upholstery, and dual-zone climate control. 

All Photo Credits: Timothy Cain ©www.GoodCarBadCar.net
Click Any Of These Images For A Larger Slideshow View

Absent the optional Fender system, audio quality was still more than acceptable. Volkswagen’s 2.0L turbodiesel $2500 in to the cost of any Golf in Canada. A 6-speed automatic transmission is another $1400.

2015 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF 1.8 TSI COMFORTLINE Base Price * (CAD): $21,390 As-Tested Price * (CAD): $25,985 Engine: 1.8L 16-valve turbocharged four-cylinder Transmission: 5-speed automatic Horsepower: 170 @ 4800 rpm Torque: 185 lb-ft @ 1600 rpm Curb Weight: 2906 pounds Drive Type: front-wheel-drive Length: 168.0 inches Width: 70.8 inches Height: 56.8 inches Wheelbase: 103.8 inches Tires: Continental ContiProContact Tire Size: 205/55R16 Passenger Volume: 2648 litres Cargo Volume: 671 litres Max. Cargo Volume: 1521 litres EPA City: 25 mpg EPA Highway: 37 mpg NRCAN OEE City: 9.3 L/100km NRCAN OEE Hwy: 6.4 L/100km Observed: 28 mpg Observed: 8.4 L/100km * includes $1395 destination charge Golf 5-Door Comfortline base price: $24,290 Golf 3-door base price: $20,390 MPG fuel economy ratings from the Environmental Protection Agency. L/100km ratings from the Canadian Office of Energy Efficiency's new 5-cycle testing for MY2015 vehicles.

INSIDE
With fuzzy carpeting spread across the front doors’ storage compartments and a dash covered in material so squeezable I expected fruit juice to come pouring out, there’s no doubt that the Golf’s perceived quality quotient tops the class. 

The Golf’s infotainment unit lags, both in actual use and behind segment leaders like Mazda Connect. It’s not a terrible system to use – I liked how it allowed me to scroll through satellite radio stations without actually selecting one – but the graphics and operational speed are behind the times. 

The 5.8-inch screen also seems too small for a proper backup camera, or is it just that the the camera isn’t a particularly good one, washed out as it was in daylight and too dim later in the day?

Comfort is a key Golf edge, with first-rate seats and a huge range of adjustment in those seats and the steering wheel. Wind and road noise is something other small car owners encounter, but the Golf offers a proper luxury car ambience, only decontented.

Rear seat space doesn’t impress, however, as the placement of the especially narrow Diono Radian RXT in the middle position required an adult alongside to slam the door on their hip. 

Sure, it’s a small car, but many small cars these days do better. Hatchback versions of the Hyundai Elantra, Mazda 3, and Subaru Impreza all have more overall space for humans.

STOWAGE
The Golf does have a bit more space behind the rear seat than the 3 and Impreza, however, and the cargo area is shaped like a box with little intrusion. Seats down capacity beats the Elantra, as well. 

Of course, all are surprisingly practical cars, yet they also help to clarify the appeal of small crossovers, as our Baby Jogger Summit X3 needed its wheels removed if it was to fit under the cargo cover in the Golf. Where’s the Golf R wagon when you need it?

FITTING ROOM
Like virtually all continuing nameplates, Golfs have certainly grown over the span of generations. This Mk7 car is 167.5 inches long on a wheelbase of 103.8 inches; 2.6 inches longer than the Mk4 car we mentioned earlier with a wheelbase that’s been stretched nearly five inches. Relative to modern machines, the current Golf is just under two feet shorter than a new Toyota Camry; 7.5 inches longer than the 2015 Honda Fit. It’s 14.7 inches shorter than the latest Jetta with slightly less wheelbase and slightly greater width.

GOING/STOPPING/TURNING
Those tidy dimensions are central to the Golf’s on-road appeal. It’s as tossable as a properly set-up subcompact but as unflustered as a much larger car. Mid-corner pavement protrusions don’t bother the Golf even when you’re driving as enthusiastically as you might in its GTI sibling. The Golf’s brake pedal could be firmed up, but the weight of other controls is in keeping with the car’s mission. 

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• Historical Monthly & Yearly Volkswagen Golf Sales Figures
• 2013 Volkswagen Golf TDI Wolfsburg Driven Review
• 2014 Mazda 3 Sport GS Driven Review
• 2014 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Edition 30 Driven Review

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It’s not a hot hatch, but there’s no mistaking this ordinary Golf (on unaggressive 205/55R16 Continental ContiProContacts) for anything other than the foundation of a great hot hatch. Quicker turn in, sharper throttle response, and a suspension that needs only to be modestly stiffened would produce a wonderful all-rounder. It is not crying out for more torque.

RIVALS
A Mazda 3 offers much of the Golf’s driving appeal but lacks its hushed cabin and always-serene ride quality. Subaru’s Impreza does not come within range of matching the Golf’s upmarket interior but offers Vermont’s favourite all-wheel-drive system. It’s obviously difficult for the Golf to match the value and content of the Hyundai Elantra GT and Kia Forte5, but the driving experiences between those cars and the remarkable Golf are worlds apart.

SELLING
Over the course of the last ten months – but not in the last two – the Golf lineup has been outsold in the U.S. by its own offspring, the GTI. With the Mk7 now widely available, the non-GTI/R/E Golf lineup doubled its U.S. October volume. Yet at 2351 units, it was by no means a popular car in America. HybridCars.com says 41% of the non-GTI Golfs sold this year have been diesels. The Golf family is Germany’s best-selling vehicle; the UK’s fourth-best-selling vehicle. In October 2014, it was Canada’s tenth-best-selling car.

VERDICT
Aside from a frumpy radio and a sunroof visor which crudely slides back and forth, the Golf is an impressive piece, not just lacking in glaring faults but full of admirable elements. One might wonder why Americans are so indifferent, until one realizes that an entry-level midsize price point makes for a tough sell. The Golf 1.8 TSI is a car I want, it’s just not a car I want to pay for, not with these interior dimensions on this continent. Not when this car consumed 8.4 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres in a mix of city and highway driving while the last Golf TDI we tested sipped just 5.8 L/100km.

Oh, have a little compassion for the well-behaved gas-fired Golf. Even when reviewed positively, the whole story deteriorates into praise of its oil-burning sibling. We might as well pile on by mentioning the superior styling of the Mk1’s round headlights.

Audi USA Sold More A3s Than A4s In October 2014

Are times changing, or was October nothing more than an optimal arranging of circumstances in favour of Audi’s smallest sedan?

Audi USA sold more A3s than A4 sedans in October 2014, a serious shift from a year ago when the old A3 hatchback was dead and Audi sold 3040 A4s.

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• Canada Vehicle Sales Rankings By Model - October 2014 YTD
• Canada Car Sales Rankings By Model - October 2014 YTD

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Before we assume this will be the new way forward for Audi in America, remember that the A4 is at the end of its rope. The next generation A4 has already been spotted in camo form, and while the current car clearly remains competitive in the marketplace, it is an older design.

The A3, on the other hand, was released in the United States in new sedan form earlier this year.

Additionally, the A4’s figures don’t take into account the Allroad (basically a jacked-up and cladded A4 Avant, which is no longer available in North America) and the A3 lineup’s second offering, a convertible, began reaching showrooms this fall. Include the Allroad in the A4’s total and the A3 trailed the bigger car by 292 units in October. The A3 Cabriolet, meanwhile, makes up 17% of all A3 inventory as we speak.

Nevertheless, it’s a meaningful moment in time, a snapshot of a downward-stretching “luxury” market that needs additional entry-level models to create greater volume. Along with the 2380 A3s Audi sold in October 2014, there were another 683 Q3 crossovers. Together, they accounted for one in five Audi sales last month.

The brand’s best-selling Q5 was up 6% to 3571 units, equal to 24% of all Audi sales. Top-end models – A6, A7, A8, Q7 – collectively rose 7% to 4671 October sales, 31% of the brand’s total. Equivalent lineups at Mercedes-Benz – E-Class, CLS-Class, S-Class, GL-Class – have produced 40% of the brand’s (significantly higher) sales through the first ten months of 2014.

Yet so often this year, the more interesting shift in the premium market has seen Audi consistently outselling Cadillac: in April, May, June, August, September, and October, and by 4681 sales year-to-date. Cadillac outsold Audi by nearly 25,000 units in the U.S. last year, when Cadillac sales jumped 22% and Audi rose 13%. One key difference between the two brands is the breadth of Audi’s lineup at the top and bottom of the range. While not Mercedes-Benz-like, Audi’s broad range makes the narrow scope of the Cadillac portfolio all the more apparent. Cadillac lacks products which could directly take on the TT, R8, A8, A7, Allroad, and Audi’s new entry-level cars, the A3 and Q3.

Together, those vehicles were responsible for 28% of Audi sales last month. At Cadillac, their non-existent rivals produced 0% of the brand’s October sales.

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• Historical Monthly & Yearly Audi A3 Sales Figures
• Historical Monthly & Yearly Audi A4 Sales Figures
• Historical Monthly & Yearly Audi A4 Allroad Sales Figures

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Cadillac’s missing parts creates a story for another day and an issue their new boss, Johan de Nysschen appears willing to take a look at only if it means Cadillac will make more money.

Back among German automakers, the A3 trailed Mercedes-Benz’s CLA by 216 units in October 2014 but leads the CLA by 1512 sales since the beginning of April, when the A3 arrived in real numbers. The GLA, in its second month, outsold the Q3, in its third month, by 1324 units in October.

When luxury automakers dive down to this price bracket, volume certainly matters. How much relevance Audi places on the A3’s A4-beating performance in October is another matter, of course, not just because of the A4’s age. With numerical assistance from a wagon, the A4 was actually the more popular product last month. Imagine that, a wagon, of all things, helped the A4 rise to the top of Audi’s car leaderboard.

Regardless of their position in the rankings, the new A3 has undeniably been a far more successful car for Audi USA than the old hatchback. Audi has already sold twice as many A3s in the last seven months than the old model ever managed in a full calendar year.

Small And Midsize Luxury SUV Sales In Canada - October 2014 YTD

Remove a trio of new rivals from the Audi Q5's segment and sales of the continuing nameplates still increased in Canada in October 2014, though not at the rate of the overall market. 

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• Canada Vehicle Sales Rankings By Model - October 2014 YTD
• Canada SUV/Crossover Sales Rankings By Model - October 2014 YTD

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Click Chart To Expand

Non-Macan/MKC/X4 sales were up 1.6% in October 2014 despite the fact that these new utility vehicles – plus the smaller Audi Q3 and Mercedes-Benz GLA - were attempting to steal sales. 

They undoubtedly did, but the market for these vehicles is expanding at such a rate that slowdowns were felt by very few of the established small luxury crossover nameplates. The Acura RDX, Audi Q5, BMW X3, Infiniti QX50, and Land Rover LR2 all posted improved Canadian sales both in October and during the first ten months of 2014.

The Q5, even with 345 buyers heading the Q3's way, still rose 4% to 772 units. Year-to-date, no premium brand SUV/crossover has sold as often as the Q5, though Lexus's RX comes close. We'll see soon if increased RX pricing and the NX, yet to arrive, sitting below it will harm RX volume. 

You can click any model name in the tables below to find historical monthly and yearly Canadian auto sales data. You can also select a make and model at GCBC's Sales Stats page. These tables are now sortable, so you can rank luxury SUVs and crossovers any which way you like. Suggestions on how GCBC should break down segments can be passed on through the Contact page.

Click Column Headers To Sort • October 2015 • November 2014 • September 2014 • October 2013

Compact Luxury SUV	October 2014	October 2013	% Change	2014 YTD	2013 YTD	% Change
Audi Q3	345	---	---	955	---	---
BMW X1	201	172	16.9%	2338	2370	-1.4%
Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class	272	---	---	456	---	---
---	---	---	---	---	---	---
Total	818	172	376%	3749	2370	58.2%

Small Luxury SUV	October 2014	October 2013	% Change	2014 YTD	2013 YTD	% Change
Acura RDX	569	556	2.3%	5433	5092	6.7%
Audi Q5	772	744	3.8%	6743	6236	8.1%
BMW X3	476	364	30.8%	4432	5029	11.9%
BMW X4	111	---	---	321	---	---
Infiniti QX50 / EX	182	120	51.7%	1600	1225	30.6%
Land Rover LR2	54	50	8.0%	522	423	23.4%
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque	118	179	-34.1%	1390	1495	-7.0%
Lincoln MKC	328	---	---	1265	---	---
Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class	434	534	-18.7%	4487	5150	-12.9%
Porsche Macan	142	---	---	940	---	---
Volvo XC60	122	137	-10.9%	1306	1467	-11.0%
---	---	---	---	---	---	---
Total	3308	2684	23.2%	28,439	26,117	8.9%

Midsize Luxury SUV	October 2014	October 2013	% Change	2014 YTD	2013 YTD	% Change
Acura MDX	562	489	14.9%	5058	5010	1.0%
Acura ZDX	---	4	-100%	6	39	-84.6%
Audi Q7	206	179	15.1%	1663	1556	6.9%
BMW X5	317	703	-54.9%	4666	3268	42.8%
BMW X6	6	43	-86.0%	698	686	1.7%
Cadillac SRX	320	457	-30.0%	3594	3187	12.8%
Infiniti QX60/JX	339	271	25.1%	2937	2704	8.6%
Infiniti QX70/FX	41	49	-16.3%	389	552	-29.5%
Land Rover LR4	20	46	-56.5%	321	369	-13.0%
Land Rover Range Rover Sport	181	169	7.1%	2093	1380	51.7%
Lexus GX460	59	36	63.9%	472	251	88.0%
Lexus RX	885	765	15.7%	6670	6595	1.1%
Lincoln MKT	21	29	-27.6%	242	325	-25.5%
Lincoln MKX	228	274	-16.8%	2343	2739	-14.5%
Mercedes-Benz M-Class	460	538	-14.5%	4666	3940	18.4%
Porsche Cayenne	61	209	-70.8%	1606	1687	-4.8%
Volkswagen Touareg *	216	173	24.9%	1890	1723	9.7%
Volvo XC70 *	41	60	-31.7%	448	542	-17.3%
Volvo XC90	50	18	178%	390	450	-13.3%
---	---	---	---	---	---	---
Total	4013	4512	-11.1	40,152	37,003	8.5%

Source: Automakers & ANDC
* indicates a vehicle which is also shown in another GCBC segment breakdown
GCBC isn't here to break down segments, an impossible task for any group, but to display sales data for the sake of comparison. The more ways sales data can be displayed, the better. This explains you'll see the XC70 listed with luxury cars as well as with SUVs and crossovers and the Touareg with luxury SUVs and mainstream SUVs... because readers have wanted it both ways. You can always find the sales results for EVERY vehicle and form your own competitive sets by using the All Vehicle Rankings posts.

RECOMMENDED READING
Small & Midsize Luxury SUV Sales In Canada - October 2015 YTD
Small & Midsize Luxury SUV Sales In Canada - November 2014 YTD
Small & Midsize Luxury SUV Sales In Canada - September 2014 YTD
Small & Midsize Luxury SUV Sales In Canada - October 2013 YTD
Top 20 Best-Selling SUVs In Canada - October 2014
Canada Auto Sales Brand Rankings - October 2014 YTD
Large Luxury SUV Sales In Canada - October 2014 YTD