Lexus vs. Acura vs. Infiniti: U.S. Sales 2006-2015

The late 80s were a time of great revolution for the Japanese auto industry. Not only did Honda forge an upmarket path with Acura, but compatriot automakers Nissan and Toyota did the same with Infiniti, and Lexus, respectively.

The path has not been a straightforward one for Infiniti. Sales in 2015 will rise for a a third consecutive year and will reach an eight-year high, perhaps even a ten-year high-water mark. But Infiniti is still not able to fully replicate the success of 2004 and 2005, when the newly launched G35 captured hearts and potential BMW 3-Series buyers. 

The market has expanded – interest in luxury cars is rising. Infiniti rests hope on new entry-level machines, the Mercedes-Benz CLA-based Q30 and QX30. That should help produce greater volume, something Infiniti dealers sorely lack.

Acura is another story, though one let down in recent years by lackluster passenger car efforts. The brand which built its image on affordable performance and supremely reliable entry-level luxury sedans doesn't have the reliability reputation now that it did in the 90s, nor does Acura offer any affordable performance car. 

Click Chart To Expand

Acura will attempt in the next year to restore performance credibility with the second-generation NSX supercar, but that rarely seen machine won't change the fact that young men once wanted an Integra GS-R, and now Acura must wait and hope that those young men, grow up, get married, have kids, and want an MDX. 

Acura sales in 2015 are expected to rise to an eight-year high, as befits any automaker in a record-setting year for auto sales seven years removed from the beginning of a recession. Acura sold 210,000 new vehicles in 2005, the year before our chart began. Sales in 2015 are down approximately 16% since then. 

Acura sold 137,938 cars, 54,121 MDXs, and the first 9164 RDXs in 2006. In 2015, Acura will be lucky to sell 70,000 cars and MDX sales are down 12% year-over-year. The MDX and RDX now account for 61% of brand-wide sales.

By far the most successful Japanese luxury entrant is Toyota's Lexus division. Not only does Lexus dominate this post's accompanying sales chart, Lexus was also the top-selling premium auto brand in America for 11 consecutive years between 2000 and 2010, pipping not only its Japanese foes but Cadillac, Lincoln, and the Germans, too.

---

U.S. Vehicle Sales Rankings By Model - November 2015 YTD
U.S. Car Sales Rankings By Model - November 2015 YTD
U.S. SUV/Crossover Sales Rankings By Model - November 2015 YTD

---

In 2015's first 11 months, Lexus' utility vehicles are up 30% to 152,427 sales, equal to slightly more than half the brand's year-to-date sales. The RX is the brand's top seller and America's top-selling premium brand utility vehicle overall, 27,000 sales ahead of the second-ranked Cadillac SRX. 

Timothy Cain is the founder of GoodCarBadCar.net, which obsesses over the free and frequent publication of U.S. and Canadian auto sales figures. Follow on Twitter @goodcarbadcar and on Facebook.

Auto News For Wednesday, December 16, 2015 - Infiniti Readies A 400-Horsepower Q50

Here are the five must-read, must-watch auto news stories and videos for Wednesday, December 16, 2015.

HORSEPOWER
Ever since Infiniti restored its G nameplate in 2002, the brand's entry-level sedan has been anything but short on power. But for the 2016 model year, Infiniti's G35/G37 successor, the Q50, will be offered with even more power, including a 400-horsepower, twin-turbocharged 3.0L V6. There will also be a 300-horsepower V6 and a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder with 208 horsepower, an engine you know from the Mercedes-Benz CLA250, Mercedes-Benz GLA250, Mercedes-Benz Metris, and Infiniti's new Q30 and QX30.

SLC
As pitiful as alphanumeric names so often are, Mercedes-Benz appeared to have built up some cachet with the SLK roadster. So they're throwing it away, just as they've tossed overboard the M-Clas, GL-Class, and GLK-Class. The SLK is now the SLC, and replacing the SLK55 AMG is this Mercedes-AMG SLC43. Replacing the 5.5L V8 is a 3.0L twin-turbo V6. So what's the deal with the 43 part?

TTAC
Ford's four former core brands at the Blue Oval's Premier Automotive Group haven't completely gone their separate ways – Jaguar and Land Rover remain paired at India's Tata Motors. But Chinese-owned Volvo and Ford-owned Lincoln and the JLR tandem are now isolated entities. How has their status been affected in the U.S. over the last decade?

INSIDE THE AUTO INDUSTRY
To what degree can Volkswagen turn the tide of public opinion if the company introduces an all-electric Microbus at the CES next month? Likely not as far as Volkswagen could turn the tide if they delivered a production Microbus with a mass-appeal powertrain, a vehicle that would appear on driveways near you in 2017.

WATCH
We're big fans of the new Mini Clubman. After Mini flubbed the first-generation, the new Clubman is a genuinely spacious Mini, but with more handsome proportions than the 5-door. And the barn doors do look cool, even though they're a bit of a nuisance.

Watch 2015 Infiniti Q50S Video Review - Alex On Autos

In a sector dominated by the BMW 3-Series, the Infiniti Q50 was the successor to the G37, which was a successor to the G35 that brought the Infiniti brand to the forefront of the fight for entry-level luxury sports sedan buyers.

But the Q50 isn't selling especially well. Challengers are numerous, from compatriots like the Lexus IS and Acura TLX to other Germans like the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4 to less obvious machines like the Cadillac ATS and Volvo S60.

But while the Q50 isn't as overwhelmingly popular as that first G35, it's not an uncommon car. And it's certainly a high-tech machine. This Alex On Autos video review of the 2015 Infiniti Q50S, available for viewing in 4K, will be the most thorough and detailed video review you'll find on the web.

---

Alex On Autos Video Review - 2015 BMW M235i
Alex On Autos Video Review - 2016 Volvo XC90
Alex On Autos Video Review - 2015 Dodge Charger R/T

---

GCBC hasn't yet had an opportunity to review a Q50, although we'd love to. Our most recent Infiniti review involves the JX35, now known as the QX60. GCBC has also reviewed the Audi S4 and Mercedes-Benz C400, two prime Q50 rivals, as well as the Acura TLX V6 AWD.


Timothy Cain is the founder of GoodCarBadCar.net, which obsesses over the free and frequent publication of U.S. and Canadian auto sales figures. Follow on Twitter @goodcarbadcar and on Facebook. Alex On Autos is also on Facebook and Twitter.

Auto News For Monday, May 18, 2015 - 2016 Camaro Debuts To Challenge(r) Mustang

Here are the six must-read, must-watch auto news stories, reviews, and videos for Monday, May 18, 2015. Your normal news editor, Steffani Cain, is off today, which is Victoria Day in Canada.

FUTURE
Leaked ahead of the debut on CNBC, General Motors introduced the sixth-generation of their Chevrolet Camaro on Saturday in Michigan's Belle Isle park. Turbocharged, four-cylinder power is part of the story.

INSIDE THE AUTO BUSINESS
Jose Munoz, Nissan's chairman in North America, simply wants dealers. Where they come from and the grandeur of their overall enterprise matter not. And Munoz knows what it's like to see dealers thrive. He comes from Nissan Mexico, where the automaker is an industry leader.

REVIEW
Car & Driver calls the 2016 Audi Q7 an SUV "worth waiting for." Wrote Jens Meiners: "The interior is so contemporary, functional, and aesthetically pleasing that it may set the new class benchmark."

TTAC
What did Porsche use in order to set a U.S. sales record in April 2015? Not their cars, which all declined, but rather, the Macan and Cayenne. Meanwhile, Infiniti's Q70 is putting up better numbers thanks to help from the Q70L. But "better" doesn't mean "high." Finally, which car is winning the U.S. sales battle, the Audi A7 or the Mercedes-Benz CLS?

RECALL
No change since Friday's raft of Toyota and GM recalls.

WATCH
The Tesla Model S is an impressive device. In P85 form, we were awestruck. As a P85D, there's really nothing like it. But - and you won't be surprised - the doorhandles still break, according to Consumer Reports own test car.

Infiniti G37 Keeps Hanging On With Real Sales Numbers

Infiniti's G37 sedan continues to attract a meaningful amount of attention from entry-level luxury car buyers in the United States, long after it was replaced by the Q50. It's still a fast car. It may be the better driver's car. And it's the cheaper car, as well, with a base price (including destination and handling) of $33,855, $4200 below the price of the basic Q50.

11,327 G sedans have been sold in the United States over the last eight months, almost precisely one G37 per Q50.

Infiniti has no plans, at least not for the very near future, to cancel the G37. They're actually giving it a new name to fit in with Johan De Nysschen's Q naming strategy, the Q40. De Nysschen now works for Cadillac, which now builds the Qescalade. No, really, they'll actually build the CT6.

With the newer Q50 in showrooms, sales of the enduring predecessor have naturally fallen sharply in 2014. The 53% drop equals 12,939 fewer sales for the G. But total G Sedan/Q50 sales are up 29% to 34,449 units. Even with the Q60 included, Infiniti's 39,753 year-to-date non-Q70 car sales don't measure up to Mercedes-Benz's declining C-Class (43,885 units) or BMW's 3-Series/4-Series tandem (81,631 units).

---

• U.S. Vehicle Sales Rankings By Model - August 2014 YTD
• U.S. Car Sales Rankings By Model - August 2014 YTD

---

Yet in the second tier, where Lexus IS sales are up 77% to 33,427 units and total Audi A4 sales are down 4% to 26,310 and Cadillac ATS volume is down 20% to 20,296, Infiniti is at the top. More likely than not, the Q50 wouldn't have the gusto to acquire that position without the lingering G37, as we can't assume all 11,327 G buyers would have spent the extra required to make the leap.

It would have been silly to discount the strength of the G too soon. In first-gen form, Infiniti's smaller sports sedan – a long-awaited successor to the G20 we're ignoring here – reignited the brand. Brand-wide volume shot up to 136,401 units in 2005, a feat Infiniti hasn't accomplished since, when the G family accounted for 50.4% of all Infiniti sales. With the G still assisting in 2014, Infiniti is on track to top 120,000 U.S. sales for the first time since 2007. (August results through a wrench in that plan, as total Infiniti sales slid 23%.)

So far this year, despite being replaced, the G sedan is the brand's third-best-selling model, more than 3000 sales ahead of the next-best-selling QX80, ahead of the Q60, QX70, Q70, and QX50, as well. G37 sales in August climbed above 1500 units for the fourth time in six months, and the G37 managed to outsell the Subaru WRX/STi, Scion FR-S, Mercedes-Benz CLS, Mitsubishi Lancer, Mazda 2, Honda Crosstour, BMW i3, Porsche 911, Scion xD, Volkswagen CC, and Lexus LS, among many others.

UK Auto Sales By Brand - 2011 Year End

Skoda Roomster Scout

As it was last year, Ford was the United Kingdom's best-selling car brand in 2011. 265,894 Fords were sold to Britons in 2011. Two-thirds of those Fords were Fiestas and Focuses. 

While Ford was the best-selling brand, a greater share of the market was owned by Volkswagen. By owning Audi, Skoda, and Seat, 19.7% of the UK market was Volkswagen's. General Motors, by the way, recorded a very similar 19.6% market share in America in 2011. Ford has no luxury division to boost its share in the United Kingdom as it does in the United States and Canada where its market share tallies are 16.8% and 17.4%, respectively.

BMW finished 2011 as the UK's top-selling premium car brand. Land Rover finished fourth. Compare that stat with Land Rover's finish in America. The Brits do like their homegrown brands, even if the revenue is now funnelled to overseas corporations like Tata, BMW, and Volkswagen. Mini very nearly out-sold Honda (and succeeded at doing so in December) while Jaguar's declining sales were still strong enough to see off Lexus.

As for non-Ford American brands, you'll have to scroll down a ways to find any. Chevrolet sold 12,524 cars in the United Kingdom in 2011, that's down 8.4% from 2010. Jeep's UK division sold 2146 vehicles in 2011 - Jeep sells that many Wranglers each week in the U.S. The Chrysler brand accounted for 1182 of Fiat's total sales in 2011. Infiniti is very much a Japanese brand but something of a U.S. creation. The brand has been very slow to take off on the other side of the Atlantic. Initially, Lexus was as well, and despite Toyota's troubles this year, Lexus improved its UK sales total by 33% in 2011. It takes time.

All the pertinent UK auto sales figures are below. Last year's version of this table can be viewed here.

Rank	Automaker	2011 Year End	2010 Year End	% Change
#1	Ford	265,894	280,364	- 5.2%
#2	Vauxhall	234,710	247,265	- 5.1%
#3	Volkswagen	179,290	174,655	+ 2.7%
#4	BMW	116,642	109,418	+ 6.6%
#5	Audi	113,797	99,828	+ 14.0%
#6	Nissan	96,269	89,681	+ 7.4%
#7	Peugeot	94,989	109,324	- 13.1%
#8	Mercedes-Benz	81,873	74,977	+ 9.2%
#9	Toyota	73,589	87,396	- 15.8%
#10	Citroen	68,464	73,317	- 6.6%
#11	Renault	68,449	95,608	- 28.4%
#12	Hyundai	62,900	61,752	+ 1.9%
#13	Kia	53,615	56,114	- 4.5%
#14	Honda	50,577	63,652	- 20.5%
#15	Mini	50,138	43,894	+ 14.2%
#16	Skoda	45,061	41,240	+ 9.3%
#17	Fiat	41,612	53,092	- 21.6%
#18	Land Rover	37,637	37,272	+ 1.0%
#19	Seat	36,089	32,935	+ 9.6%
#20	Volvo	32,657	37,435	- 12.8%
#21	Mazda	31,219	45,449	- 31.3%
#22	Suzuki	20,295	21,484	- 5.5%
#23	Jaguar	13,787	16,417	- 16.0%
#24	Chevrolet	12,524	13,678	- 8.4%
#25	Alfa Romeo	11,563	8834	+ 30.9%
#26	Mitsubishi	9843	12,209	- 19.4%
#27	Lexus	8269	6202	+ 33.3%
#28	Porsche	6382	6784	- 5.9%
#29	smart	5044	7651	- 34.1%
#30	Saab	4138	5898	- 29.8%
#31	Subaru	2634	3897	- 32.4%
#32	Jeep	2146	2078	+ 3.3%
#33	Abarth	1291	1425	- 9.4%
#34	Chrysler	1182	1392	- 15.1%
#35	Bentley	1037	993	+ 4.4%
#36	Aston Martin	1024	1080	- 5.2%
#37	Perodua	543	761	- 28.7%
#38	Proton	446	767	- 41.9%
#39	Maserati	388	456	- 14.9%
#40	Infiniti	382	232	+ 64.7%
#41	MG	360	282	+ 27.7%
#42	Lotus	329	577	- 43.0%
#43	Ssangyong	194	242	- 19.8%
#44	Daihatsu	3	170	- 98.2%

Source: Automakers, MTI & SMMT 
Red font indicates declining year-over-year sales, bold indicates a so-called premium brand

CLICK CHART FOR LARGER VIEW

Related From GoodCarBadCar.net
UK Auto Sales Brand Rankings - 2012 Year End
UK Auto Sales By Brand - 2010 Year End
UK Auto Sales By Brand - December 2011
UK Auto Sales By Brand - January 2012
UK Auto Sales By Brand - January 2011
Top 10 Best-Selling Cars In The UK - 2011 Year End

Small/Entry Luxury Car Sales And Midsize Luxury Car Sales In America - December 2010

Thanks in small part to a new wagon version, Acura TSX sales were up 55.7% in December. But the 1467-unit bump from December 2009 includes just 126 wagons, so Acura clearly found a way to seriously improve TSX sedan sales, as well.

Another vehicle nameplate with a new model helping out the percentage gains was the Infiniti G. The 2011 Infiniti G25, a member of 2011's The Good 12, helped boost G sedan sales from 3541 to 5596 in December. The sedan share alone tops the G's overall total from last year. When the G37 coupe's 1477 sales are added into the mix, Infiniti G sales were up 37% from last December.

On the other side of the ledger, in preparation for the Volvo V60, V70 sales dropped 95.7% to 7. Lincoln MKS sales fell 33.2%. Jaguar XF sales were down 51.7%. Curiously - though at first thought you wouldn't believe the XF and 2011 Jaguar XJ were competitors - as the XF lost 524 sales from last December, the XJ gained 516. 

December 2010 sales figures may be interesting, but the 2010 Year End versions of these two Graphs will be out soon.

Related From GoodCarBadCar.net
Small & Midsize Luxury Car Sales In America - 2010 Year End
Small/Entry Luxury & Midsize Luxury Car Sales In America - January 2011
Small & Midsize Luxury Car Sales In America - November 2010
U.S. Auto Sales By Brand - December 2010
Small & Midsize Car Sales In America - December 2010

Nissan And Infiniti Canada Sales - October 2010

Fast-rising sales of the 2010 Nissan Altima helped Nissan Canada overcome declining Versa sales as Nissan posted its best ever October in Canada. 12 of 14 Nissan Canada models posted increases over October 2009 Nissan sales; the Versa and GT-R being the lone cars left out. 

By its very nature, October was never going to be as strong as September 2010; the whole Canadian market was about 12,000 sales smaller in October than September. Nissan Canada sold 6134 vehicles in October 2010 and 7798 in September 2010. Year-to-date, Nissan Canada is up 4.2%. Nissan Canada market share is down from 5% to 4.9%. Click past the jump for the story on Infiniti Canada.

Nissan Altima: 1222
Year-over-year volume change: +47.9%
Last month: 1685
Year-to-date: 11,633

Nissan Sentra: 1199
Year-over-year volume change: +10.4%
Last month: 1493
Year-to-date: 13,380

Nissan Rogue: 1041
Year-over-year volume change: +47.7%
Last month: 1247
Year-to-date: 11,517

Nissan Versa: 933
Year-over-year volume change: -56.4%
Last month: 1375
Year-to-date: 14,405

Nissan Murano: 376
Year-over-year volume change: +32.4%
Last month: 287
Year-to-date: 3003

Nissan Cube: 374
Year-over-year volume change: +18.7%
Last month: 325
Year-to-date: 2492

Nissan Frontier: 258
Year-over-year volume change: +141.1%
Last month: 332
Year-to-date: 1849

Nissan Maxima: 210
Year-over-year volume change: +56.7%
Last month: 388
Year-to-date: 1926

Nissan Titan: 146
Year-over-year volume change: +18.7%
Last month: 249
Year-to-date: 1594

Nissan Pathfinder: 100
Year-over-year volume change: +33.3%
Last month: 175
Year-to-date: 1140

Nissan Juke: 83
Year-to-date: 83

Nissan 370Z: 78
Year-over-year volume change: +136.4%
Last month: 44
Year-to-date: 828

Nissan Xterra: 76
Year-over-year volume change: +68.9%
Last month: 157
Year-to-date: 895

Nissan Armada: 35
Year-over-year volume change: +40%
Last month: 38
Year-to-date: 329

Nissan GT-R: 3
Year-over-year volume change: -66.7%
Last month: 3
Year-to-date: 59

The Infiniti Canada sales recap from October 2010 is available after the jump.

Although Infiniti Canada's best-selling model, the G37 sedan; coupe; and convertible range, was slightly down in October 2010 compared with the same period of 2009, Infiniti grew its sales from September 2010 by 70 units in a month where the Canadian automotive market shrunk, as it always does at this time of year. Sales volume for the 2010 Infiniti EX35 stayed the same, Infiniti FX volume was down slightly compared with last month, but sales of the 2011 Infiniti QX56 are (relatively) hefty and Infiniti M and G sales jumped from September, too. 

Before Cadillac and Lincoln are included, Infiniti is to be considered Canada's sixth most-popular luxury brand in October. Year-to-date sales at Infiniti Canada are up 17.2% through the end of October. Infiniti Canada's market share is level at 0.5%.

Infiniti G: 422
Year-over-year volume change: -1.9%
Last month: 362
Year-to-date: 3788

Infiniti EX35: 216
Year-over-year volume change: +30.9%
Last month: 216
Year-to-date: 1711

Infiniti FX: 108
Year-over-year volume change: +5.9%
Last month: 123
Year-to-date: 933

Infiniti M: 49
Year-over-year volume change: +96%
Last month: 35
Year-to-date: 465

Infiniti QX56: 25
Year-over-year volume change: +19%
Last month: 14
Year-to-date: 169

Related From GoodCarBadCar.net
Canada Auto Sales By Brand - October 2010
Canada Auto Sales By Brand - September 2010
Nissan & Infiniti USA Sales - October 2010
2011 Nissan Juke SV AWD Driven
Volvo Canada Sales - October 2010

Large SUV Sales And Large Luxury SUV Sales In Canada - August 2010

How does one go about explaining GM Canada's 805% year-over-year monthly sales increase of the GMC Yukon, or the Yukon's 286% jump from one month prior? Twitter has yet to answer, and The Good Car Guy readily admits that the only obvious possibility would be discounts of epic proportions. Even then, how did General Motors find an extra 500 people to enter the showroom, people who wanted to consider the purchase of a 2010 GMC Yukon? This isn't like finding 500 more Camry buyers in the United States. General Motors Canada sold a total of 354 large SUVs in July. The total mainstream large SUV market in July was barely larger than the GMC Yukon's August sales total. Unprecedented stuff, friends. Unprecedented.

As for large luxury SUVs, sales increases were the name of the game. Cadillac's Escalade posted an 18.6% jump over August of 2009. Lincoln Navigator sales were off by three units in August but are up 56% year-to-date. The brand new $73,000 2011 Infiniti QX56 helped Nissan's luxury brand realize gains of 163% in the large luxury SUV category. Range Rover sales leapt forward at a rate 62% up on August 2009's sales pace. Year-to-date, sales of the Land Rover Range Rover are up 81.6%. At Lexus, the GX460 posted a 30% improvement and at Mercedes-Benz, the combined efforts of the classic but low-volume G-Wagen and the popular GL-Class have resulted in a 33.4% year-to-date improvement. August 2010 results were down slightly. Only the Lexus LX570 is truly struggling to find traction in 2010. August sales were down from 24 in 2009 to 15 this year. Year-to-date volume of the Lexus LX570 is off by nerly 40%.

Details on actual sales figures are in the Graphs below.

CLICK GRAPH FOR LARGER VIEW

CLICK GRAPH FOR LARGER VIEW

Related From GoodCarBadCar.net

Small, Midsize & Large SUV Sales In Canada - August 2011
Large Luxury SUV Sales In Canada - August 2011
Large SUV & Large Luxury SUV Sales In Canada - September 2010
Large SUV Sales & Large Luxury SUV Sales In Canada - July 2010

Top 10 Best-Selling SUVs In Canada - August 2010

Canada Auto Sales By Brand - August 2010

Midsize SUV & Midsize Luxury SUV Sales In Canada - August 2010
Small SUV & Small Luxury SUV Sales In Canada - August 2010

Large SUV Sales And Large Luxury SUV Sales In America - August 2010

The Infiniti QX56 more than doubled its August 2009 sales total last month. When America was a wee bit gung-ho for fuel efficient vehicles last year during Cash For Clunkers, the theory that a full-size luxury SUV based on the Nissan Armada (and then the Nissan Patrol) would double its volume in 2010 would have been laughed at. Through August 31st, the jumbo Infiniti, now available as the improved 2011 Infiniti QX56, had posted a 101% sales increase over 2009 levels. The QX is out-selling the Infiniti FX and Infiniti EX in America this year.

Less expensive but similarly successful in August 2010, the Nissan Armada was one of six large mainstream SUVs to improve sales last month. Only the Chevrolet Suburban and Kia Borrego were worse off this August than in August of 2009.

Sales Stats for every large SUV available in America are in the Graphs below.

CLICK GRAPH FOR LARGER VIEW

CLICK GRAPH FOR LARGER VIEW

Related From GoodCarBadCar.net

Large Luxury SUV Sales In America - August 2011
Large SUV & Large Luxury SUV Sales In America - September 2010
Large SUV Sales & Large Luxury SUV Sales - July 2010

Top 10 Best-Selling SUVs In America - August 2010

Small SUV Sales & Small Luxury SUV Sales In America - August 2010

Midsize SUV Sales & Midsize Luxury SUV Sales In america - August 2010