Hyundai managed to lower fleet sales by 46% in October 2010 while still increasing overall sales 38% to 42,656. This makes October 2010 the best October ever for Hyundai Motor America. (Check out GCBC's analysis plus the model-by-model breakdown for Kia Motor America after the jump.) Other than the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Hyundai Azera, every model in the Hyundai showroom posted greater sales volume in October 2010 than in October 2009. Now that the hype has worn off, it's easy for analysts and auto observers to forget that Hyundai Motor America sells every car with a 10 year powertrain warranty, 5 year roadside assistance, and the Hyundai Assurance job loss protection. Perhaps.... is it possible.... consumers still love this stuff? The good news for Hyundai when it comes to falling Santa Fe sales is the booming sales of the 2011 Kia Sorento, a platformmate of the Santa Fe's. It's also quite likely that Santa Fe sales will take off once again with improving availability; something which may be true of the Tucson, as well.Hyundai Sonata: 17,505Year-over-year volume change: +124.7%Last month: 20,639Year-to-date: 166,628Hyundai Elantra: 9497Year-over-year volume change: +9.5%Last month: 10,062Year-to-date: 110,519Hyundai Accent: 5372Year-over-year volume change: +17.3%Last month: 4885Year-to-date: 45,139Hyundai Santa Fe: 3600Year-over-year volume change: -44.2%Last month: 3719Year-to-date: 64,429Hyundai Tucson: 3051Year-over-year volume change: +259.8%Last month: 2730Year-to-date: 32,511Hyundai Genesis: 2375Year-over-year volume change: +28.4%Last month: 3230Year-to-date: 23,694Hyundai Veracruz: 1054Year-over-year volume change: +104.3%Last month: 992Year-to-date: 7142Hyundai Azera: 202Year-over-year volume change: -32.2%Last month: 299Year-to-date: 2641Like its parent company Hyundai, Kia Motor America sold more vehicles in October 2010 than any October in history, even 412 BC, a really good year for Kia sales. The 2011 Kia Sorento is clearly fueling the fire but other Kia models are pulling in their fair share of customers. Kia's Soul and Forte both exceeded last October's volume by healthy margins, particularly the Soul, but perhaps of more consequence are the improving autumn sales of Kia's three best-selling models. Sorento sales, Soul sales, and Forte sales were higher in October than September.Expect greater gains from Korea's #2 brand once the 2011 Kia Optima goes on sale. Handsome and competent, the Optima and eventual arrival of the Cadenza should help buyers forget about the outgoing Optima and dreadful Amanti.Kia Sorento: 10,611Year-over-year volume change: +819.5%Last month: 10,115Year-to-date: 89,561Kia Soul: 6137Year-over-year volume change: +197.5%Last month: 5346Year-to-date: 55,161Kia Forte: 5754Year-over-year volume change: +15.4%Last month: 5116Year-to-date: 57,482Kia Sportage: 2677Year-over-year volume change: +133.6%Last month: 2888Year-to-date: 19,464Kia Rio: 1818Year-over-year volume change: -54.6%Last month: 1638Year-to-date: 22,709Kia Sedona: 1655Year-over-year volume change: +63.4%Last month: 1706Year-to-date: 18,872Kia Optima: 1630Year-over-year volume change: -47%Last month: 2024Year-to-date: 22,852Kia Borrego: 835Year-over-year volume change: -78.7%Last month: 1107Year-to-date: 9148Kia Rondo: 68Year-over-year volume change: -91.6%Last month: 111Year-to-date: 3455Kia Amanti: 11Year-over-year volume change: -78.4%Last month: 14Year-to-date: 251Related From GoodCarBadCar.netU.S. Auto Sales By Brand - October 2010Volkswagen Audi Porsche USA Sales - October 2010General Motors Out-Sells Ford Motor Company In OctoberSubaru USA Sales - October 2010Suzuki USA Sales - October 2010Hyundai Santa Fe 2.4 DrivenThe Good 12 v3.0 Part V - Kia Soul
On the surface, one would assume it's a waste of time to even try selling a product if very few people are going to want that product. But is it a waste of time for a motorcycle manufacturer to develop a new product like the beautiful 2011 Suzuki Kizashi if they'll sell less than 10,000 Kizashis in the market for which the Kizashi was designed?Small volume isn't necessarily bad, you see. OK, it is bad, but work with me for a moment. If small volume was so truly bad, nobody would set up shop in Montana. So long as you're making money, selling a few isn't such a bad thing. Just look at General Motors, a company which has always sold in large numbers but gotten itself into bad situations time and time again. See, Suzuki has already sold more Kizashis in the United States in 2010 than Mercedes-Benz sold E-Class midsizers in Canada in all of 2009. Follow? Nobody asks why Mercedes-Benz didn't pull out of the Canadian automobile market after seeing how small E-Class volume was. It's all in the context; the E-Class is one of the more popular cars in its class. We see the Kizashi's volume as terribly low because its competitors sell in far higher numbers.That said, I don't personally see how Suzuki can keep on at such low volume. And I can't imagine how terrible things must be when the top of your press release points out that October 2010 was the first month in which American Suzuki posted a year-over-year increase since the spring of 2008. American Suzuki sold 2043 vehicles in October 2010, up 17% from October 2009.Suzuki SX4: 583Year-over-year volume change: -19%Last month: 749Year-to-date: 9240Suzuki Kizashi: 583Last month: 477Year-to-date: 4540Suzuki Grand Vitara: 348Year-over-year volume change: +26%Last month: 290Year-to-date: 3722Suzuki Equator: 114Year-over-year volume change: +46%Last month: 118Year-to-date: 1197Suzuki XL7: 4Year-over-year volume change: -97%Last month: 7Year-to-date: 304Related From GoodCarBadCar.netU.S. Auto Sales By Brand - October 2010Subaru USA Sales - October 2010Suzuki Kizashi GallerySmall SUV Sales In America - September 2010
With its sights set on becoming the world's largest automaker, Germany's gigantic Volkswagen conglomerate needs the United States to start buying more cars; more Volkswagens specifically. October 2010 smelled of progress: Volkswagen USA sales were up 17.9% to 20,084. Still, in one of the planet's top two largest markets, Volkswagen sold fewer cars than Kia and BMW/Mini. After the jump you'll find model-by-model breakdowns from Audi USA and Porsche USA, but VeeDub's October 2010 figures from America present some interesting tidbits. Popular though the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta may be, the Golf-based Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen is actually, by itself, more popular than the Volkswagen Golf/GTI tandem. In fact, separate the Jetta SportWagen from the new Jetta sedan and the SportWagen was Volkswagen USA's second best-selling model in October 2010. Others clearly see what The Good Car Guy sees. Nevertheless, SportWagen sales fell slightly in October. Considering how the SUV segment in America has not died, Volkswagen's American dealers must be crying out for a steady supply of the new Touareg. Granted, the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid is priced at $60,565, not exactly the heart of the market where Volkswagen USA really needs to increase sales.Volkswagen Jetta: 11,958Year-over-year volume change: +31.8%Last month:Year-to-date: 99,065Volkswagen Passat CC: 1781Year-over-year volume change: -24.2%Last month:Year-to-date: 22,674Volkswagen Tiguan: 1453Year-over-year volume change: +49.8%Last month:Year-to-date: 16,735Volkswagen Routan: 1103Year-over-year volume change: +64.9%Last month:Year-to-date: 13,642Volkswagen Golf: 991Year-over-year volume change: +65.7%Last month:Year-to-date: 12,294Volkswagen Golf GTI: 914Year-over-year volume change: +58.7%Last month: Year-to-date: 11,836Volkswagen New Beetle: 730Year-over-year volume change: -37.5%Last month:Year-to-date: 15,477Volkswagen Passat: 545Year-over-year volume change: -14.7%Last month:Year-to-date: 11,901Volkswagen Eos: 371Year-over-year volume change: -21.6%Last month:Year-to-date: 6080Volkswagen Touareg: 238Year-over-year volume change: -54.1%Last month:Year-to-date: 3070Audi USA sales climbed 10.5% in October 2010 to 8128. Although sales of the brand's most popular U.S. model, the A4, dropped sharply from October 2009 levels, the Audi Q5 helped pick up the slack quite nicely. Audi A6 sales aren't ready to overtake the Mercedes-Benz E-Class or BMW 5-Series, but any increase is nice to see, especially when the car itself is considered by many to be better than the Benz or BMW. The Audi R8 continues to be a roaring success. For such an expensive, niche-market model, the R8 and V10-engined R8 5.2 sell in remarkably high numbers. Year-to-date R8 sales are off 2.5%, but don't be surprised if that number shrinks to where sales level off, a difficult feat for any ultra-fashionable model. The 2011 Audi A3 2.0 TDI made up 46.5% of all A3 sales in October 2010, the best October ever for Audi of America.Audi A4: 2469Year-over-year volume change: -18.1%Last month:Year-to-date: 28,398Audi Q5: 2099Year-over-year volume change: +69.5%Last month:Year-to-date: 18,735Audi A5: 1147Year-over-year volume change: +3.6%Last month:Year-to-date: 13,743Audi A6: 824Year-over-year volume change: +23.2%Last month:Year-to-date: 7035Audi Q7: 789Year-over-year volume change: +17.6%Last month:Year-to-date: 5962Audi A3: 622Year-over-year volume change: +144.9%Last month:Year-to-date: 5192Audi TT: 83Year-over-year volume change: -44.7%Last month:Year-to-date: 1391
Audi R8: 60Year-over-year volume change: +33.3%Last month:Year-to-date: 576Audi A8: 35Year-over-year volume change: -83.2%Last month:Year-to-date: 686Porsche was hit hard by the economic turmoil of the last couple years. In some areas it was socially inappropriate to splash cash on a swanky new sports car. In other parts of the world, arranging financing for a new Porsche was nearly impossible. But in large part due to a spectacular October 2010 for Porsche Cars North America, Porsche's U.S. sales are up 27.5% for the year. October Porsche America sales volume jumped from 1642 in 2009 to 2647 last month. For those who are shocked by the fact that Porsche's two most popular models are the second-generation SUV and an ugly hatchbackish sedan, remember the 20 different 911 variants currently available at Porsche.com/USA.Porsche Cayenne: 1139Year-over-year volume change: +141.3%Last month: 808Year-to-date: 6237Porsche Panamera: 747Year-over-year volume change: +107.5%Last month: 624Year-to-date: 6312Porsche 911: 528Year-over-year volume change: -2%Last month: 325Year-to-date: 4752Porsche Boxster: 140Year-over-year volume change: +35.9%Last month: 153Year-to-date: 1914Porsche Cayman: 93Year-over-year volume change: -44.6%Last month: 61Year-to-date: 1122Related From GoodCarBadCar.netU.S. Auto Sales By Brand - October 2010Top 10 Best-Selling European Cars In America - September 2010Mercedes-Benz USA Sales - October 2010BMW USA Sales - October 2010Toyota USA Sales - October 2010Top 10 Best-Selling European Cars In America - October 2010Premium Sporty Car Sales In America - October 2010
BMW USA sales not only jumped nicely from October 2009 this past month but also made decent gains on September 2010's totals. Up 17.2% year-over-year, BMW USA's 19,272 sales are also up on last month's 18,228. BMW's Mini division didn't dare so well, more about which you can read below the BMW breakdown.Much of this positivity at BMW USA is thanks to the 2011 BMW 5-Series. Less controversial than the E60, the F10-generation 5-Series can be had with an allotment of turbocharged inline-sixes and V8s. The 5-Series is by no means as exciting as it once was, but as a competitor for the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, the 5-Series is probably on the mark. Speaking of the E-Class, even with huge gains over October 2009 and September 2010, the 2011 5-Series was still 643 sales behind the Benz in October 2010 in America. Keep in mind, not every 5-Series is respected.Elsewhere at BMW, X5 sales are tremendously strong. Perhaps a comedown is in order once the 2011 BMW X3 is fully on-stream. In anticipation of that rejigged model - and because the current X3 sucks - X3 sales are currently in the tank, out-selling only the soon-to-be-replaced 6-Series in BMW USA's fleet.BMW 3-Series: 8520Year-over-year volume change: +3.4%Last month: 8945Year-to-date: 81,915BMW 5-Series: 4925Year-over-year volume change: +61.8%Last month: 2859Year-to-date: 29,401BMW X5: 3183Year-over-year volume change: +48.9%Last month: 3632Year-to-date: 28,401BMW 1-Series: 1139Year-over-year volume change: +127.3%Last month: 1155Year-to-date: 10,884BMW 7-Series: 680Year-over-year volume change: -43.8%Last month: 783Year-to-date: 10,426BMW X6: 504Year-over-year volume change: +2%Last month: 558Year-to-date: 4837BMW Z4: 174Year-over-year volume change: -64.2%Last month: 100Year-to-date: 3439BMW X3: 99Year-over-year volume change: -45.6%Last month: 146Year-to-date: 5135BMW 6-Series: 48Year-over-year volume change: -68.4%Last month: 50Year-to-date: 2298Ignore the extended Clubman version of the Mini Cooper and this Brit-badged German hatchback trio actually posted huge increases over October 2009. Sales of the regular Cooper and Cooper S jumped 20.4%. Even cool October air didn't slow Cooper and Cooper S Convertible sales. They were up 6.7%. But the Mini Cooper Clubman is less-loved than it was last year. Though out-selling the Cooper Convertible by 179 units, Clubman sales were down more than 50% from 1402 to 675. In fact, year-to-date sales of the regular Cooper and Cooper S hardtop and Convertibles are up 3.3% and 16.7%, respectively. It's the Clubman that's dragging Mini's 10-month total down, as well. Mini is down 1.6% for the year and 5.4% in October 2010.Mini Cooper: 3950Year-over-year volume change: -5.4%Last month: 4884Year-to-date: 38,538Related From GoodCarBadCar.netU.S. Auto Sales By Brand - October 2010Top 10 Best-Selling European SUVs In America - September 2010Mercedes-Benz USA Sales - October 2010The Good 12 v3.0 Part I - BMW 3-SeriesThe Good 12 v3.0 Part VII - Mini CooperVolkswagen, Audi & Porsche USA Sales - October 2010Jaguar & Land Rover USA Sales - October 2010Top 10 Best-Selling European Cars In America - October 2010
Mercedes-Benz USA sold 18,351 vehicles in October 2010, scant increase of 0.9% over October 2009. Including the Sprinter takes Mercedes-Benz's total to 19,076. Add the smart fortwo on top of that and Daimler's total in the United States for the month of October 2010 to 19,443 vehicles sold.What does all this mean? Well, Mercedes-Benz USA sales are up 15.9% in 2010. Its six core models - the C-Class, E-Class, S-Class sedans and the M-Class, G-Class, and GLK-Class SUVs - have all posted higher sales in the first 10 months of 2010 then in the first 10 months of 2009. That said, Mercedes-Benz's best-selling model, the 2011 E-Class, posted declining sales in October compared with the month prior and October 2009. Add to that some disappointment from the Mercedes-Benz GLK350 which has long since ceded its crown in the small luxury SUV arena but which also managed to suffer a huge 23.9% sales drop in October 2010.Nevertheless, Mercedes-Benz's 2010 version of October won't go down as the worst in memory, of that there is no doubt. It's a pleasant experience, selling 59 SLS AMGs. Not so pleasant is watching smart fortwo sales continually find new cliffs to fall off. Sales of Mercedes-Benz's eight small volume vehicles can be seen after the jump.Mercedes-Benz E-Class: 5568Year-over-year volume change: -8.3%Last month: 5608Year-to-date: 50,298Mercedes-Benz C-Class: 3771Year-over-year volume change: -8.5%Last month: 5196Year-to-date: 49,931Mercedes-Benz M-Class: 2826Year-over-year volume change: +19.2%Last month: 2780Year-to-date: 22,445Mercedes-Benz GL-Class: 1887Year-over-year volume change: +32.3%Last month: 1989Year-to-date: 15,821Mercedes-Benz S-Class: 1787Year-over-year volume change: +60.4%Last month: 1709Year-to-date: 11,512Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class: 1394Year-over-year volume change: -23.9%Last month: 1685Year-to-date: 17,672Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class: 261Year-over-year volume change: +47.5%Last month: 142Year-to-date: 1645Mercedes-Benz R-Class: 260Year-over-year volume change: +52%Last month: 292Year-to-date: 2466Mercedes-Benz SL-Class: 207Year-over-year volume change: -49.4%Last month: 197Year-to-date: 2044Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class: 134Year-over-year volume change: +15.5% Last month: 128Year-to-date: 1756Mercedes-Benz G-Class: 112Year-over-year volume change: +30.2%Last month: 52Year-to-date: 721Mercedes-Benz CL-Class: 84Year-over-year volume change: +27.3%Last month: 50Year-to-date: 769Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG: 59Last month: 35Year-to-date: 415smart fortwo: 367Year-over-year volume change: -44.5%Last month: 422Year-to-date: 5146Related From GoodCarBadCar.netU.S. Auto Sales By Brand - October 2010BMW USA Sales - October 2010smart fortwo DrivenTop 10 Best-Selling European Cars In America - September 2010Subaru USA Sales - October 2010Volkswagen, Audi & Porsche USA Sales - October 2010Top 10 Best-Selling European Cars In America - 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: 1222Year-over-year volume change: +47.9%Last month: 1685Year-to-date: 11,633Nissan Sentra: 1199Year-over-year volume change: +10.4%Last month: 1493Year-to-date: 13,380Nissan Rogue: 1041Year-over-year volume change: +47.7%Last month: 1247Year-to-date: 11,517Nissan Versa: 933Year-over-year volume change: -56.4%Last month: 1375Year-to-date: 14,405Nissan Murano: 376Year-over-year volume change: +32.4%Last month: 287Year-to-date: 3003Nissan Cube: 374Year-over-year volume change: +18.7%Last month: 325Year-to-date: 2492Nissan Frontier: 258Year-over-year volume change: +141.1%Last month: 332Year-to-date: 1849Nissan Maxima: 210Year-over-year volume change: +56.7%Last month: 388Year-to-date: 1926Nissan Titan: 146Year-over-year volume change: +18.7%Last month: 249Year-to-date: 1594Nissan Pathfinder: 100Year-over-year volume change: +33.3%Last month: 175Year-to-date: 1140Nissan Juke: 83Year-to-date: 83Nissan 370Z: 78Year-over-year volume change: +136.4%Last month: 44Year-to-date: 828Nissan Xterra: 76Year-over-year volume change: +68.9%Last month: 157Year-to-date: 895Nissan Armada: 35Year-over-year volume change: +40%Last month: 38Year-to-date: 329Nissan GT-R: 3Year-over-year volume change: -66.7%Last month: 3Year-to-date: 59The 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: 422Year-over-year volume change: -1.9%Last month: 362Year-to-date: 3788Infiniti EX35: 216Year-over-year volume change: +30.9%Last month: 216Year-to-date: 1711Infiniti FX: 108Year-over-year volume change: +5.9%Last month: 123Year-to-date: 933Infiniti M: 49Year-over-year volume change: +96%Last month: 35Year-to-date: 465Infiniti QX56: 25Year-over-year volume change: +19%Last month: 14Year-to-date: 169Related From GoodCarBadCar.netCanada Auto Sales By Brand - October 2010Canada Auto Sales By Brand - September 2010Nissan & Infiniti USA Sales - October 20102011 Nissan Juke SV AWD DrivenVolvo Canada Sales - October 2010
Subaru of America sold 22,720 vehicles in October 2010, up 25% from October of 2009. This happens to be the best ever October for Subaru in America. Subaru sold 216,652 vehicles in all of 2009 and almost surpassed that total through the first ten months 2010. Subaru has sold 216,334 in the United States through Hallowe'en 2010.Year-to-date volume is up 23% for Subaru in the United States. Its two most recently redeveloped models, the 2010 Subaru Outback and 2010 Subaru Legacy, are now switching over to the 2011 model year with apparent success. The unloved Tribeca is embarrasingly unpopular compared with other midsize SUVs and other Subaru models. For every Tribeca sold, Subaru sold almost 50 Outbacks in October 2010.Subaru of America's October 2010 sales are broken down model-by-model below. Subaru Outback: 8694Year-over-year volume change: +35%Last month: 8154Year-to-date: 75,078Subaru Forester: 6631Year-over-year volume change: +28%Last month: 6449Year-to-date: 70,752Subaru Impreza: 3676Year-over-year volume change: +21%Last month: 3678Year-to-date: 36,731Subaru Legacy: 3543Year-over-year volume change: +9%Last month: 2999Year-to-date: 31,708Subaru Tribeca: 176Year-over-year volume change: -28%Last month: 152Year-to-date: 2065Related From GoodCarBadCar.netU.S. Auto Sales By Brand - October 2010Subaru Impreza DrivenMidsize Car Sales In America - September 2010The Good 12 Supersize v2.0 Part XI - Subaru ForesterAmerican Suzuki Sales - October 2010Hyundai Kia USA Sales - October 2010
