I continue to be a fan of midsized sedan automobiles. They offer enough space to provide comfortable accommodations for four people and with a little squeezing accommodate three people in the back seat along with a trunk that will hold two large suitcases for travel.
I don’t have to climb into sedans as I must if I drive an SUV or crossover vehicle. I can slide into a car with ease. So it is surprising to me that those SUVs or crossovers are now more popular than cars.
The other thing I find surprising is that American brands are not the big sellers. Could it be that Americans prefer quality over brand? Obviously the answer is yes.
Sales of midsized cars for the first 8 months of 2017.
Toyota Camry 247,775 Market share 20%
Honda Accord 221,013 Market share 18%
Nissan Altima 183,292 Market share 15%
Ford Fusion 138,489 Market share 11%
Chevrolet Malibu 117,173 Market share 10%
Hyundai Sonata 97,929 Market share 8%
Kia Optima 74,722 Market share 6%
Volkswagen Passat 45,994 Market share 4%
Subaru Legacy 33,559 Market share 3%
Mazda 6 24,814 Market share 2%
Chrysler 200 16,562 Market share 1%
Buick Regal 8,288 Market share >1%
All Others 1,122 Market share >1%
Toyota’s U.S. sales chief, Bill Fay, said consumers’ shift from cars to SUVs is one of the most dramatic the industry has ever seen. Three years ago, trucks and SUVs represented 50% of the U.S. market. They closed 2016 at 63% of total sales, and analysts don’t see that changing anytime soon. Boomers and millennials both like the space and the higher ride that SUVs offer, and improvements in fuel economy make them competitive with cars. The Honda CR-V was the bestselling SUV in the U.S. last year, with sales up 3% to 357,335.
Obviously I am in the minority.
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