M A R K E T B E AT
REVIEW OF NEW LIGHT-VEHICLE SALES
1
January 2015
Produced by NADA’s Industry Analysis Division
• Steven Szakaly, Chief Economist • Angela Lisulo, Economist
OVERALL
There were 1.1 million light-vehicle sales in January 2015 in the
U.S. Light-vehicle sales for the month were down 23.5 percent from
December 2014 but up 13.7 percent from January 2014.
The Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR) for light-vehicle
sales for January 2015 was 16.6 million units.
Car sales were up 7.8 percent from January 2014; cars held a
market share of 44.9 percent of light-vehicle sales in January 2015
down from a share of 47.3 percent last year.
Light-truck sales were up 19.0 percent from January 2014; light
trucks held a share of 55.1 percent of light-vehicle sales up from a
share of 52.7 percent a year ago. See Figure 1.
Figure 1
FIGURE 1
U.S. Light-Vehicle Sales
Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (In Millions)
Jan 2015
Dec 2014
Total Car
7.32
7.90
7.09
7.32
7.09
Domestic Car
5.41
5.82
5.05
5.41
5.05
Import Car
1.91
2.08
2.04
1.91
2.04
Total Light Truck
9.24
8.90
8.10
9.24
8.10
Domestic Light Truck
7.90
7.62
6.92
7.90
6.92
Import Light Truck
1.34
1.29
1.19
1.34
1.19
13.31
13.43
11.96
13.31
11.96
Domestic Light Vehicle
Import Light Vehicle
Total Light Vehicle SAAR
Jan 2014 Jan - Jan 2015
Jan - Jan 2014
3.24
3.37
3.23
3.24
3.23
16.56
16.80
15.20
16.56
15.20
Data source: WardsAuto, February 2015
Companies/Brands
Figure 2
The company with the leading market share in January
2015 light-vehicle sales in the U.S. was General Motors with a
share of 17.7 percent up from a share of 17.0 percent in January
2014. Sales for the company were up 18.3 percent compared to
January 2014 with each brand experiencing sales growth except
Buick; GMC was the leading brand under General Motors in
terms of sales growth at 28.6 percent over this period.
In descending order of company market share of sales, Ford
company held second place with 15.2 percent of the market up
from a share of 14.9 percent in January 2014. Sales were up
15.8 percent from the prior year. The Ford brand dominated
sales for the company holding 96.2 percent of the company’s
sales in January 2015 up from a share of 96.0 percent in
January 2014.
Toyota company was in third place with 14.8 percent of the
market up from a share of 14.5 percent in January 2014. Lightvehicle sales for the company were up 15.6 percent over the
prior year with the Toyota brand taking the largest share of the
FIGURE 2
Fiat Chrysler
Automobiles (FCA)
12.6%
U.S. Light-Vehicle Sales, market share (%)
by company, January 2015 YTD
Nissan
9.1%
Honda
8.9%
Hyundai Kia Motors
Volkswagen
3.9%
3.3%
2.1%
BMW
1.9%
Daimler
2.3%
Other
8.2%
Toyota
14.8%
General Motors
17.7%
Ford
15.2%
Note: ‘Other’ category includes Audi, Isuzu, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mitsubishi,
Porsche, Subaru, Tesla Motors, Volvo
Data source: WardsAuto, February 2015
1 Note: Please note that reported light-vehicle sales exclude certain F-Series and Ram pickups.
MAR K ET B EAT http://www.nada.org | industryanalysis@nada.org All data from WardsAuto
Segments2
Chevrolet
Toyota (excl. Lexus
and Scion)
Honda (excl. Acura)
Nissan (excl. Infiniti)
Dodge
Total
FIGURE 3
U.S. Light-Vehicle Sales, % change by company
(January 2014 YTD-January 2015 YTD)
General Motors
Ford
Toyota
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA)
Honda
Company
company’s January 2015 sales at 84.1 percent down fromFigure
a 3
share of 85.2 percent in January 2014.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) was in fourth place
with a share of 12.6 percent of the January 2015 market
unchanged from its share in January 2014. Sales were up
13.7 percent in January 2015 compared to the prior year. The
Jeep brand held the leading share of the company’s sales at
35.7 percent up from 33.1 percent a year ago.
Nissan company held fifth place with a share of 9.1
percent of January 2015 light-vehicle sales up from a share
of 9.0 percent from the prior year with sales up 15.1 percent
from January 2014. The Nissan brand held the leading share
of the sales for the company at 90.7 percent up from 90.1
percent a year ago.
The ‘Other’ category comprises of sales from 9
companies. Collectively, these companies held a share of
8.2 percent of light-vehicle sales across the U.S., in January
2015, up from a share of 8.0 percent in January 2014. This
category experienced sales growth of 16.5 percent from
Figure
4 growth
January 2014 with all companies undergoing
sales
except for Isuzu which had a contraction of sales by 58.0
percent. Isuzu was the only company
FIGURE 4
that had a contraction in light-vehicle
sales out of all 21 companies listed
in January 2015 light-vehicle sales
compared to the prior year. See
Ford (excl. Lincoln)
Figures 2, 3 and 4.
Nissan
Hyundai
Kia Motors
Volkswagen
BMW
Daimler
Other
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
% change
Note: ‘Other’ category includes Audi, Isuzu, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mitsubishi,
Porsche, Subaru, Tesla Motors, Volvo
Data source: WardsAuto, February 2015
U.S. Light-Vehicle Sales, by major brands
January 2015
market share
(%)
14.6
12.5
12.4
Month
January 2014
market share
(%)
14.3
11.8
12.4
7.9
8.0
16.0
20.0
14.2
January 2015
YTD market
share (%)
14.6
12.5
12.4
YTD
January 2014
YTD market
share (%)
14.3
11.8
12.4
11.6
7.9
8.0
% change
(sales)
% change
(sales)
16.0
20.0
14.2
11.6
Segment
8.2
8.1
15.9
8.2
8.1
15.9
The cross utility vehicle (CUV)
3.1
3.5
1.3
3.1
3.5
1.3
58.7
58.1
58.7
58.1
segment was the leading segment in
January 2015 holding a share of 28.8
Data source: WardsAuto, February 2015
percent of light-vehicle sales which
was up from a share of 28.0 percent
in January 2014.
Within the CUV segment, the middle CUV sub-segment
Figure 5 FIGURE 5
U.S. Light-Vehicle Sales, market share (%)
was the largest sub-segment holding 64.5 percent of January
by segment (January 2014 YTD, January 2015 YTD)
2015 CUV sales. Although it was also the leading subsegment of CUV sales in January 2014, it held a larger share
Small car
January 2014 YTD
in January 2014 CUV sales at 64.7 percent.
Middle car
January 2015 YTD
The CUV segment was not the only segment that had a
Large car
rise in its share of sales in January 2015 compared to the
Luxury car
prior year – the sport utility vehicle (SUV) and pickup
segments also experienced increases in their respective
Cross utility vehicle (CUV)
market shares. The leading sub-segment of SUV sales was
Sport utility vehicle (SUV)
the middle SUV sub-segment with a share of 49.2 percent of
Van
January 2015 SUV sales while the leading sub-segment of
Pickup
pickup sales was the large pickup sub-segment with a share
of 84.2 percent of January 2015 pickup sales.
0.0
5.0
10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0
%
The other segments – the small car, middle car, large car,
Note: This figure excludes the Comm. Chassis segment.
luxury car and van segments – each experienced reductions
Data source: WardsAuto, February 2015
in their respective shares of light-vehicle sales compared to
January 2014.
2 Note: This section excludes the Comm. Chassis segment.
2
MARKE T BE AT
January 2015
Figure 6
All the segments except
for the large car segment
experienced growth in sales
since last year; the SUV
segment had the most growth
in light-vehicle sales, since
January 2014, with a figure of
29.5 percent.
See Figures 5 and 6.
FIGURE 6
U.S. Light-Vehicle Sales, by segment
Small car
Middle car
Large car
Luxury car
Cross utility vehicle (CUV)
Sport utility vehicle (SUV)
Van
Pickup
January 2015
Sales (units)
Market share (%)
212,388
18.5
200,462
17.5
22,561
2.0
78,827
6.9
329,695
28.8
84,339
7.4
55,445
4.8
161,938
14.1
Sales (units)
January 2015 YTD
Market share (%)
212,388
18.5
200,462
17.5
22,561
2.0
78,827
6.9
329,695
28.8
84,339
7.4
55,445
4.8
161,938
14.1
Note: This figure excludes the Comm. Chassis segment.
Data source: WardsAuto, February 2015
Power source
Figure 7
FIGURE 7
U.S. Light-Vehicle Sales, by power source
Gasoline-powered light
Monthly sales (units)
YTD sales (units)
January 2015
January 2014 % change
January 2015 YTD January 2014 YTD % change
vehicles held a share of 94.8
Gasoline
1,086,488
947,543
14.7
1,086,488
947,543
14.7
percent of light-vehicle sales for
Diesel
27,831
26,145
6.4
27,831
26,145
6.4
January 2015 up from a share of
Unspecified
269
618
-56.5
269
618
-56.5
Gasoline/Diesel
94.0 percent in January 2014.
Electric
3,820
2,892
32.1
3,820
2,892
32.1
Diesel-powered light vehicles
Fuel cell
0
0
0
0
Hybrid
25,384
27,512
-7.7
25,384
27,512
-7.7
held 2.4 percent of the January
Natural gas
50
66
-24.2
50
66
-24.2
2015 market down from a share
Plug-in hybrid
2,082
2,934
-29.0
2,082
2,934
-29.0
of 2.6 percent in January 2014.
Non31,336
33,404
-6.2
31,336
33,404
-6.2
In the alternative power
‘Gasoline/Diesel’
category, only electric light
Total
1,145,924
1,007,710
1,145,924
1,007,710
vehicles experienced an increase
Data source: WardsAuto, February 2015
in share of January 2015 sales
compared to the prior year. The
shares held by hybrids, plug-in
hybrids and vehicles powered by natural gas declined over the same period while there were no vehicles powered by fuel cell technology
sold in either January 2014 or January 2015.
The following light vehicles were sold in the alternative power category in January 2015: 3,820 electrics, no units powered by fuel cell
technology, 25,384 hybrids, 50 units powered by natural gas and 2,082 plug-in hybrids amounting to 31,336 light-vehicle sales. In this
category of light-vehicle sales, only electric light vehicles experienced sales growth since January 2014. See Figure 7.
Figure 8
Models
In January 2015, light trucks occupied the highest 3 ranks on the list of 15 best-selling light vehicles in
the U.S. with the Ford F-Series in the lead position directly followed by Chevrolet Silverado and then the
Ram pickup. Toyota secured fourth and fifth place with 2 of its car models: Toyota Corolla and the Toyota
Camry, respectively.
Cars outnumbered light trucks slightly on the list of 15 best-selling light vehicles for the month: 8 cars
to 7 light trucks.
See Figure 8.
FIGURE 8
U.S. Top 15 Light
Vehicles
January 2015 (YTD)
F SERIES
SILVERADO
RAM PICKUP
COROLLA
CAMRY
ALTIMA
CR-V
ACCORD
ESCAPE
RAV4
FUSION
EQUINOX
CIVIC
CRUZE
FOCUS
© 2015 WardsAuto
Ford
Chevrolet
Ram
Toyota
Toyota
Nissan
Honda
Honda
Ford
Toyota
Ford
Chevrolet
Honda
Chevrolet
Ford
YTD
50,854
36,106
27,746
27,357
26,763
26,408
23,211
21,011
20,054
19,824
19,694
19,555
18,699
18,693
18,478
374,453
Data source: WardsAuto, February 2015
January 2015
3