U.S. sales of full-size cars continued their nosedive in March 2017, plunging 11% despite a big increase from the Chevrolet SS and modest improvements from the Nissan Maxima and Buick LaCrosse.
U.S. Vehicle Sales By Model - April 2017 YTDU.S. Car Sales Rankings By Model - March 2017 YTD
For the SS, GM's 20% off incentives in March rose volume to an all-time high of 1217 units, a paltry total, but one that helps GM clear out stock of the discontinued, Aussie-built, V8-engined, rear-wheel-drive sedan.  |
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The class leader in March, and through the first-quarter of 2017, was the Dodge Charger, sales of which are down 15% so far this year.
Together, the Charger and its corporate Chrysler 300 partner accounted for 32% of the sales from the category in March.
You can click any model name in the tables below to find historical monthly and yearly U.S. auto sales data. You can also select a make and model at GCBC's Sales Stats page. This table is sortable, so you can rank large cars any which way you like. Mobile users can now thumb across the table for full-width access. Suggestions on how GCBC should break down segments can be passed on through the Contact page.
Click Column Headers To Sort • February 2017 • March 2016 Large Car | March
2017 | March
2016 | %
Change | 2017
YTD | 2016
YTD | %
Change |
| 2330 | 2275 | 2.4% | 4985 | 8975 | -44.5% |
| 8885 | 11,465 | -22.5% | 22,022 | 30,554 | -27.9% |
| 1217 | 286 | 326% | 1529 | 539 | 184% |
| 4969 | 6172 | -19.5% | 15,063 | 17,141 | -12.1% |
| 8236 | 8798 | -6.4% | 22,319 | 26,345 | -15.3% |
| 4641 | 5182 | -10.4% | 12,686 | 13,456 | -5.7% |
| 380 | 508 | -25.2% | 952 | 1355 | -29.7% |
| 437 | 593 | -26.3% | 1125 | 1552 | -27.5% |
| 6961 | 6588 | 5.7% | 15,597 | 16,225 | -3.9% |
| 3483 | 4643 | -25.0% | 8596 | 12,201 | -29.5% |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
Total | 41,539 | 46,510 | -10.7% | 104,874 | 128,343 | -18.3% |
RECOMMENDED READINGLarge Car Sales In America - February 2017Large Car Sales In America - March 2016Top 20 Best-Selling Cars In America - March 2017U.S. Auto Sales Brand Rankings - March 2017Midsize Car Sales In America - March 2017
Don't be fooled into believing Canada's 16% rise in full-size volume brand cars through the first two months of 2017 is a sign that the car market has legs.
Canada Vehicle Sales Rankings By Model - February 2017 YTDCanada Car Sales By Model - February 2017 YTD
These are exceedingly low-volume cars. Even collectively, this fleet-friendly Chrysler 300/Dodge Charger-led category has produced only 1940 sales so far this year. Sure, that's 16%, or 264 units, more than the segment managed one year ago. But it's 9% lower than the total achieved by the same cars during the first two months of 2015, and it's an inconsequential number, regardless.
1940 sales, in two months? That's what the Honda Civic, on its own, managed over the last two weeks.  |
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Well, the Honda Civic is Canada's best-selling car, an affordable compact, hardly comparable to these semi-premium full-size cars. But what about the Mercedes-Benz C-Class?
1708 C-Classes have been sold already this year.
Times have changed. Get used to it.
You can click any model name in the tables below to find historical monthly and yearly Canada auto sales data. You can also select a make and model at GCBC's Sales Stats page. This table is sortable, so you can rank large cars any which way you like. Suggestions on how GCBC should break down segments can be passed on through the Contact page. Mobile users can now thumb across the table for full-width access.
Click Column Headers To Sort • January 2017 • February 2016 Large Car | Feb.
2017 | Feb.
2016 | %
Change | 2017
YTD | 2016
YTD | %
Change |
| 38 | 28 | 35.7% | 78 | 64 | 21.9% |
| 157 | 127 | 23.6% | 281 | 233 | 20.6% |
| 304 | 171 | 77.8% | 514 | 304 | 69.1% |
| 286 | 229 | 24.9% | 485 | 431 | 12.5% |
| 87 | 91 | -4.4% | 217 | 245 | -11.4% |
| 6 | 13 | -53.8% | 11 | 21 | -47.6% |
| 172 | 161 | 6.8% | 304 | 315 | -3.5% |
| 30 | 22 | 36.4% | 50 | 63 | -20.6% |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
Total | 1080 | 842 | 28.3% | 1940 | 1676 | 15.8% |
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. You can always find the sales results for EVERY vehicle and form your own competitive sets by using the All Vehicle Rankings posts.
RECOMMENDED READINGLarge Car Sales In Canada - January 2017Large Car Sales In Canada - February 2016Top 20 Best-Selling Cars In Canada - February 2017Canada Auto Sales Brand Rankings - February 2017
Buick continues to build new, third-generation LaCrosse sedans for the flagship Buick's first model year. But Buick continues to have a great deal of difficulty actually selling new LaCrosses.
U.S. Vehicle Sales By Model - February 2017 YTDU.S. Car Sales By Model - February 2017 YTD
Only 1348 copies of the LaCrosse were sold in the United States in February 2017, the second consecutive month with fewer than 1400 LaCrosse sales in America. Only three years ago, Buick was selling 4300 LaCrosses per month. Seven years ago, still suffering from auto sales doldrums, the U.S. auto industry included 5100 LaCrosse sales per month. In 2017, of course, car sales are falling rapidly as the market turns toward SUVs/crossovers just in time for a new LaCrosse introduction. But the LaCrosse is the new competitor in the field. Moreover, the LaCrosse's competitors are down just 20%, year-over-year.  |
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But LaCrosse sales continue to plummet, and Buick now has nearly one year's worth of LaCrosse supply.
Meanwhile, a Buick LaCrosse relative, the Chevrolet Impala, led America's full-size sedan segment despite a 22% drop in February. Elsewhere, nearly every car in the category lost volume, year-over-year, aside from the Chrysler 300's 1.5% uptick and a 50% increase in Chevrolet SS sales as the model nears its death.
You can click any model name in the tables below to find historical monthly and yearly U.S. auto sales data. You can also select a make and model at GCBC's Sales Stats page. This table is sortable, so you can rank large cars any which way you like. Mobile users can now thumb across the table for full-width access. Suggestions on how GCBC should break down segments can be passed on through the Contact page.
Click Column Headers To Sort • March 2017 • January 2017 • February 2016 Large Car | Feb.
2017 | Feb.
2016 | %
Change | 2017
YTD | 2016
YTD | %
Change |
| 1348
| 2643 | -49.0% | 2655 | 6700 | -60.4% |
| 7165
| 9147 | -21.7% | 13,137 | 19,089 | -31.2% |
| 248 | 165 | 50.3% | 312 | 253 | 23.3% |
| 5386
| 5304 | 1.5% | 10,094 | 10,969 | -8.0% |
| 6930
| 8765 | -20.9% | 14,083 | 17,547 | -19.7% |
| 4680
| 4707 | -0.6% | 8045 | 8274 | -2.8% |
| 294
| 438 | -32.9% | 572 | 847 | -32.5% |
| 302
| 2976 | -89.9% | 488 | 4883 | -90.0% |
| 372 | 585 | -36.4% | 688 | 959 | -28.3% |
| 4898
| 5222 | -6.2% | 8636 | 9637 | -10.4% |
| 2610
| 3961 | -34.1% | 5113 | 7558 | -32.4% |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
Total | 34,233 | 43,913 | -22.0% | 63,823 | 86,716 | -26.4% |
RECOMMENDED READINGLarge Car Sales In America - March 2017Large Car Sales In America - January 2017Large Car Sales In America - February 2016Top 20 Best-Selling Cars In America - February 2017U.S. Auto Sales Brand Rankings - February 2017Midsize Car Sales In America - February 2017
Canadian sales of passenger cars dipped 5% in January 2017 as cars claimed only 29% of all new vehicle sales.
The full-size volume brand cars that form slightly less than 3% of that car market posted a collective 3% year-over-year sales decline despite gains from GM's two entries – Buick LaCrosse and Chevrolet Impala – and the Chrysler 300, the top-selling car in the category last month. |
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The Hyundai Genesis' 98% drop to 1 sale comes as the vehicle formerly known as the Genesis moved to the new Genesis brand. That car, the Genesis G80, produced eight January sales. The launch of the Genesis brand in Canada will be a slow one.
Meanwhile, at Hyundai's Kia partner brand, only five Cadenzas were sold last month. Only 699 Cadenzas have been sold since the big sedan's 2013 Q2 launch, an average of 15 per month.
Remove the Hyundai Genesis from the equation and full-size volume brand car sales rose 3% in January 2017.
You can click any model name in the tables below to find historical monthly and yearly Canada auto sales data. You can also select a make and model at GCBC's Sales Stats page. This table is sortable, so you can rank large cars any which way you like. Suggestions on how GCBC should break down segments can be passed on through the Contact page. Mobile users can now thumb across the table for full-width access.
Click Column Headers To Sort • February 2017 • December 2016 • January 2016
Why did U.S. sales of passenger cars tumble 13%, year-over-year, in January 2017?
U.S. Vehicle Sales Rankings By Model - January 2017
U.S. Car Sales Rankings By Model - January 2017
Part of the blame belongs to full-size volume brand sedans, sales of which tumbled 31% in January. Every nameplate in the category – the transitioning Buick LaCrosse, departing Hyundai Azera and Genesis, newer Nissan Maxima, refreshed Kia Cadenza – sold fewer copies in January 2017 than in January 2016.2017 may not be all bad. We'll continue to see year-over-year losses from the likes of the Hyundai Azera, for instance. But as Buick replaces the old LaCrosse with new, we won't continue to see 68% year-over-year drops for GM's mid-tier big car.  |
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As for leaders like the Chevrolet Impala and Dodge Charger, their rapid declines are representative of a market that''s fleeing cars in favour of SUVs and crossovers.
While total car volume slid 13% in January, utility vehicle volume rose 10%
You can click any model name in the tables below to find historical monthly and yearly U.S. auto sales data. You can also select a make and model at GCBC's Sales Stats page. This table is sortable, so you can rank large cars any which way you like. Mobile users can now thumb across the table for full-width access. Suggestions on how GCBC should break down segments can be passed on through the Contact page.
Click Column Headers To Sort • December 2016 • January 2016 Large Car | Jan.
2017 | Jan.
2016 | %
Change | 2017
YTD | 2016
YTD | %
Change |
| 1307 | 4057 | -67.8% | 1307 | 4057 | -67.8% |
| 5972 | 9942 | -39.9% | 5972 | 9942 | -39.9% |
| 64 | 88 | -27.3% | 64 | 88 | -27.3% |
| 4708 | 5665 | -16.9% | 4708 | 5665 | -16.9% |
| 7153 | 8782 | -18.5% | 7153 | 8782 | -18.5% |
| 3365 | 3567 | -5.7% | 3365 | 3567 | -5.7% |
| 278 | 409 | -32.0% | 278 | 409 | -32.0% |
| 186 | 1907 | -90.2% | 186 | 1907 | -90.2% |
| 316 | 374 | -15.5% | 316 | 374 | -15.5% |
| 3738 | 4415 | -15.3% | 3738 | 4415 | -15.3% |
| 2503 | 3597 | -30.4% | 2503 | 3597 | -30.4% |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
Total | 29,590 | 42,803 | -30.9% | 29,590 | 42,803 | -30.9% |
RECOMMENDED READINGLarge Car Sales In America - February 2017Large Car Sales In America - December 2016Large Car Sales In America - January 2016Top 20 Best-Selling Cars In America - January 2017Midsize Car Sales In America - January 2017U.S. Auto Sales Brand Rankings - January 2017
