U.S. sales of midsize cars declined for a 13th consecutive month in March 2017, falling by more than 22% to only 168,598 units.
U.S. Vehicle Sales By Model - April 2017 YTDU.S. Car Sales Rankings By Model - March 2017 YTD
Led by the Toyota Camry, relatively strong in the sell-down leading up to the launch of an all-new 2018 model, midsize cars accounted for 11% of all new vehicle sales and 29% of passenger car volume, down from 14% and 33%, respectively, one year ago. The Camry's 4% downturn to 35,648 units – still more than enough for the Camry to be America's best-selling car overall in both March and Q1 of 2017 – was actually a bright spot.
Many of its competitors faced far greater challenges.Year-over-year, the Chevrolet Malibu, discontinued Chrysler 200, Ford Fusion, and Hyundai Sonata all reported losses of at least 35%. Double-digit percentage declines were also reported by the Honda Accord, Kia Optima, Nissan Altima, and Subaru Legacy.  |
| Click Chart To Expand |
Only the Buick Regal (soon to be replaced) and Volkswagen Passat (which faced its own dramatic downturn last year) reported year-over-year improvements in U.S. March 2017 midsize volume. Those cars account for less than 5% of the midsize segment.
Year-to-date, the Passat is joined by the rare Mazda 6 on the short list of midsize cars that are selling more often in 2017 than they did in 2016.
Dedicated hybrids and electrics in a similar price bracket, meanwhile, reported a collective 21% year-over-year improvement in March 2017. The Kia Niro, Toyota Prius Prime, Chevrolet Volt, and Chevrolet Bolt all deserve credit.
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. These tables are sortable, so you can rank midsize cars any which way you like. Mobile users can now thumb across the tables 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 Midsize Car | March
2017 | March
2016 | %
Change | 2017
YTD | 2016
YTD | %
Change |
| 1334 | 1276 | 4.5% | 3308 | 5537 | -40.3% |
| 14,222 | 22,058 | -35.5% | 35,005 | 58,222 | -39.9% |
| 2565 | 4971 | -48.4% | 6620 | 15,915 | -58.4% |
| --- | 8 | -100% | --- | 23 | -100% |
| 18,759 | 29,675 | -36.8% | 50,786 | 74,994 | -32.3% |
| 26,824 | 30,523 | -12.1% | 69,815 | 77,073 | -9.4% |
| 15,357 | 28,778 | -46.6% | 37,869 | 61,457 | -38.4% |
| 10,204 | 11,725 | -13.0% | 26,945 | 29,768 | -9.5% |
| 3794 | 4094 | -7.3% | 10,692 | 10,283 | 4.0% |
| 28,511 | 34,856 | -18.2% | 73,985 | 85,332 | -13.3% |
| 4898 | 5551 | -11.8% | 12,703 | 14,478 | -12.3% |
| 35,648 | 36,991 | -3.6% | 83,459 | 96,245 | -13.3% |
| 216 | 361 | -40.2% | 562 | 991 | -43.3% |
| 6266 | 6097 | 2.8% | 18,267 | 14,063 | 29.9% |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
Total | 168,598 | 216,964 | -22.3% | 430,016 | 544,381 | -21.0% |
Hybrids & Electrics | March
2017 | March
2016 | %
Change | 2017
YTD | 2016
YTD | %
Change |
| 978 | --- | --- | 3092 | --- | --- |
| 2132 | 1865 | 14.3% | 5563 | 3987 | 39.5% |
| 1333 | 1702 | -21.7% | 3594 | 4059 | -11.5% |
| --- | 2 | -100% | 1 | 21 | -95.2% |
| 327 | --- | --- | 332 | --- | --- |
| 2704 | --- | --- | 4889 | --- | --- |
| 3 | 1 | 200% | 4 | 8 | -50.0% |
| 1478 | 1246 | 18.6% | 3287 | 2931 | 12.1% |
| 7416 | 8137 | -8.9% | 20,115 | 21,655 | -7.1% |
| 5798 | 8130 | -28.7% | 15,769 | 21,632 | -27.1% |
| 1618 | 7 | 23,014% | 4346 | 23 | 18,796% |
| 960 | 1331 | -27.9% | 2619 | 3648 | -28.2% |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
Total | 17,331 | 14,284 | 21.3% | 43,496 | 36,309 | 19.8% |
RECOMMENDED READINGMidsize Car Sales In America - February 2017Midsize Car Sales In America - March 2016Top 20 Best-Selling Cars In America - March 2017U.S. Auto Sales Brand Rankings - March 2017Large Car Sales In America - March 2017Small Car Sales In America - March 2017
Canadian sales of midsize cars plunged 13% to 5456 units in February 2017, enhancing the likelihood that Canadians won't buy more than 85,000 intermediate sedans this year.
The Nissan Altima was Canada's top-selling midsize car in February – sales actually increased 11%, though Altima volume is down 2% so far this year.
Canada Vehicle Sales Rankings By Model - February 2017 YTDCanada Car Sales By Model - February 2017 YTD
The clearout of the discontinued Chrysler 200 has resulted in a 70% increase so far this year, but that's an increase that artificially masks just how bad the segment-wide decrease really is. 200-aside, midsize sales are down 17% through the first one-sixth of 2017.  |
| Click Chart To Expand |
The American-built Korean fraternal twins, Sonata and Optima, are both on the upswing, but that's only in comparison with 2016, an awful year for both cars.
Last year, Sonata volume had fallen 38% from the Sonata's 2011 peak. Optima volume in 2016 was down 56% from 2012 levels, the fourth consecutive year of decline.
You can click any model name in the tables below to find historical monthly and yearly Canadian auto sales data. You can also select a make and model at GCBC's Sales Stats page. These tables are sortable, so you can rank midsize 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 tables for full-width access.
Click Column Headers To Sort • January 2017 • February 2016 Midsize Car | Feb.
2017 | Feb.
2016 | %
Change | 2017
YTD | 2016
YTD | %
Change |
| 37
| 92
| -59.8%
| 62
| 159
| -61.0%
|
| 610
| 833
| -26.8%
| 1022
| 1449
| -29.5%
|
| 415
| 289
| 43.6%
| 1062
| 624
| 70.2%
|
| 555
| 796
| -30.3%
| 977
| 1366
| -28.5%
|
| 718
| 813
| -11.7%
| 1354
| 1650
| -17.9%
|
| 695
| 344
| 102%
| 1162
| 842
| 38.0%
|
| 375
| 353
| 6.2%
| 770
| 752
| 2.4%
|
| 111
| 134
| -17.2%
| 211
| 229
| -7.9%
|
| 874
| 786
| 11.2%
| 1416
| 1447
| -2.1%
|
| 127
| 186
| -31.7%
| 243
| 341
| -28.7%
|
| 763
| 1295
| -41.1%
| 1468
| 2095
| -29.9%
|
| 176
| 338
| -47.9%
| 369
| 589
| -37.4%
|
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
Total | 5456
| 6259
| -12.8% | 10,116
| 11,543
| -12.4% |
Hybrids & Electrics | Feb.
2017 | Feb.
2016 | %
Change | 2017
YTD | 2016
YTD | %
Change |
| 86
| --- | --- | 92 | --- | --- |
| 266
| 102 | 161% | 522 | 196 | 166% |
| 62
| 40 | 55.0% | 114 | 67 | 70.1% |
| ---
| --- | --- | --- | 1 | -100% |
| 1
| --- | --- | 19 | --- | --- |
| 3
| --- | --- | 3 | --- | --- |
| 3
| 8
| -62.5%
| 9
| 15
| -40.0%
|
| 113
| 51
| 122%
| 178
| 123
| 44.7%
|
| 120
| 36
| 233%
| 251
| 82
| 206%
|
| 112
| 119
| -5.9%
| 200
| 243
| -17.7%
|
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
Total | 766
| 356
| 115% | 1388
| 727
| 90.9% |
RECOMMENDED READINGMidsize Car Sales In Canada - January 2017Midsize Car Sales In Canada - February 2016Top 20 Best-Selling Cars In Canada - February 2017Canada Auto Sales Brand Rankings - February 2017Large Car Sales In Canada - February 2017Small Car Sales In Canada - February 2017
U.S. sales of midsize cars plunged 19% to fewer than 147,000 units in February 2017, a loss of 34,000 sales for the rapidly declining segment.
U.S. Vehicle Sales By Model - February 2017 YTDU.S. Car Sales By Model - February 2017 YTD
Led by the plunging Toyota Camry – which didn't plunge as far or as fast as its competitors – America's midsize car category has now lost volume in twelve consecutive months. Not since February 2016 have sales of midsize cars increased on a year-over-year basis. |
| Click Chart To Expand |
Virtually every member of the fleet deserved blame in February 2017. Only the Volkswagen Passat posted a year-over-year improvement. The Passat, sales of which increased relative to February 2016, were down 25% compared with February 2012 and lower last month than in four of the last five Februarys. The Passat's growth is not meaningless, but it's trivial.
Elsewhere, with the Chrysler 200's painfully gradual disappearance (sales fell 65% in February) and a sharp decline from one of the newest redesigns (Chevrolet Malibu sales were down 42%) plus significant losses from the Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata, and Toyota Camry, midsize car market share slid to just 10.4% in February 2017, down from 13.4% in February 2016 and 14.2% in February 2015.
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. These tables are sortable, so you can rank midsize cars any which way you like. Mobile users can now thumb across the tables 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 Midsize Car | Feb.
2017 | Feb.
2016 | %
Change | 2017
YTD | 2016
YTD | %
Change |
| 1023 | 1608 | -36.4% | 1974 | 4261 | -53.7% |
| 12,406 | 21,418 | -42.1% | 20,783 | 36,164 | -42.5% |
| 2194 | 6259 | -64.9% | 4055 | 10,944 | -62.9% |
| --- | 6 | -100% | --- | 15 | -100% |
| 16,512 | 25,442 | -35.1% | 32,027 | 45,319 | -29.3% |
| 23,455 | 25,785 | -9.0% | 42,991 | 46,550 | -7.6% |
| 14,618 | 17,470 | -16.3% | 22,512 | 32,679 | -31.1% |
| 8892 | 9630 | -7.7% | 16,741 | 18,043 | -7.2% |
| 3598 | 3617 | -0.5% | 6898 | 6189 | 11.5% |
| 26,543 | 28,320 | -6.3% | 45,474 | 50,476 | -9.9% |
| 3924 | 4454 | -11.9% | 7806 | 8927 | -12.6% |
| 27,498 | 32,396 | -15.1% | 47,811 | 59,236 | -19.3% |
| 179 | 251 | -28.7% | 346 | 630 | -45.1% |
| 6114 | 4380 | 39.6% | 12,001 | 7966 | 50.7% |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
Total | 146,956 | 181,036 | -18.8% | 261,419 | 327,399 | -20.2% |
Hybrids & Electrics | Feb.
2017 | Feb.
2016 | %
Change | 2017
YTD | 2016
YTD | %
Change |
| 952 | --- | --- | 2114 | --- | --- |
| 1820 | 1126 | 61.6% | 3431 | 2122 | 61.7% |
| 1315 | 1370 | -4.0% | 2261 | 2357 | -4.1% |
| --- | --- | --- | 1 | 19 | -94.7% |
| 1 | --- | --- | 5 | --- | --- |
| 2143 | --- | --- | 2185 | --- | --- |
| 1 | 5 | -80.0% | 1 | 7 | -85.7% |
| 1037 | 930 | 11.5% | 1809 | 1685 | 7.4% |
| 6780 | 7175 | -5.5% | 12,699 | 13,518 | -6.1% |
| 5418 | 7169 | -24.4% | 9971 | 13,502 | -26.2% |
| 1362 | 6 | 22,233% | 2728 | 16 | 16,950% |
| 892 | 1112 | -19.8% | 1659 | 2317 | -28.4% |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
Total | 14,941 | 11,718 | 27.5% | 26,165 | 22,025 | 18.8% |
RECOMMENDED READINGMidsize Car Sales In America - February 2017Midsize Car Sales In America - January 2017Midsize Car Sales In America - February 2016Top 20 Best-Selling Cars In America - February 2017U.S. Auto Sales Brand Rankings - February 2017Large Car Sales In America - February 2017Small Car Sales In America - February 2017
