December sales of automobiles and light trucks in the U.S. were up slightly from last year, but failed to meet analysts' predictions due to winter storms and some sales being pulled forward in a strong November. Nissan led gainers, up 11% while GM had the worst year to year performance, down 6%. Most automakers closed out the year with an increase.
The seasonally adjusted sales rate also came in below expectations. The SAAR fell in December to 15.4 million from November's six-year high of 16.4 million. Last year's SAAR for December was 15.2 million so it's a slight improveent. Most analysts predicted a 15.6 million unit SAAR for the month. Overall, December sales were up 0.2% from last year and for the year deliveries were up 8% to a total of 15.6 million units, the best year since 2007. Car sales were up 4% while light truck sales rose 11% on the strength of CUV and large pickup sales. This is the 5th straight year of increased sales since the industry cratered at 10.4 million units in 2009.
Full table below
Chrysler and Hyundai were up 6% for the month, with Honda and Ford reporting gains of 2%. As mentioned, GM was down, as was Toyota, at -2%.
Every automaker fell short of analysts' estimates for the month, with automakers reporting that incentives and promotions led to strong November sales, particularly late in the month, which decreased demand in December. Some brands started their year-end clearance and holiday sales before Thanksgiving this year. Wintry weather in parts of the country also affected showroom traffic.
At Toyota, sales at Lexus were up 14% while the corporate brand was down 5% as Camry, Corolla and Prius deliveries were all down. Slipping sales on the redesigned 2014 Corolla will not help the brand increase sales by 10% as they hoped for at the launch. For the year total Toyota Motor sales were up 7% to 2.24 million units.
Sales of Honda's namesake brand were up 2% while Acura deliveries dropped by the same amount. While the Camry remained the best selling car in the U.S. for the year, the Accord edged it out by about 2,300 units in December. For the year, the CR-V became Honda's third 300,000 unit/year model in the U.S. Those sales were boosted by a December incentive program that paid dealers $3,000 for every vehicle they sold about their Dec. 2012 total.
Ford had their best annual increase since 2010, 11%, with the Ford brand up by the same amount as Lincoln fell slightly, 1%.
Ford's 2013 sales rose 11 percent, the biggest annual gain since 2010. The Ford division was up 11 percent, while Lincoln fell 1 percent. The Fusion, Fiesta and Escape set sales records for the year.
At GM the news wasn't as cheery as all GM brands had year to year sales declines last month. Chevy was down 8%, Buick was off by 7%, GMC was minus 2% and Cadillac was off by 1% from it's December 2012 sales, the first monthly decline in volume at GM's luxury brand since Sept. of last year. GM's fullsize pickups, newly introduced and a critical component of the company's lineup were down, with the Chevrolet Silverado declining 16% and the GMC Sierra down 5%.
For the year, GM's fortunes were better up 7%, led by Cadillac sales which were up 22%. Buick was up 14% on the year, GMC +9% and GM's biggest volume brand, Chevrolet, increased their deliveries by 5%.
Honda, Hyundai-Kia, Toyota, and the VW Group joined GM in losing market share. Chrysler, Ford, Daimler and Nissan all gained market share.
Chrysler's December results were mixed with strong light truck sales. The new Jeep Cherokee sold 15,038 units for the month, exceeding the popularity of the Wrangler. Ram pickup deliveries were up 11%. For the month truck sales at Chrysler were up 15% while passenger car deliveries were down 17% from 2012. Monthly sales were up 34% at Jeep, 17% at Ram, and +1% at Fiat, while the Dodge and Chrysler brands were down 9% and 21% respectively.
For 2013, Chrysler's U.S. sales were up 9% to 1.8 million cars and trucks, with cars outselling trucks.
At other manufacturers, Hyundai's U.S. sales were up 6% to slightly over 63,000 units, making 2013 a record year at 720,783 vehicles. The company said that its results were driven by strong sales of the Elantra compact and the Santa Fe SUV.
The Nissan brand, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Subaru, Land Rover and Porsche, joined Hyundai in having record years in the U.S.
Mitsubishi sales were up an impressive 56%, its third month in a row of double digit gains. For the year, sales were up 8% to 62,227.
Jessica Caldwell, a senior analyst at Edmunds.com, said, "Car shoppers responded overwhelmingly to the advertised holiday lease deals and they turned out the highest single-month lease rate — 27.5 percent — on record. Amazingly, almost half of all European branded vehicles sold in December — including many of the most popular luxury brands — were leased."
Bill Fay, Toyota division group vice president and general manager, said, "The auto industry was a consistent bright spot in the economic recovery throughout 2013. We expect the economy will continue to gain strength in 2014, with car sales rising to pre-recession levels."
According to TrueCar.com average incentives rose 4 percent to $2,676 in December from December 2012. Joining the incentives in spurring sales have been low interest rates, pent-up demand, increasing household wealth and a number of new models going on sale. In terms of segments, big pickups, large and compact crossovers, large and premium SUVs, and compact luxury cars all had strong sales for the year.
Analysts and the car companies mostly expect U.S. auto sales to rise some more in 2014 but at a slower rate of increase.
Paul Taylor, an independent analyst and former chief economist for the National Automobile Dealers Association, said, "2013 was consistent with modest economic growth aided by very low interest rates for consumers of new cars. This year will feature stronger growth and continued low interest rates for new car loans, even as longer-term mortgage rates start to increase." He predicts 2014 will be a 16.2 million unit year, with sales growing at least 3%.
| Automaker | Dec. 2013 | Dec. 2012 | Pct. chng. | 12 month 2013 | 12 month 2012 | Pct. chng. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMW division | 37,389 | 37,399 | 0% | 309,280 | 281,460 | 10% |
| Mini | 6,592 | 6,456 | 2% | 66,502 | 66,123 | 1% |
| Rolls-Royce | 84 | 80 | 5% | 1,008 | 949 | 6% |
| BMW Group | 44,065 | 43,935 | 0% | 376,790 | 348,532 | 8% |
| Chrysler Division | 20,270 | 25,513 | –21% | 302,492 | 307,967 | –2% |
| Dodge | 47,689 | 52,391 | –9% | 596,343 | 524,989 | 14% |
| Dodge/Ram | 83,717 | 83,276 | 1% | 964,186 | 825,917 | 17% |
| Fiat | 3,745 | 3,707 | 1% | 43,236 | 43,772 | –1% |
| Jeep | 53,275 | 39,871 | 34% | 490,454 | 474,131 | 3% |
| Ram | 36,028 | 30,885 | 17% | 367,843 | 300,928 | 22% |
| Chrysler Group | 161,007 | 152,367 | 6% | 1,800,368 | 1,651,787 | 9% |
| Maybach | – | 5 | –100% | 6 | 50 | –88% |
| Mercedes-Benz | 35,835 | 30,378 | 18% | 334,344 | 295,013 | 13% |
| Smart USA | 855 | 996 | –14% | 9,264 | 10,009 | –7% |
| Daimler AG | 36,690 | 31,379 | 17% | 343,614 | 305,072 | 13% |
| Ford division | 208,608 | 205,518 | 2% | 2,403,542 | 2,160,859 | 11% |
| Lincoln | 7,984 | 7,384 | 8% | 81,694 | 82,150 | –1% |
| Ford Motor Co. | 216,592 | 212,902 | 2% | 2,485,236 | 2,243,009 | 11% |
| Buick | 15,379 | 16,473 | –7% | 205,509 | 180,408 | 14% |
| Cadillac | 18,165 | 18,248 | –1% | 182,543 | 149,782 | 22% |
| Chevrolet | 153,493 | 167,091 | –8% | 1,947,125 | 1,851,646 | 5% |
| GMC | 43,120 | 43,921 | –2% | 450,901 | 413,881 | 9% |
| General Motors | 230,157 | 245,733 | –6% | 2,786,078 | 2,595,717 | 7% |
| Acura | 15,751 | 16,034 | –2% | 165,436 | 156,216 | 6% |
| Honda Division | 119,504 | 116,740 | 2% | 1,359,876 | 1,266,569 | 7% |
| Honda (American) | 135,255 | 132,774 | 2% | 1,525,312 | 1,422,785 | 7% |
| Hyundai division | 63,005 | 59,435 | 6% | 720,783 | 703,007 | 3% |
| Kia | 33,631 | 39,178 | –14% | 535,179 | 557,599 | –4% |
| Hyundai Group | 96,636 | 98,613 | –2% | 1,255,962 | 1,260,606 | 0% |
| Jaguar | 1,544 | 1,049 | 47% | 16,952 | 12,011 | 41% |
| Land Rover | 5,764 | 5,174 | 11% | 50,010 | 43,664 | 15% |
| Jaguar Land Rover | 7,308 | 6,223 | 17% | 66,962 | 55,675 | 20% |
| Maserati | 1,053 | 333 | 216% | 4,768 | 2,730 | 75% |
| Mazda | 22,964 | 27,253 | –16% | 283,947 | 277,044 | 3% |
| Mitsubishi | 6,423 | 4,113 | 56% | 62,227 | 57,790 | 8% |
| Infiniti | 13,232 | 12,627 | 5% | 116,455 | 119,877 | –3% |
| Nissan Division | 96,526 | 86,663 | 11% | 1,131,965 | 1,021,779 | 11% |
| Nissan | 109,758 | 99,290 | 11% | 1,248,420 | 1,141,656 | 9% |
| Subaru | 40,172 | 36,653 | 10% | 424,683 | 336,441 | 26% |
| Suzuki* | – | 1,945 | –100% | 5,946 | 25,357 | –77% |
| Lexus | 34,757 | 30,607 | 14% | 273,847 | 244,166 | 12% |
| Scion | 4,323 | 5,522 | –22% | 68,321 | 73,505 | –7% |
| Toyota division | 151,763 | 158,014 | –4% | 1,893,874 | 1,764,833 | 7% |
| Toyota/Scion | 156,086 | 163,536 | –5% | 1,962,195 | 1,838,338 | 7% |
| Toyota | 190,843 | 194,143 | –2% | 2,236,042 | 2,082,504 | 7% |
| Audi | 17,013 | 14,841 | 15% | 158,061 | 139,310 | 14% |
| Bentley | 350 | 237 | 48% | 2,872 | 2,315 | 24% |
| Lamborghini* | 46 | 44 | 5% | 552 | 520 | 6% |
| Porsche | 3,246 | 2,952 | 10% | 42,323 | 35,043 | 21% |
| VW division | 34,015 | 44,005 | –23% | 407,704 | 438,133 | –7% |
| Volkswagen | 54,670 | 62,079 | –12% | 611,512 | 615,321 | –1% |
| Volvo Cars NA | 4,888 | 6,150 | –21% | 61,233 | 68,117 | –10% |
| Other** | 253 | 247 | 2% | 3,036 | 2,949 | 3% |
| TOTAL | 1,358,734 | 1,356,132 | 0% | 15,582,136 | 14,493,092 | 8% |
Source: Automotive News Data Center
from The Truth About Cars http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com
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