In the heights of global recession not so long ago, doom and gloom was predicted for the automotive industry in the United States of America. Squashing those skeptics, sales have been on a continuous rise year after year with 2015 marking the sixth straight year of growth. In fact, a record 17.4 million cars and light trucks were sold in the United States in 2015, an all-time high. Let's now look at the brands that capitalized on this growth and gained in what's widely considered as the most lucrative market in the world.
America's Best-Selling Automotive Brands
Ford continues its stint at the top as the best-selling automotive brand in America. With sales of 2.51 million units last year, the Blue Oval held a solid lead ahead of Toyota that ended 2015 with sales of 2.15 million units (including Scion sub-brand). With 2.12 million sales, Chevrolet was hot on Toyota's heels and might just manage to pip the Japanese brand next time around. Honda and Nissan finished a distant fourth and fifth, with sales of 1.40 and 1.35 million units respectively.
The Top 10 Cars & Trucks
The American consumers have always been predictable when it comes to their choices of cars and light trucks. 2015 was no different and the list of top ten best-selling vehicles last year hardly changed vis-à-vis 2014. But, more and more Americans prefer crossovers and SUVs to sedans and that shows with popular sedans being overtaken by their crossover siblings across brands and price brackets. Watch out for the CR-Vs, RAV4s and the Escapes!
Americans love pick-up trucks and 2015, as usual, saw an all-truck podium. For a 34th year running, Ford’s F-Series topped the sales charts with 780,354 customers putting their money on their perennial home favorite. Let’s not forget that Ford took a huge gamble in 2015 by pioneering the use of aluminium in the construction of the new F150, a move that has paid off handsomely so far. As always, F-Series’ long-standing rival Chevrolet Silverado came runner up with sales of 600,544 units. All Ford has to do is slip a teeny weeny bit for this Chevy to jump past and rewrite history books. This battle is close! Rounding off the podium is the Ram Pick-up in its various incarnations that collectively reached 451,116 homes in the United States.
These three American pick-ups apart, the rest of the top ten best-sellers have their origins far east, in Japan. With three models apiece, Toyota and Honda continue their good run of form in the United States with a Nissan occupying the remaining slot.
Behind the Ram Pick-up, Toyota Camry continues to be America’s best-selling car with 429,355 units sold in 2015. Following its bigger sibling in fifth position is the Toyota Corolla, the most popular car in the planet. With sales of 363,332 units, its nowhere close to threaten Camry’s stronghold but has gained considerably compared to 2014. Right behind the Corolla are a trio of Hondas each finishing approximately 10,000 units off each other. Accord leads the bunch while CR-V jumps ahead of the popular Civic, hinting at changing consumer tastes. Altima, the sole Nissan in the top ten list, comes in at ninth followed by Toyota’s RAV4 that didn’t feature in the top ten list last time around. Losing out to Toyota’s crossover is the sleek Ford Fusion, again hinting at crossovers being the flavour of the season.
Source for Sales Figures: Official Press Releases
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