America's "Top 20" Best-selling Cars in 2018

The last post of ours listed America's Top 10 Best-selling Car Brands of 2018. While it was business as usual with Ford topping the list for the ninth straight year, it doesn't clearly show the phenomenon that's happening worldwide in general and the United States of America in particular. 

This list - giving you a sneak peek of America's Top 20 Best-selling Cars of 2018 - clearly brings that out. 

Did you have a look? Yes, we're talking about the bloodshed that's happening in the market with trucks, SUVs and crossovers going for the kill and sedans coming off worse in the fight.

Big Three's fight for pick-up truck supremacy intensifies

At the top, there are no changes. Ford's F-Series reigns supreme to become the best-selling passenger vehicle in America for an unprecedented 37th year in a row! While that's an incredible feat, the folks at Ford have to look over their shoulders as their arch-rivals are at them with full force. Armed with the new-generation Silverado and the all-new 1500 respectively, Chevrolet and Ram are going all guns blazing with the latter gaining significantly to end 2018 right behind the Chevy. 

With 2019 being the first full year for these two trucks, the American pick-up truck slug-fest just got more intense. Watch this space!

Crossovers rule the roost, sedans bow out

While the Big Three pick-ups have always been America's favourites, right behind them - for decades - have been the Japanese sedans. Toyota's Camry and Corolla, Honda's Accord and Civic and Nissan's Altima and Sentra have been big-sellers and regularly found a place in the Top 10 list. That's changing quite rapidly. Crossovers from the same three brands now occupy those slots with Toyota's RAV4 inching ahead of Nissan's Rogue and both steering clear of Honda's CR-V. Joining them with an impressive 15% gain over 2017 is Chevrolet's Equinox.

The Camry, Civic, Corolla and Accord have all lost sales vis-a-vis 2017 and the trend is all set to continue for the foreseeable future. In fact, sedans from Ford and Chevrolet that regularly featured in the Top 20 list have bowed out already with both the car-makers abandoning sedans altogether with their announcements to focus on popular and profitable SUVs and crossovers. That's a shame because some of these sedans on sale are the best to wear these nameplates since they were introduced. It's a classic case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. 

Ford's Escape and Explorer are next on the list, both on a decline compared to the previous year. The next-generation Explorer and Escape are slated for debuts this year and the Blue Oval can't bring them soon enough. 

Bringing up the bottom of the Top 20 list are the two sedans from Nissan with the Altima losing a whopping 18% and the Sentra managing a respectable show.

Jeeps are red hot in America

If there's one brand that's climbing up the ladder quick and steady, it's got to be Jeep. The all-new Wrangler that debuted in 2018 and the facelifted Compass that went on sale in 2017 are blazing the charts with a 26% and 41% gain respectively. The Grand Cherokee - that's on the last leg of its life cycle - did well too and lost just 7% compared to its 2017 numbers. 

Outside the Top 20, Compass is yet another Jeep that's on the ascent. Sales almost doubled compared to 2017 and Jeep also has it's Gladiator pick-up going on sale next year. Jeep is sure on a roll!

Just outside the Top 20 are some of the erstwhile occupants of the list like the GMC Sierra, Hyundai Elantra and Ford Fusion. With the rapid pace at which sedans are running out of favour, expect this list to throw up a lot of surprises in the years ahead. We're having our fingers crossed.

America's "Top 10" Best-selling Car Brands in 2018

Alright, now that we're back from year-end vacations and parties welcoming 2019, it is time to look back at the year gone by and take note of what's hot and what's not in the automotive industry. 

Our neighbor up north might be the single largest market for automobiles globally but the significance of the American car market can't be stressed enough. Why, you wonder? Profits. Sheer profits. And nothing else. Americans love their big, plush trucks and large, swanky crossovers while car-makers are after the fat profits that each one of those vehicles bring in. 

Defying predictions of a decline compared to 2017, Americans bought 17.27 million cars, crossovers and trucks last year. That's a small but crucial 40,000-odd units over 2017. 

Here are the Top 10 brands that made merry in 2018:

Ford leads for the ninth straight year

For the ninth straight year, Ford topped the chart with over 2.39 million vehicles sold. And almost half of those numbers were from F-Series trucks alone. Yes, a whopping 909,330 units of these found buyers across the country making it America's best-selling vehicle for an incredible 37 years now. While that's good news, Blue Oval has a lot to ponder over for sure as the rest of the line-up - sans the Expedition, Transit and the Fiesta that's on the way out - lost volumes compared to 2017.

Toyota and Chevrolet finish runners-up

Closing 2018 as runner-up to Ford is Toyota, as it's been for the last several years. Remarkably, in a market where the top five brands have lost volumes, Toyota lost just over 1,000 units compared to 2017. Like the rest of the industry, the brand's cars lost volumes by thousands but the SUVs in the lineup - especially the RAV4, Highlander and 4Runner - made up for that.

Close on Toyota's heels is Chevrolet, selling over 2.03 million cars and trucks. The new Silverado is off to a strong start and the brand's many SUVs and crossovers are just what the market wants. But the cars in the line-up are off to the gutters in the coming months and years and with recent announcements on plant closures, Chevrolet has a lot of things to sort on the table.

Jeep, Ram and Subaru shine

After Chevrolet comes the other two popular Japanese brands - Honda and Nissan - both posting a decline in sales and market share against the previous year. Again, SUVs and crossovers from both brands continued their growth trajectory while the sedans are bleeding volumes.

When Fiat-Chrysler decided to cut down slow-selling cars in the line-up and focus solely on SUVs and pick-ups with their Jeep and Ram brands respectively, it attracted more criticism than acclaim. Now, a couple of years down the line, that decision seems inspired. Jeeps are flying off the shelves while Ram, riding high on the popularity of the new 1500 truck, makes an entry into the Top 10. These two brands have also posted the biggest growth compared to 2017 with Jeep growing a massive 17.5%.  

Subaru's sales rise over the last several years have been nothing short of a miracle and the dream run continued in 2018 too. Apart from posting it's best-ever year with over 680,000 vehicles sold, Subaru also had the 85th consecutive month-on-month growth. In the process, Subaru jumped ahead of Hyundai in the Top 10 chart.

Hyundai and Kia lost a place each and ended 2018 in eighth and tenth positions. While the sales remained flat with a marginal jump over 2017, the lack of SUVs in the lineup are hurting the Koreans. The recent additions in the form of new Santa Fe and Kona and the upcoming Palisade and Telluride should hopefully make things better for this duo in the coming years.

2019 Indian Car of the Year announced

The annual award season has begun and kicking things off in style is the Indian Car of the Year (ICOTY) title. Modeled on the likes of similar titles handed out globally like the North American Car of the Year and the European Car of the Year, the ICOTY is considered the most definitive award in the Indian automotive industry. That's primarily because the award sees the coming together of automotive experts and journalists from almost every major publication and website in the country. Each of the jury members have been driving and reviewing automobiles for more than a decade each and the scoring process is claimed to be simple and transparent.

This year also sees the introduction of a new category under ICOTY called the Premium Car of the Year. Aimed at cars costing over INR 40 Lakhs ex-showroom, this award intends to recognize the best set of wheels for the super-rich Indians.

2019 Indian Car of the Year

2018 has been one of the busiest in recent years in terms of the number of new cars launched but the jury members spent a day driving all the new models at the Buddh International Circuit that allowed them to shortlist 8 cars for the final run-up to the title. The ones that made the cut are the Amaze and CR-V from Honda, the Hyundai Santro, the Alturas G4 and Marazzo from Mahindra, Maruti-Suzuki's Ertiga and Swift and the Toyota Yaris. As evident, each of these models are crucial launches not just for the respective brands but also for the segments in which they retail. 

In the end, it was Maruti-Suzuki's Swift that won the coveted award. Crowned last evening at a glitzy event in Mumbai, the Swift took home it's third ICOTY trophy having already won the title in 2006 and 2012. That makes the premium hatchback from Indian's largest car-maker the only car thus far to have won the award thrice. Offering a stylish, peppy and fun-to-drive package loaded to the gills with features and protected by the country's best after-sales network, the Swift is a "You can't go wrong" choice this side of 10 Lakh Rupees. It's no wonder then the sales are shooting through the roof with each passing month.

Though the other contenders provided strong competition initially, the Swift won by a significant margin of over 30 points in the end. Hyundai's Santro finished runner-up with the Honda Amaze rounding off the podium. 

2019 ICOTY Results

1. Maruti-Suzuki Swift 
2. Hyundai Santro
3. Honda Amaze

Previous ICOTY Winners

• 2018 - Hyundai Verna
• 2017 - Maruti-Suzuki Vitara Brezza
• 2016 - Hyundai Creta
• 2015 - Hyundai i20
• 2014 - Hyundai Grand i10

2019 ICOTY - Premium Car of the Year

Premium cars aren't always assembled or manufactured in India, given the limited sales and lack of volumes. That eliminates most of the premium cars from even competing for the ICOTY title. The Premium Car of the Year award, introduced this year, aims to set things right at the upper end by separating the luxury cars whose strengths and evaluation criteria are often different from mass-market cars.

The inaugural edition of the ICOTY Premium Car of the Year title had 11 contenders. The list included Audi's Q5 and RS5, the X3 and 6-Series GT from BMW, the Mercedes-Benz E 63 S, Mini Countryman, Porsche Cayenne, Range Rover Velar and the XC40 and XC60 from Volvo.

While the jury crowned the Volvo XC40 as the winner this year, it's bigger sibling - the XC60 - finished runner-up. 

That's quite a message from Sweden to the well-established luxury marques from Germany and the United Kingdom. It's going to be really interesting to see how things in the premium segment shape up in the coming years. 

2018 Los Angeles - Jeep Gladiator, the brand's first pick-up in 26 years, makes its debut

Americans love Jeeps. And they are obsessed with pick-up trucks. Ironically though, Jeep has not had a pick-up in it's portfolio for the last 26 years. Having missed out on ever-growing sales and ever-soaring profits from pick-ups for more than two decades, Jeep has decided they have had enough. In comes the Gladiator, making it's much-awaited global debut at the ongoing 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show. 

As soon as the officials at Jeep wanted to make a pick-up, it was clear that it would be based on the Wrangler. The spy-shots that came in later was more proof that the pick-up bearing the Jeep name is an extension - quite literally - of the Wrangler. Now that the curtains are off, that's exactly what the Gladiator is. And we're glad at that, given Wrangler's iconic looks, rich legacy and crazy fan-following. 

As Jeep proudly claims, the Gladiator is a modern take on authentic Jeep design cues that we have seen and grown in love with. Those familiar seven slats that form the grille, the circular headlights, that clam-shell hood with side opening levers, the foldable windshield, the detachable doors with external hinges, those massive wheel arches that protrude from the body, you name them and the Gladiator has them. What's new though is the bed aft of the rear doors. Like the facelifted Wrangler that made its debut earlier this year, the Gladiator also gets LED lighting signatures that look super cool.

Jeeps have always had the go to match their show and the Gladiator is no different. Armed with Command-Trac and Rock-Trac 4x4 systems, third-gen Dana 44 axles, Tru-Lock front- and rear-axle lockers, Trac-Lok limited-slip differential, a segment-exclusive electronic sway-bar disconnect and 33-inch off-road tires, the Gladiator can take you to places only a Jeep can. If you think all those off-roading credentials come at the expense of practicality, you're wrong. This Jeep pick-up has best-in-class towing and payload capacities amongst all mid-size trucks. Yes, it can tow upto 7,650 pounds and carry upto 1,600 pounds, more than what a Ford Ranger or a Chevrolet Colorado could.

Jeep is well aware of the fact that Gladiator customers are likely to buy it as a lifestyle choice rather than a workhorse truck. That explains why this truck comes with open-air motoring ability - sans windshield and doors - that's unique to the Jeep and a long list of official accessories for taking along your ATV, dirt bikes, skateboards and even speed boats. Mopar, Jeep's official customizing arm, is likely to have it's own list of goodies for the Gladiator right from launch too.

The cabin features an upright design and stance that's pretty much the same as that in the Wrangler. Unique metal-plated accents abound as do bolts on the shifter, grab handles and the infotainment screen's frame. Instrument cluster features a standard 3.5-inch screen or an optional 7.0-inch TFT LED screen that allows the driver to configure information in more than 100 ways. Depending on the variant, the UConnect infotainment system gets a 5.0-, 7.0- or a 8.4-inch touchscreen seated atop the center stack. Safety is taken care of as well with features like Blind-spot Monitoring, Rear Cross Path detection, Adaptive Cruise Control and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with Electronic Roll Mitigation being part of the kit.

Powering the Gladiator is a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 gasoline engine that churns out 285 horsepower and 352 Nm of torque and comes mated to either a 6-speed manual or an 8-speed automatic transmission. Come 2020, a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 joins the lineup too generating 260 horsepower and 599 Nm of torque. The diesel is exclusively paired to the 8-speed automatic gearbox that's tuned to handle the massive torque rating of this engine. 

Production of the Jeep Gladiator would being in the first half of 2019 with the truck expected to go on sale shortly afterwards. With Jeep posting impressive gains on the sales charts and demand for pick-ups continuing unabated, the Gladiator is all set for a homerun in the United States of America. The mid-size pick-up truck slug fest just got a whole lot tougher!

2018 Los Angeles - Hyundai Palisade debuts as the brand's new flagship

The 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show that's currently on at the popular California city might be the last big automotive event of the year but it appears to be packing quite a punch with several high-profile global premieres. One such potential big-hitter is the Hyundai Palisade, the marque's newest flagship. With three rows of seats that could accommodate eight people and measuring close to five meters in length, this all-new mid-size SUV is Hyundai's biggest and most spacious model till date.

Yes, the Palisade is late to the party that has quite a few popular models like the Ford Explorer, Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot. But, has it got what it takes to do the role of a flagship, attract footfalls and bring in profits? Hyundai certainly thinks so!

For starters, the Palisade looks bold and fresh. Featuring the brand's latest design language first seen on the Kona and later adopted by the Santa Fe, the Palisade features split light clusters up front on either side of the now-familiar 'Cascading Grille'. If distinct styling is what Hyundai's designers were after, that goal has been achieved, albeit in a bit "in-your-face" manner. Move over to the silhouette and the car's size makes its presence felt. While the long hood, the generous wheelbase and flared fenders look intimidating, the profile itself is generic save for the tasteful application of chrome over the window-line and the wraparound effect given by the D-pillars. The rear, in Hyundai's own words, recalls Cadillac's design language with vertical taillight elements accompanied by metallic garnishes.

Being the flagship of a brand comes with it's own set of benefits and the Palisade gets them in abundance too. The interiors, with quilted Nappa leather and smooth wood-grain finishes, are tastefully done with the Palisade aiming to impress the occupants with a sense of space and plushness unseen in a Hyundai thus far. The second row gets two captain's chairs or a bench for three depending on the seating configuration chosen. The dashboard, like in most cars these days, gets two screens - a 12.3-inch digital TFT cluster behind the steering wheel and a 10.25-inch widescreen display in the center console for audio and navigation display. 

Standard safety features include a class-exclusive Blind Spot Monitor that provides the driver with an easy-to-see body-side views whenever the turn signals are activated in addition to Forward Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection, Blind Spot Collision Avoidance, Driver Attention Warning, Lane Following Assist, High Beam Assist, Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist, Safe Exit Assist that uses radar to detect cars approaching from the rear and warn occupants accordingly and seven Airbags. 

Creature comforts are in abundance too, keeping in mind the Palisade's target group of large families. Yes, the Palisade gets seven USB outlets, sixteen cup holders, option to connect two BlueTooth devices at once, a "Rear Sleep Mode" that adjusts the audio output to the front speakers alone to enable easier sleeping for those seated at the back and an intercom system that allows the front occupants to communicate independently to the second and third row or to both rows together. The parents seated at the front as well as the kids at the back are going to have fun in the Palisade, it seems!   

  

Under the long hood of the Palisade is a 3.8-liter V6 engine that works on the Atkinson Cycle for better fuel efficiency. Generating 291 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 355 Nm of torque, the Palisade's power and torque figures are amongst the best in the segment. Mated to this engine is a 8-speed automatic transmission that delivers power to the two front wheels or all four wheels depending on the configuration chosen. The HTRAC all-wheel drive system comes with selectable driving modes that changes the torque distribution to the wheels at the touch of a button.

The Palisade goes on sale late 2019 as a 2020 model. Yes, that's a rather delayed entry given SUV sales are booming worldwide 'right now' and Hyundai needs something bigger than the Santa Fe 'right now'. But as they always say, it's better late than never.