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Checking the Auto World's Pulse

Much attention has been given to the hottest segment group in the U.S. market, cross/utility vehicles (CUVs). These are the vehicles classified as light trucks, but possessing several attributes associated with passenger cars. Through the first seven months of 2001, and even with total light-vehicle sales down 4.6% compared to the same period in 2000, CUV sales are up by 160%, and market share has

Much attention has been given to the hottest segment group in the U.S. market, cross/utility vehicles (CUVs). These are the vehicles classified as light trucks, but possessing several attributes associated with passenger cars. Through the first seven months of 2001, and even with total light-vehicle sales down 4.6% compared to the same period in 2000, CUV sales are up by 160%, and market share has climbed to 5.6% from 2.0%. However, there are six segments outside the CUV group also running up sales gains so far this year. The following charts show those segments, and the brands and vehicles that compete in them, with their percent change in sales for 2001 through July compared to the same year-ago period.

Lower Small Cars
Brand % Change Series % Change
Kia 58.0 Kia Rio 4787.5
Hyundai 19.8 Kia Spectra 207.7
Suzuki -10.2 Hyundai Accent 19.8
Toyota -13.5 Suzuki Swift -10.2
Daewoo -20.5 Toyota Echo -13.5
Chevrolet -70.5 Daewoo Lanos -20.5
Kia Sephia -25.0
Chervolet Metro -70.5
Segment's Sales % Change 2000-2001: 7.0
Segment's Industry Share YTD 2001: 1.7
Segment's Industry Share YTD 2000: 1.5
Middle Specialty Cars
Brand % Change Series % Change
Chrysler 420.7 Toyota Prius 903.9
Dodge 186.0 Chrysler Sebring cpe. 420.7
Toyota 142.1 Dodge Stratus cpe. 186.0
Honda 10.1 Honda Insight 73.5
Mitsubishi -4.6 Chevrolet Monte Carlo -3.0
Volkswagen -7.7 Mitsubishi Eclipse -4.6
Chevrolet -11.6 Toyota MR2 Spyder -6.7
Mazda -12.0 Volkswagen Cabriolet -7.7
Ford -12.1 Honda Prelude -11.0
Pontiac -27.9 Mazda Miata -12.0
Mercury -34.8 Ford Mustang -12.1
Chevrolet Camaro -25.5
Pontiac Firebird -27.9
Mercury Cougar -34.8
Segment's Sales % Change 2000-2001: 3.1
Segment's Industry Share YTD 2001: 3.3
Segment's Industry Share YTD 2000: 3.0
Large Sport/Utility Vehicles
Brand % Change Series % Change
Toyota New Entry Toyota Sequoia New Entry
GMC 25.9 GMC Yukon XL 39.6
Chevrolet 21.9 Cherolet Tahoe 35.0
Ford -16.9 GMC Yukon 32.5
Dodge -23.1 Chevrolet Suburban 8.1
Ford Expedition -14.3
Dodge Durango -23.1
Ford Excursion -28.2
Segment's Sales % Change 2000-2001: 8.7
Segment's Industry Share YTD 2001: 5.2
Segment's Industry Share YTD 2000: 4.6
Luxury Sports Cars
Brand % Change Series % Change
Honda 58.9 BMW Z8 New Entry
Nissan 35.3 Honda S2000 58.9
Audi 24.5 Nissan 300ZX 50.0
Porsche 5.9 Audi TT 24.5
Chevrolet 0.4 Porsche 911 18.4
Dodge -4.9 Chevrolet Corvette 0.4
BMW -6.6 Porsche Boxster -1.9
Mercedes -11.9 Dodge Viper -4.9
Jaguar -18.3 Mercedes SL -10.8
Acura -28.0 BMW Z3 -12.0
Chrysler -31.0 Mercedes SLK -12.4
Jaguar XK8 -18.3
Acura NSX -28.0
Chrysler Prowler -31.0
Segment's Sales % Change 2000-2001: 1.6
Segment's Industry Share YTD 2001: 0.7
Segment's Industry Share YTD 2000: 0.7
Upper Luxury Cars
Brand % Change Series % Change
Mercedes 149.5 Mercedes E-Class* New to Seg.
Lexus 129.0 Lexus LS 430 204.1
Infiniti 30.7 Infiniti Q45 30.7
Audi 0.7 Audi A8 0.7
BMW -9.9 BMW 7 series -9.9
Jaguar -12.3 Jaguar XJ -11.7
Mercedes S-Class -12.3
Jaguar S-Type -12.5
Lexus GS 400 -14.7
Segment's Sales % Change 2000-2001: 23.8
Segment's Industry Share YTD 2001: 1.0
Segment's Industry Share YTD 2000: 0.7
Luxury Vans
Brand % Change Series % Change
Chrysler 61.0 Chrysler Town & Country 61.0
Volkswagen 19.8 Volkswagen Eurovan 19.8
Oldsmobile -0.8 Oldsmobile Silhouette -0.8
Segment's Sales % Change 2000-2001: 41.1
Segment's Industry Share YTD 2001: 1.1
Segment's Industry Share YTD 2000: 0.8
Note: Year-ago comparisons for some brands include vehicles not on sale in 2001; those vehicles are not included in the Series columns.
* Mercedes E-Class was on sale in 2000 but classified in a different segment.
Source: Ward's AutoInfoBank.
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