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

September 1, 2001

2 Min Read
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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

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

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

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

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

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

Read more about:

2001
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