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Cruze, other cars continue to take hit in sales
By Kalea Hall
YOUNGSTOWN
Compact cars, including the Lordstown-built Chevrolet Cruze, once again were outshone by larger-vehicle segments in November.
After five years on the market, the Cruze took a 29.7 percent hit in sales during November – dropping from 22,857 reported in November 2014 compared with 16,073 in November 2015.
For the year, Cruze sales are down 17.8 percent so far with 209,753 sales.
The Ford Focus, also a compact car, saw a 24.7 percent drop in sales during the month.
“Over the last few months, we have seen a decrease in car [sales],” said Akshay Anand, senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book. “There’s no car segment that’s really growing.”
General Motors reported total November sales of 229,296, up 2 percent year over year, with two fewer selling days.
GM’s retail sales were up 4 percent year over year.
Deliveries to commercial customers were up 6 percent year over year, and government deliveries were up 2 percent. Rental sales were down 16 percent because of the automaker’s plan to reduce rental sales. Total fleet sales were down 9 percent.
Leading sales were trucks and sport utilities.
Sales of Chevrolet trucks increased 10 percent, and Chevrolet crossovers were up 35 percent.
Buick crossover sales were up 12 percent, and GMC’s were up 12 percent. The Cadillac SRX crossover’s sales were up 53 percent.
“The phenomenal growth of crossovers in a record-setting market is the biggest sales story of 2015,” said Kurt McNeil, GM’s U.S. vice president of sales operations, in a statement.
Also Tuesday, Ford Motor Co.’s November U.S. sales totaled 187,794 vehicles, up slightly at 0.4 percent compared with a year ago.
Fiat Chrysler America US LLC reported U.S. sales of 175,974 units, a 3 percent increase compared with sales in November 2014 of 170,839 units, and the group’s best November sales since 2000.
American Honda Motor Co. Inc. reported November sales of 115,441 Honda and Acura vehicles, a decrease of 5.2 percent.
Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc., reported November 2015 sales up 12.4 percent on a daily selling rate (DSR) basis, with sales of 189,517 units. On a raw-volume basis, with two fewer selling days in November 2015 than in November 2014, sales were up 3.4 percent.
Nissan’s pickups, minivans and sport utility vehicles set a November record, including a 50 percent surge for the Rogue compact SUV.