USA 2009: Worst year since 1982, Ford F-Series still #1

Ford F-Series

* See the Top 100 best-selling models by clicking on ‘Read more’ at end of post! *

One word: dreadful. 2009 is the worst year for car sales since 1982, down 21% on an already timid 2008 at 10.4 million units. In spite of a context extremely unfavourable to petrol-guzzling trucks, the Ford F-Series holds the fort and finishes the year on top for the 28th time in a row with sales down 20% to a mediocre 413,625 units. Its peak happened in December at 48,209 units and the F-Series was #1 ten times out of 12 this year.

Toyota Camry

The Toyota Camry gains one spot to rank #2 overall for the first time in the nameplate’s 27 year history at 356,824 sales, down 18%. Camry sales peaked at 54,396 units in August when it ranked #1 overall for the first time in the US. The Chevrolet Silverado follows at 316,544 units, down 31% and the Toyota Corolla is up 1 spot to #4 with 296,874 sales, down 15%, peaking in August at 43,061 units.

Honda Accord

The Honda Accord is down one place and 22% to #5 and 290,056 sales but managed to lead the overall monthly ranking in April thanks to 29,212 sales. This means in the space of 16 months (May 2008-August 2009), all four best-selling passenger cars – the Camry, Corolla, Accord and Civic – managed to hold the #1 overall monthly spot, something none of them had done ever before in the US.

Lexus RX

The Honda CR-V is up to an outstanding 8th place at 191,214 sales, the Ford Fusion breaks into the year-end US Top 10 at #9, up 8 spots and 22%, peaking at #7 and the Ford Escape is up 5 spots to #11. Notice the Hyundai Sonata up 9 spots to #17, the Hyundai Elantra breaking into the Top 10 for the first time in August and the Lexus RX up 18 spots to #25, the highest year-end position ever achieved by a Lexus model.

Previous year: see the US 2008 post here.

Full Year 2009 Top 100 below.