USA June 2018: Hyundai, Jeep and Subaru lift market up 5.6%

The Elantra (+34%) helps Hyundai up 19.6% in June.

* See the Top 15 groups, Top 40 brands and Top 275 models by clicking on the title *

June marks the fourth month of year-on-year gain in 2018 after January, March and May with light vehicle sales up 5.6% to 1.556.596 units, helped by an extra weekend of sales compared to June 2017. At 17.47 million, the seasonally adjusted annualised sales rate (SAAR) is up markedly on both June 2017 (16.72m) and last month (16.91m). Light trucks account for 67% of the market, the highest level ever recorded for June. According to ALG, the average transaction price is up 0.7% year-on-year to $33,148 in June, for an average incentive of $3,779 – that’s a 11.4% ratio vs. 11% a year ago, while fleet sales are estimated by J.D. Power to account for 20% of the market, a slight drop on June 2017. Strikingly, all Top 10 groups post a year-on-year gain this month. After ending a straining 17-month streak of negative results last month, Hyundai-Kia accelerates further at a brilliant +9% in June, FCA advances for the fourth consecutive month at +8.5% with retail sales at their highest June level since 2004 at 155.208.

The facelifted Cherokee sees its sales surge 89%, helping push Jeep up 18.9%.

Meanwhile General Motors is up an estimated 5.7% thanks to average incentives of over $5,200 per vehicle (see detail below). All other major manufacturers trail the market, led by the American Honda (+4.8%) where light trucks gain 12% to a new June record (78.483), Volkswagen Group (+3.8%), Toyota Motor (+3.6%) where light trucks (+13%) offset passenger cars (-9.2%), Nissan Motor (+3.5%) and Ford Motor (+1%). At Nissan, light truck sales are up 9.7% while cars are down 7.5%. At Ford, retail sales are up 2.9% to 156.788 while fleet deliveries drop 2.3% to 73.847. The BMW Group (+0.8%) towers above a struggling Daimler AG (-9.9%) to slip past it YTD.

The all-new Ascent will ensure Subaru moves onto an 80th consecutive uplift in July…

What’s the incentives situation? According to ALG, average new vehicle incentives are up slightly less than the market at +4.6% to $3,779. Those above the average are Daimler AG at $5,759 (up a stark 14% on June 2017) the BMW Group at $5,585 (+22%), General Motors at $5,256 (+18%), FCA at $4,526 (+3.2%), Ford Motor at $4,400 (+2.1%), Kia at $3,834 (+12%) and the Volkswagen Group at $3,828 (+22%). Those that don’t need to fuel growth with rebates are Subaru at $1,499 (+57%), American Honda at $1,940 (-3.3%), Toyota Motor at $2,288 (-14%), Hyundai at $2,809 (-12%) and Nissan Motor at $3,703 (-9.4%).

Tesla is up 191.3% year-on-year to hit its largest ever monthly U.S. volume.

Brand-wise, Ford leads the way again, edging up just 1% but its SUV and crossover sales shoot up 8.1%. Toyota (+4.4%), Chevrolet (+5.4%), Nissan (+2.5%) and Honda (+5%) follow but all trail the market whereas Hyundai (+19.6%), Jeep (+18.9%) and Subaru (+15%) – posting an incredible 79th consecutive year-on-year uplift – light up the rest of the Top 10. Just outside, GMC soars 13% while further down, Alfa Romeo (+121.1%), Mitsubishi (+46.2%), Volvo (+35.1%), Land Rover (+21.2%), and Mazda (+20.4%) all shine. Audi (+0.3%) edges to a 104th consecutive month of year-on-year gains. The best performance this month goes to Tesla, the biggest gainer in the entire market at a whopping +191.3% on June 2017, also snapping its largest ever monthly volume at 11.362, only the 2nd time after last March (10.020) that Tesla lodges a five-digit monthly figure.

A Toyota RAV4 in runout mode reclaims the title of #1 SUV in the U.S.

Over in the models aisle, the Ford F-Series continues to gallop well ahead of the competition with a 14th consecutive month of year-on-year gains, yet it trails the market with sales up 2% just as the other two dominating full-size pickups: the Chevrolet Silverado is estimated to gain 4% and the Ram Pickup just 1%. The Toyota RAV4 (+11%) is in runout mode before the arrival of the new generation in Fall, and as a result edges past the 2018 segment leader, the Nissan Rogue, itself up a splendid 14%. The Honda CR-V (+18%) ensures the Top 6 is 100% list trucks like last month, with the Honda Civic (+1%) the best-selling passenger car once again, a notch above the Toyota Camry (-4%) and Corolla (-9%) just as the Ford Escape (+6%) rallies back up 4 spots on May to #8, its first Top 10 ranking since last November.

Inspired by the success of the Ford Ecosport, Nissan has launched the Latin America-made Kicks.

Robust gainers further down include the VW Tiguan (+435%), Jeep Cherokee (+89%), Dodge Journey (+86%), Subaru Crosstrek (+84%), Jeep Compass (+82%), Hyundai Tucson (+62%), Chevrolet Trax (+53%), Chevrolet Colorado (+44%), Honda Pilot (+36%) and the Toyota Tacoma (+36%) improving again on an outstanding score last month to post the nameplate’s largest volume in at least 14 years. Among recent launches (<12 months), the Ford Ecosport improves 23% on May to post its largest volume so far at 6.756, reclaiming the title of most popular U.S. launch off the Tesla Model 3 at 6.062 (-3%), itself leading the mid-sized premium sedan segment for the 2nd month running ahead of the Mercedes C-Class (5.742), Audi A4 (3.893), BMW 3 Series (3.551) and Lexus IS (2.017). Finally, 3 new nameplates land in June: the Subaru Ascent at #156, Nissan Kicks at #214 and the new Honda Insight at #233.

Previous month: USA May 2018: GM and FCA strong, Tesla Model 3 leads segment

One year ago: USA June 2017: Market down 3% for 6th consecutive month of decline

Full June 2018 Top 15 groups, Top 40 brands and Top 275 models below.