Midsize, large sedan sales comparo for April

[mustang84]

Large sedan

Ford Five Hundred - 6,657

Ford Crown Victoria - 7,389

Mercury Montego - 2,295

Mercury Grand Marquis - 6,514

Buick LaCrosse - 3,791

Buick Lucerne - 5,672

Chevy Impala - 28,171

Pontiac Grand Prix - 5,582

Chrysler 300 - 9,138

Dodge Charger - 10,057

Dodge Magnum - 2,389

Toyota Avalon - 5,791

Nissan Maxima - 3,504

VW Passat - 3,439 (inc. 677 Passat Wagon sales)

Hyundai Azera - 2,812

Kia Amanti - 528

Note that not only does the Five Hundred outsell the Avalon, but the Grand Marquis does as well. I know some go to fleets, but not a huge percentage. I remember reading an article a while back that called the Avalon "the best Buick that Buick never built" or something like that...seeing its sales performance today, I don't think that's such a positive statement. Magazines talk about how much of a failure the Five Hundred has been...where's the Avalon criticism?

Midsize sedan

Chevy Malibu - 12,218

Pontiac G6 - 11,144

Saturn Aura - 4,323

Chrysler Sebring - 7,558

Dodge Avenger - 8,214

Dodge Stratus - 227

Ford Fusion - 12,303

Mercury Milan - 3,365

Toyota Camry - 37,911

Honda Accord - 28,926

Nissan Altima - 16,309

Mazda6 - 4,189

Hyundai Sonata - 10,434

Kia Optima - 4,538

Subaru Legacy - 5,505

Subaru Outback - 3,902

Interesting to note that the Fusion has moved up to fourth best selling car, with Camry, Accord, and Altima still leading by fairly comfortable margins. I think the Malibu will move back into the 4th spot in 2008 though. The Aura is really selling in low numbers...I don't think it's going to hit the 100k target unless they really start moving them soon. The 4-cylinder should help though.

Edited May 4, 2007 by mustang84

[Intrepidation]

The bestselling large car is the Impala followed by the Charger and then the 300...shame the Magnum is such a slow lover.

The Avalon is a piece of [ugly] junk. Even the wankers at CR thinks so.

[Cory Wolfe]

Impala keeps inching closer to Accord territory, on a random side note. 121k vs. 108k YTD. Minus rental sales it's probably not much of a contest, though.

Edited May 4, 2007 by blackviper8891

[Ravenfreak13]

I find it quite funny that 227 Strati were sold

[Z-06]

On a side note, those W-Bodies account for about 14% of GM's monthly sales, at least for this month.

No wonders they do not want to get rid of that cash cow. It is up to a certain extent still making GM money from a 20+ years design. It is their bad mentality which has hurt them though.

[Oracle of Delphi]

The Saturn Aura is not setting the world on fire, that's for sure!!! :angry2:

[Flybrian]

Azera sales figures make me laugh, too, especially since a Buick-like percentage of them end up in fleets. Avalons, too.

[PONTIAC06]

It's really too bad the Aura isn't doing better, but does anyone know how many L-series they were selling before it was canned?

Edited May 4, 2007 by PONTIAC06

[regfootball]

half those DCX cars are fleet. In the case of Avenger and Sebring, probably lots more.

500 to taurus with new motor will gain 50% sales.

I think the 07 Altima is looking like a dud. I don't think it's doing what Nissan hoped although its still a big seller. Looks too much like the old one.

I do not get why the Accord and Camry sell in such huge numbers. They are quality built, but they do not offer anything more than what so many other excellent products in the segment already provide. I'd like to see that number get cut in half. We know Toyota is becoming a bigger fleet wh0re all the time.

Fusion is encouraging. That still needs the 3.5.

Not sure what will save the Aura. No one knows about that car!!!!!!! I bet most folks still think Saturn only sells small pastic bodied S cars! Maybe we won't see an image boost on Aura until Vue and Astra hit.

Edited May 4, 2007 by regfootball

[Robert Hall]

I do not get why the Accord and Camry sell in such huge numbers. They are quality built, but they do not offer anything more than what so many other excellent products in the segment already provide.

Reputation. Resale value. Consumer Reports rankings. Features.

[regfootball]

Reputation. Resale value. Consumer Reports rankings. Features.

right. I forgot. when Moses went up to the mountain, instead of coming down with the ten commandments etched in stone, he came down with a year's worth of Back issues of Consumer Reports and the annual car issue.

should be interesting to see what will happen to camlee values considering Toyota is a fleet whore now. At least Honda avoids that.

As far as features, Camlee and Accord do not really offer up anyting else the others don't.

Edited May 4, 2007 by regfootball

[Oracle of Delphi]

should be interesting to see what will happen to camlee values considering Toyota is a fleet whore now.

I love it when you talk dirty like that! :rotflmao:

[Robert Hall]

I noticed the Mitsu Galant wasn't even on the midsize list...their sales must be pretty looow...

[PrimeGTP]

I have to admit, I didn't know Mitsu was still making the Galant

[thegriffon]

Mitsubishi is still too embarassed to publicize sales of most models. You'll have to wait for Auto News to publish them Monday.

[thegriffon]

Compared to competing products the Galant is overpriced in the US market, which does not help.

[Intrepidation]

New England must be a big selling place for the Aura because I see tons of them.

[Windy-57]

New England must be a big selling place for the Aura because I see tons of them.

I sincerely think that the Aura will have a much different lifecycle sales trend than other vehciles. Most have a huge first year and then mellow out over the duration in one form or another. But the Aura could actually gain sales past its first year and into the later years as a result of changing opinions and a growing dealer network.

[Intrepidation]

I sincerely think that the Aura will have a much different lifecycle sales trend than other vehciles. Most have a huge first year and then mellow out over the duration in one form or another. But the Aura could actually gain sales past its first year and into the later years as a result of changing opinions and a growing dealer network.

I agree, especially as word get out about how good the car gets. Same should apply for the Outlook.

[GXT]

I think the 07 Altima is looking like a dud. I don't think it's doing what Nissan hoped although its still a big seller. Looks too much like the old one.

Are you joking? The exterior looks better, but the interior is huge leap forward. I swear Nissan must have fired the Kenwood designers who had been doing their crappy interiors and brough in some Infinity designers.

I do not get why the Accord and Camry sell in such huge numbers. They are quality built, but they do not offer anything more than what so many other excellent products in the segment already provide. I'd like to see that number get cut in half. We know Toyota is becoming a bigger fleet wh0re all the time.

Reliability, safety, resale, design, fit and finish, materials, refinement, fuel economy...

I must say that GM isn't the embarassment that they once were. Design is much better (although the parts bin is still used a little too frequently). The engines and trannies are much better (at least on the more expensive models... you still tend to get screwed with the lower priced ones). Reliability apparently still isn't there. Resale isn't there... but it should be getting better. Lowering fleet sales will help, but GM still needs to get down from the nearly 40% fleet of cars to get resale in line (Honda is at <2%!). Fuel economy isn't quite competitive (though the Malibu seems to do well). Overall, I'd say they were worth a test drive again. Not purchasing... but perhaps 2 generations from now they will be.

But all those things aside, even if GM were making equivalent product to Honda and Toyota, they have nearly two decades of screwups to make up for. I don't think they have that much of a lead over the Koreans.

Edited May 5, 2007 by GXT

[regfootball]

Reliability -recalls too

safety- no better than anyone else. well ok, the tundra is not very safe compared to the ford and chevy

resale- only until the next wave of camry's hit auction considering how many fleet cars toyota has these days

design- yeah, um, no

fit and finish- they can assemble a car sure

materials- thinner sheet metal? you can't judge all materials based upon the gloss level of the plastic

refinement- their 4's might still be better but T and H's v6's are no better than anyone else's these days

fuel economy...when you sell more 4 cylinders of course your mpg will be perceived as better. because tehir v6's are too pricey is maybe why

[sciguy_0504]

I've been seeing a growing number of Auras. There was nothing and then all of a sudden a number showed up on the roads. It does look better in person than in photos.

[A Horse With No Name]

I've been seeing a growing number of Auras. There was nothing and then all of a sudden a number showed up on the roads. It does look better in person than in photos.

It is very nice looking "in the flesh" (or steel if you prefer.)

Chris