The compact car segment in Europe slows down its decline in the second quarter of 2019, with a loss of 8% to just over 557.000 sales, but is still down 11% for the first half as Europe’s second largest segment now accounts for 13,1% of the total market, down from 14,1% in the first six months of 2018. In both quarters the compact car segment showed lower sales than the small crossover segment (up 11% to 14,2% share of the market) and that makes the small crossovers are now the second largest segment in Europe, pushing the compact cars to #3. At least the overall best selling model still comes from the compact car segment, although the Volkswagen Golf is under threat from the Renault Clio now that a redesigned Mk VIII Golf is on the way and Volkswagen has an internal competitor with the T-Roc. Among compact cars, the Golf is still the dominant leader, even though its share is down by 0,7 percentage points to 20,4%, as it lost 14% of its sales in the first half of 2019. The already renewed Ford Focus is still in 2nd place but its margin over the Skoda Octavia was significantly smaller in Q2 with less than 700 sales separating them. The Focus is the only nameplate in the top-7 to improve its sales.
US sales analysis Q2 2019 – Compacts
Compact segment is heading towards one of its worst year of the past three decades
Sales in the US Compact segment fell by 15.5% to 821,200 in the first half of 2019. If the segment’s performance turns any more sour, 2019 may mark its biggest sales decline of the past three years, topping the 17% sales decline the segment experienced in 2009. In fact, with few new models on the horizon the segment’s decline appears [Read more…]
European sales 2019-Q1 EV and PHEV segments
EV and PHEV sales in Europe continue to break records in 2019 with a 44% increase to nearly 126.000 sales of plug-in vehicles, of which close to 83.000 full electric cars and almost 43.000 plug-in hybrid cars. Sales of the former surged almost doubled at +94% while PHEV sales were virtually stable at -3%. If in 2018 battery electric cars outsold PHEVs for the first time, in the first quarter of 2019 almost twice as many EVs were delivered than plug-in hybrids. Plug-in vehicles accounted for 3,1% of the European car market, up from 2% in the first quarter of 2018 and 2,2% in the full year 2018.
European sales 2019-Q1 Compact car segment
The compact car segment in Europe is in faster decline than the overall market in the first quarter of 2019, with a loss of 14% to 528.363 sales, as Europe’s second largest segment now accounts for 13% of the total market, down from 14,3% in Q1 of 2018. That means it is under threat from the small crossover segment (up 11% to 14% share of the market). This is also one of the main reasons for the decline of the compact car segment: customers deflecting to crossovers. Segment best seller Volkswagen Golf is due for a redesign this year and loses 16% of its volume but still holds a commanding lead over its competition. In second place we now find the Ford Focus with sales up 8% thanks to its new generation, outselling the Skoda Octavia by a significant margin and thus ending a two-year period with the VW Group in the top two spots. The last time another manufacturer held a top-2 position in this segment was 2016 when the Opel/Vauxhall Astra was the Golf’s nearest rival, but so far this year the Astra is down into 5th place with sales down 18%. The Peugeot 308 moves up a spot to #4 despite also losing volume, but improves its share of the segment by 0,7 percentage points. The Seat Leon and Renault Megane also do slightly better than the overall segment but are still down by double digits, while the Kia Ceed is up an impressive 35%, helped by the addition of the Sportswagon and ProCeed versions. This moves the Ceed into 8th place, its highest ever ranking in the compact car segment in Europe.
European sales 2018 EV and PHEV segments
EV and PHEV sales in Europe have set another record in 2018 with a 22% increase to nearly 345.000 sales of plug-in vehicles, of which close to 190.000 full electric cars and almost 155.000 plug-in hybrid cars. Sales of the former surged 44% while PHEV sales were virtually stable at +3,3%. 2018 therefore marks the first year that battery electric cars outsold PHEVs. Plug-in vehicles accounted for 2,2% of the European car market, up from 1,8% in 2017 and 1,4% in 2016. The rate of growth for EVs in Europe still lags that of worldwide EV sales, which grew by 73% in 2018.
European sales 2018 Compact car segment
Sales of compact cars in Europe declined 9% in 2018 to just over 2,13 million units, as Europe’s second largest segment now accounts for 13,8% of the total market, down from 15,1% in 2017. That means it is under threat from both the small crossover segment (up 29% to 12,6% share of the market) and the compact crossover segment (up 17% to 11,3% of the market). That also explains the main reason for the decline of the compact car segment: customers deflecting to crossovers. Segment leader Volkswagen Golf slightly improves its share of the segment despite an 8% loss of sales, translating to almost 37.000 lost sales which is about as much as the Mazda3 sold last year. In second place we find the Skoda Octavia for the second straight year with sales down 5%, but it still sells less than half the number of cars of its sibling. Despite being replaced at the very end of the year and thus being in run-out mode with the outgoing model, the Ford Focus manages to reclaim a podium position after spending 2 years in fourth place. That is a result of the Opel/Vauxhall Astra losing 27% of its sales in 2018 after already losing 14% in 2017. The Astra was #2 of the segment in 2016, #3 in 2017 and is now down one more spot, and only 5.000 units ahead of 5th place.
US sales analysis 2018 – Compacts
Segment experiences arguably its most drastic sales decline yet
Sales in the US Compact segment fell by 12.3% to 1,548,650 in 2018, the second sharpest sales decline in the past three decades, less bad only than the 17% sales decline the segment experienced in 2009. The difference is that overall market sales fell by 17.2% in 2009, whereas overall car sales rose in 2018. These two statistics emphasize just [Read more…]
US sales analysis Q2 2018 – Compact segment
Aging Nissan Sentra is the only top 10 model to see sales rise as segment’s decline accelerates
Sales in the US Compact segment fell by 11.7% to 976,19 in the first half of 2018, as the rate of sales decline rose yet again: from the 3.8% decline in 2017 overall, 7.0% in Q4’17, and 10.1% in Q1’18, to 13.1% in the latest quarter. With the new VW Jetta now on sale, the new Ford Focus about to enter the market and a new Toyota Corolla [Read more…]
US sales analysis Q1 2018 – Compact segment
Segment shrinks by over 10% as alternative power models hit new heights
Sales in the Compact segment fell by 10.1% to 464,749 in the first quarter of 2018, a faster rate of decline than the 7.0% the segment experienced in Q4’17, and a much faster one than the 3.8% decline in 2017 overall. It is a sign of just how badly the mainstream segment has been hit of late that this decline still makes the Compact segment [Read more…]
Hyundai Kona EV debuts with optional near-300 mile range
The model’s optional 292 mile range underlines the progress made by EVs in the past seven years
Earlier this week Hyundai took the wraps off the new Kona EV to pretty universal applause. But while there is plenty to like about the EV version’s sleek futuristic take on the non-EV Kona’s funky looks, or about the improved interior, it’s the new model’s range that is its main draw. Modeling itself on Tesla’s and Nissan’s strategy, the EV Kona will be [Read more…]
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