Toyota‘s sales last month fell 34.6 percent, moving 131,654 units. Bread-and-butter Camry and Corolla sales were down 39 and 54.6 percent respectively. In contrast to calls by the media and government for greater efficiency, sales of the frugal Yaris were down 40 percent, although Prius sales increased 6 percent to nearly 13,000 units. Scion nameplates were all down by 60 percent or more. RAV4 continues to be one of Toyota’s most resilient models, holding steady with a .6 percent increase to just over 10,000 units sold in June. Highlander held on with only a 3.8 percent drop in sales, but other SUVs were off by between 38 percent (Land Cruiser) and 80 percent (FJ Cruiser). On the Lexus front, the RX was up 21 percent and the IS dropped a mere 23 percent. Otherwise Lexus results ranged from mediocre (ES down 34 percent) to bad (GS, LX both down over 60 percent.)
I know this would be a huge undertaking, but I’d love to see an excel sheet that shows sales by vehicle for the past several years and month to month instead of just this month versus this month from last year. I think we can all agree that comparing 2008 sales to 2009 sales is going to be ugly no matter. Seeing the trend (as if it were a stock ticker) is more useful to fully understand how the vehicle is doing in the marketplace. Showing a change in market share would be a good metric to have laid out, too.
The weird part is, RAV4 hasn’t seen a redesign since 2006. The 2010 got a very nice 4-cyl 2.5L engine, with a power increase and better economy… mated to the same blasted tranny they were shipping on 2003 model (that whole powertrain carrived over to redesigned RAV4). The V-6 and its 5sp continue unchanged. So it’s an ancient vehicle really. I understand that RAV4 is practical, economical, and inexpensive, but still… there must be better wagons in the market by now.
It’s really very hard to detect any form of trends in current vehicle sales evolutions, whether looking at price, size, fuel economy, or most recent redesign.
Edmunds shows that Toyota actually lowered incentives in June and they haven’t gone to the payment guarentees of some others.
Apparently they are taking a “let’s ride this out, let the other guy’s panic” attitude.
Bunter
I understand that RAV4 is practical, economical, and inexpensive, but still… there must be better wagons in the market by now.
You’d think so, but no, there isn’t. The Rogue and CRV are almost as good**, but somewhat cramped and not a lot more efficient. The Outlander and Vue are not bad, either, but Saturn is a dead brand walking and Mitsubishi isn’t far behind.
Everything else is either just not quite as good (Santa Fe), really not quite as good (Sportage, Torrent, old Equinox), outright awful (Compatriot), so old it hurts (Tribute/Escape), actual trucks (and thusly unpleasant for most: Sorrento, Vitara, Liberty, Wrangler), weird (Element), somewhat more expensive (CX-7, Tiguan) or a lot more expensive (RDX, X3, GLK).
About the only tall wagonoid that’s competitive is the Subaru Forester***, and Subaru doesn’t have Toyota’s reach, and the Subie, like the Rogue and CR-V, are kind of cramped.
Say what you will about some of Toyota’s more recent efforts being phoned-in, the RAV is really, really good.
** except the V6 models. Have you driven a V6 RAV? Holy shit is that thing quick.
*** and possibly the Terrequinox.
…and the Scion experiment ends when???
Regarding the Rav’s competition, friends own Santa Fe’s and like them very much, except for the fuel economy, which they say, and I quote, “sucks.” They both get 21mpg in almost entirely highway driving at moderate speeds. I believe both are 2WD, not AWD/4WD.
In spite of the poor fuel economy, one Santa-Fe-owning friend bought a second.
“I’d love to see an excel sheet that shows sales by vehicle for the past several years and month to month instead of just this month versus this month from last year.”
For Toyota, I actually have that for 2004-7. I can plug in the last 18 months, if I can find a source for the individual model data.
GM has been putting their monthly releases into spreadsheet form for a year or three now, so that’s mostly a matter of copying the appropriate columns into a master sheet.
I rather enjoy my 2008 RAV4, 4 cy, I find it just right for me and my Show Dogs, crate and all or no crates still enough room if you are a good “packer”
One thing I have heard about some Hyundai models is they have premature rusting on some body panels, that would put me off that “Brand” and I do know that they use a lot of Gasoline ie the Santa-Fe model with Gasoline on the way up, especially here in Canada its over $1.02 Canadian per litre, I have found that if I keep the speed on my RAV4 resonable, I can get over 39 mpg. with the AC on!
Okay, I’ve got the Yote up to date. Farago or whomever: if you want to host it, shoot me an email.
@Geo Levecque.. So you heard that Hyundai has some rust issues. Have a look at some of the KIA’s
here in southern Ontario. Toyota has done a better job of rust control but if your planning to keep your RAV4,get it rustproofed.
What about the tundra? How did it do agaisnt the F 150? Last year comparison? New plant, new incentives? Seems to be forgotten. Prius is the best performer in the market net of incentives
bumpy ii – Cool! Does that include other manufacturers?
RF – are you going to host it?
No, this one is only Toyota. I do have the data for GM, so that one is next on the agenda.
The most notable nameplates here are not the RAV4 or Tundra–they are the Camry and Corolla, the core of the Toyota brand. Both took huge hits this month.
Yes, Toyota has kept incentives in check but there is no way to candy-coat it: after a long, easy run of sales increases in the American market, Toyota is hitting some serious rough times. The June numbers are simply dismal, especially compared to what Ford, Hyundai/Kia, Subaru and even VW are doing.