Find Reviews by Make:
Honda’s CRV continues to lead the cute ute category. Combined sales of Subaru’s two variations on the theme (and the new taller Outback realistically is a CUV) would put it in striking distance of the number two spot. Hyundai’s just announced new Tucson may help it improve the sagging outgoing model’s sales. (Wobbly) chart follows:
| Ranked by YTD 09 | Nov 09 Sales | % change from 08 | YTD 09 | % change from 08 YTD |
| Honda CRV | 13995 | 25% | 172528 | -5% |
| Ford Escape | 15149 | 51% | 153888 | 6% |
| Toyota RAV4 | 11512 | 35% | 132346 | 4% |
| Chevy Equinox | 9587 | 306% | 73437 | 19% |
| Nissan Rogue | 5101 | -7% | 70671 | 7% |
| Subaru Forester | 4948 | -1% | 70558 | 30% |
| Subaru Outback | 6506 | 142% | 46980 | 17% |
| Hyundai Tucson | 888 | -3% | 14508 | -20% |
| VW Tiguan | 1301 | 18% | 12110 | 59% |
24 Comments on “November Sales Snapshot: Compact CUVs (Updated/Corrected)...”
Read all comments
The Tucson sales suck because there are hardly any left. I did a search for a customer today, and there are only 2 Limited AWDs, 9 SE AWDs, and about 20 GLS FWDs in the entire Northeast region.
Any question where the hot spot in the market is right now?
I’m shocked that the Forester is selling slower than it did. I know that I would have thrown up at the idea of buying one in its old form, but I think it’s quite sharp and high-quality now.
Also, I hate to be talking about it every post, but seriously, where’s the Jeep Patriot in these sales numbers? Is it selling at all?
I suspect that Subaru’s biggest challenge is the size of its dealer network relative to the big boys. It’s doing pretty well for a niche brand. As for the Patriot, Automotive News states that at the 10-month mark 2009 Patriot sales were under 27,000, down from 50,000 a year ago.
If those are the real sales numbers, then Chrysler is screwed, Sergio or no Sergio. No mainstream automaker can survive on those abysmal numbers.
In addition to lacking the Patriot’s numbers, isn’t the Jeep Liberty also in the CUV category? The numbers for the also-ran CUVs from Mazda, Kia, and Suzuki won’t be that great but they should probably be in there, too.
It may be repetitive, but the sales stats tell the bottom line on how dire Fiatsler’s situation really is. All the dealerships can do is try and (somehow) stay in business while waiting for the Fiats to get into the pipeline. Whether there are will be any dealerships left by then is the real question.
In the meantime, the sales charts (in all the markets where they still field a product) will continue to be a Chrysler death-rattle.
Is it just me, or is there a whole lot of ’61 DeSoto in the front of the CR-V:
http://www.plan59.com/images/JPGs/desoto_1961_frt_01.jpg
I knew it reminded my of something. Thanks; now I won’t have to try to figure out what it was.
Are you sure about those Honda numbers? This press release from Honda http://automobiles.honda.com/news/press-releases-article.aspx?Category=General&Article=5339 says 13,955 CR-Vs found US buyers in November.
Unbelievable! Honda hadn’t cleared access to their media site, and I got them elsewhere, for the wrong year. This is why we’re planning to get a subscription to a service. Thanks. Posts corrected.
So the Escape won this month?
Not only is the Tucson undergoing a model transition, but its sales have long been cannibalized by the value-priced Santa Fe 2.7. Even the higher-line Santa Fe 3.3s aren’t too far out of the CRV/RAV price range. Where is the Santa Fe in this chart?
Why ignore the excellent Ford Escape result in favor of a silly ‘if” scenario with Subaru? The list also at least ignores the Mercury Mariner (2,505) , Kia Sportage (1,340) and GMC Terrain (3,683). Unless it’s safe to assume the luxury makes were excluded purposefully, there are many more omissions.
If one extended the combined models scenario generously granted to Subaru, the list would go something like this:
1. Ford; Escape 15,149 + Mercury Mariner 2,505 + Mazda Tribute 187 = 17,386
2. Honda; CR-V 13,995 + Acura RDX 943 = 14,938
3. General Motors; Equinox 9,587 + Cadillac SRX 3,004 + GMC Terrain 3,683 = 16,274
4. Subaru; Subaru = 11,454
5. Hyundai; Hyandai Tucson 888 + Kia Sportage 1,340 = 2,228
Fun with numbers! See how it changes from a story about how great Honda and Subaru did with a side of pluckiness from Hyundai to something more like ‘Ford, GM Take 2 of 3 Top Sales Spots for Hot Compact CUV Segment for November’ or the more succinct ‘Ford, Honda Top November CUV Sales’?
I completely agree. This is weak journalism. The Outback doesn’t even compete in this class. What has happened to this site?
Why isn’t the Ford Escape listed in the #1 slot? When I went to school 15,149 was considered to be a larger number than 13,995.
The results are arranged according to sales for the whole year-to-date, not this month.
I dunno if that makes sense, since this article is after all talking about November sales snapshot, but hey, it’s Paul’s article not mine.
See the other column that is sorted in descending order to figure out why. Upon which criteria would you claim victory – sales for one month or sales for the year?
Tough crowd. One take away is that you can cut the numbers in a variety of ways — none of which will please everyone. Going forward perhaps it would help if the article included a sentence or two summarizing the chosen methodology.
My interpretation of these numbers, especially if you consider that the Civic, which sold 53,000 copies in May 2008, sold less than the measly 13,995 the CR-V sold in November 2009,
is that people are downsizing and to still have some usable passenger and cargo volume, they are looking for wagons. But Honda and Toyota do not offer any lightweight compact wagons, and sure not with a small 4-cylinder engine, so they go buy a small crossover instead.
The Patriots poor performance I think can be attributed to the fact that there were barely any available since CFC, which was hurt by the factory shutdown. Just now 2010s are coming into dealers. I would choose a Patriot over any of these for the simple matter that I can get a low range and it looks like a proper SUV, call me old fashioned….
What strikes me as odd is how off the mark Subaru is with the redesign of their Outback, its beyond massive and un-needed with the Forester in the lineup. Just judging by size, it even looks larger than the Forester. What prompted them to refresh a product to directly compete with one they already had?
On a final note, its quite clear the Tiguan is an abysmal failure. Daimler and Penske will sell more smarts than VW Tiguans this year. While its good looking, (especially compared to the CRV…yuk) Its too expensive and not well know. VW needs to figure out that if people cant prononce the names, they wont buy it.
The Outback has always been bigger than the Forester, sitting on the longer Legacy platform than the Forester’s shorter Impreza platform.
It must be the visual heft of the new model thats so decieving to me… I still am trying to wrap my head around the idea of both cars justifying existene at the same time… but if it sells, why not.
Where are the sales figures for: GMC Terrain, Dodge Journey, Jeep Patriot/Compass, Mercury Mariner? By the way, Dodge Journey sales nearly doubled in November to over 5,000 units, and Journey has been best selling CUV in Canada and Mexico.
Both the Forrester and Outback have strong name recognition. I’m slightly amazed that people will pay a 30%+ premium for 10% more vehicle. You can make much the same case for the current Impreza and Legacy.
Of course Jeep has been successfully pulling this same trick for quite some time now with the Cherokee/Liberty next to the Grand Cherokee.