Rough starts do not invariably lend credence to the belief that 2015 will be full of doom and gloom. Although January accounts for 8.5% of a calendar year, the month was responsible for just 6.7% of all new vehicle sales in 2013; only 6.1% of all new vehicle sales in 2014.
For a number of auto brands, however, 2015 could be difficult. At Scion, for example, sales fell 7% in 2013 and 15% in 2013, decreasing in 19 consecutive months before January 2015’s 8% year-over-year decline.
• Encore sales up 46.5% in January
• Regal falls into three-digit territory
• GM car sales down 7.3%
Jaguar volume slid 6% in January, a poor follow-up to 2014’s 7% drop. Although the XE will help, it’ll be a while before the brand’s new entry-level model actually lands. Smart is entering a transition phase, and the 6% drop in January to just 492 sales translated to the brand’s lowest-volume month since January 2013 and the second-lowest since November 2011.
Meanwhile, the 20% and 50% drops at Maserati and Bentley, respectively, equal slight volume decreases which could easily be made up in a single month at some point down the road.
But after 2014’s 11% increase – the fifth consecutive year in which annual volume has improved – and ten monthly YOY improvements in 2014, Buick sales slid 5.5% in January 2015.
Cause for concern? Likely not: Buick sales decreased slightly in January of last year, as well, and the year turned out to be one of significant growth. However, the specific areas in which the Buick lineup struggled are slightly more worrying.
Although it was made clear yesterday that TTAC is no fan, Encore volume predictably jumped 46.5% to 3465 units in January. It was the brand’s second-best-selling model behind the Enclave, which attracted only 32 more sales than its baby brother. Enclave sales were basically flat, down just 12 units compared with January 2014.
Buick car volume, however, tumbled by more than 1800 units, a 24.5% loss created by declines at all three car nameplates.
LaCrosse sales in America were down 29% to 2023 units in January.
At first glance, one might assume that big LaCrosse months at the end of 2014 (more than 10,000 LaCrosses were sold in November and December) downgraded inventory levels. But Automotive News reported more than 17,000 LaCrosses in stock at the beginning of January. It is entirely possible, however, that deal-making at the end of 2014 brought forward sales that might otherwise have occurred in the first-quarter of 2015.
Regal sales in America were down 45% to 792 units in January.
This was the first time monthly U.S. Regal sales fell below four digits since June 2010, the reborn Regal’s first full month on sale. GM possessed a 96-day stock of Regals at the beginning of January.
Verano sales in America were down 11% to 2776 units in January.
The Verano accounted for half of all Buick car sales in January 2015, down from 42% in January 2014. There was no shortage of available Veranos on dealer lots. Calendar year 2014 Verano volume was down 4%.
America’s car market hardly expanded in 2014, but there were signs of life in January. Eight of America’s ten best-selling cars reported improved sales in January. Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, and Volkswagen all generated improved January car sales, in addition to gains made by a number of premium brands.
Yet car sales trouble wasn’t a Buick-exclusive issue at General Motors last month. Although Buick was the most sorely impacted overall, Cadillac car sales slid 7%, but the brand was rescued by strong Escalade sales. Chevrolet car sales slid 5%, but light truck Chevys jumped 43%, propelling the brand to a 20% overall improvement. (GMC, remember, doesn’t sell any cars.) As a result, GM car volume was down 7% in January 2015, a month in which U.S. car sales jumped 8%.
Timothy Cain is the founder of GoodCarBadCar.net, which obsesses over the free and frequent publication of U.S. and Canadian auto sales figures.
There’s a reason. Buick sedans are about 75% as good as their competition. Their interiors have acres pf cheap black plastic, their doors feel thin.
Acura beats them at their own game and even loaded up mainstreme models like Accord and Avalon offer greater refinement.
But you can’t Trifecta tune an Accord yo. 45MPG and 500HP or something like that.
I drive a 2014 Verano – partly because I couldn’t turn down the insane price on it, but also because I genuinely enjoy it (I have the turbo version). Nobody’s more surprised than myself that I drive a Buick, but I was cross-shopping lots of other models. In any case, the cashmere-and-chocolate interior on my car has zero cheap black plastic, and the doors close with a vault-like solid thud. Compared with the ILX that the Verano competes with, there’s no question the Buick is a better value and a more enjoyable car.
That’s my $0.02.
I drive a 2014 Verano – partly because I couldn’t turn down the insane low price on it, but also because I genuinely enjoy it (I have the turbo version). Nobody’s more surprised than myself that I drive a Buick, but I was cross-shopping lots of other models. In any case, the cashmere-and-chocolate interior on my car has zero cheap black plastic, and the doors close with a vault-like solid thud. Compared with the ILX that the Verano competes with, there’s no question the Buick is a better value and a more enjoyable car.
That’s my $0.02.
Buick can’t even compete with Hyundai or KIA in quality. Its a reeking failure in the us and needs to be euthanized. Look at sales, Buick went from close to 900,000 from 77 through about 90, to dying as they kept putting out worse cars than the models they replaced until they died in 2005.
Buick’s US sales have gone from 29K in 2007 to 62K last year. Not quite dead yet.
They died in 2005? Buick sold a million cars last year
Only in China. Buick USA and Buick China don’t share anything outside the name.
Nothing, except the Verano (Excelle GT), Regal, LaCross, Encore, Enclave and soon Envision.
Oh, wait, that’s the entire Buick lineup.
Does GM care where the Buick profits come from?
In an earlier life I used to ship Buick body panels {inner and outer} to China. The same stamping plant, actually the same die set, that ran the domestic version..?
I always just assumed that China used the metal on their own Buicks??
Buick’s don’t have a quality problem. Trying to compare the Koreans with them is silly. Of course Hyundai and Kia make fine autism and the Genesis is better than the LCrosse income ways, it ids also more expensive. The Verano is a good car available at very good prices. The Regal, although a little long in the tooth, is the best entry level luxury coupe. If you don’t believe me, drive the cars. The Sonata vs Regal or any Kia vs a Verano. End of discussion. Buick wins.
Uh-huh. What does Consumer Reports know – putting the current Regal on par with the current 3-Series and giving it a recommended thumb up.
And of course we know how our former EIC is totally in tank with GM, praising them at every possible turn. That’s why he gave the 2015 LaCrosse a big thumbs up, even in 2.5L 4-banger stop/start trim.
I’ll probably regret replying to this troll bait, but just wanted to point these two areas of reality out.
The Regal’s age is showing — it was introduced almost seven years ago (as the Insignia). That’s the same age as Audi’s venerable current A4, and the Regal has received a far smaller facelift. And it doesn’t have as strong a brand (or dealership experience) to rely on.
The new Insignia is due out next year, I expect that Regal will get replaced at the same time.
You obviously haven’t been in a 2010 or newer Lacrosse. I find them better than the competition, and there is no cheap black plastic anywhere to be found. One of the best domestic interiors, very tasteful with soft touch leather and vinyl throughout.
Really? Is it better than a new 2015 model 300 or Hyundai Genesis? What about the Avalon, the Azera, the Cadenza, or even its stablemate the Impala? How about the mks? The sales numbers would suggest that the lacrosse is a major dud. People don’t want underpowered 4 cylinder lacrosse models with compromised trunks from e-assist, and the v6 model isnt selling either.
FWIW, my best friend bought a 2015 Avalon last month. He shopped the Fiatsler 300 but chose the Avalon.
He already owns a 2012 Grand Cherokee Laredo 4×4 and the logical choice would have been a Pentastar 300. Yet he chose the Avalon because it was clearly the better sedan for his needs.
Better than the Avalon or Cadenza.The Impala is a better deal though. Drive them. I have and although I am only one guy, and have owned a lot of cars, the Buicks and the Impala are very good cars. GM needs a better Malibu and needs to bring back the SS version of it. As far as the 300, I have driven one and find it a very nice car, but there is something about it that makes it more a novelty. I like the car and think it is a worthy competitor to any German car.
The Genesis is more money.
The Avalon competes against the Impala. The Azera competes against the Avalon and Impala.
The Cadenza competes with the Camry/Accord/Sonata/etc. etc. etc.
Again, Jack at TTAC gave the 2015 LaCrosse a big thumbs up. Here is what Jack said:
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2014/08/review-2015-buick-lacrosse-eassist/
…During the trip, the LaCrosse was remarkably quiet, pleasant, comfortable, and enjoyable. The revised interior, featuring good-quality leather seats in the mid-grade trim I rented, is far better than it was five years back. I would stack the dynamic and NVH qualities against a Lexus ES any day of the week. It was much better than my Accord or any competitor I’ve driven…
…At thirty-six grand, this is a much better value than the Malibu at two-thirds the MSRP. It’s priced fairly, equipped properly, executed competently…If you want to buy a good car from the General, and your budget doesn’t stretch to the Corvette, stop by your Buick dealer and give the LaCrosse a shot…
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2014/08/review-2015-buick-lacrosse-eassist/
The Genesis competes in a different segment (luxury as opposed to near luxury or entry level luxury).
Hyundai has a model that competes against the LaCrosse, ES, TLX, etc. in the Aslan (not sold here).
The Optima competes against the Camry, etc.; not the Cadenza which is more upmarket than the Azera and kinda splits the near lux and entry lux segments.
The LaCrosse is offered with an upmarket interior trim which is pretty nice and the new LaCrosse should have an interior just as nice for its base trim.
The LaCrosse did over 51k in sales last year as a model towards the end of its life cycle.
The TL did 24k and 10k, respectively, for its last 2 yrs and the last time it broke the 50k sales barrier was back in 2007.
@TCowner, sorry, I was referring to the previous-gen LaCrosse, which the Regal effectively replaced. Regal is significantly better than that one, in my opinion.
I put over 600 miles on a 2015 Regal GS and came away impressed. It’s certainly not perfect but it’s got a nice motor, good NHV and is a good highway cruiser. Interior was nice and the infotainment system was better than the CUE I used on the previous trip.
I wouldn’t buy it new based on the MSRP but they are a STEAL on the used market.
Hmmm – must be why the aged LaCrosse has repeatedly beaten the newer ES in comparison tests and why the Verano is widely considered to be better than the ILX.
That Regal is unfit for the crown. Sampling the product, I would buy a Verano, I would buy a LaCrosse, I would not buy a Regal. The common version is a slug. The seats are uncomfortable. The back seat is useless. We know it’s a warmed-over Opel discard. All those cannot be said for the other two.
I looked at a Regal this summer because it originally had a manual trans option. Even though I’m 5’9″, the back seat was truly useless.
The Regal is a good car–Consumer Reports quite likes it, even–but yes, it’s cramped and it’s expensive for what you get.
It would probably do better were it not the Verano right beside it in the showroom. The Regal might be a better drive, but the Verano is better at just about everything else.
The one I don’t get is the Lacrosse: it’s not bad, but the Impala is as good or better, costs less and hasn’t been thumped a few times with the ugly stick. I assume it isn’t holistically nicer because of the XTS.
I haven’t checked but you used to get more features in Lacrosse standard vs Impala even with higher trims (V6 vs I4 comes to mind) but otherwise I agree.
The Regal basically being a Euro model has the same issue as the departed Acura TSX – too cramped in the rear and too expensive for its size.
A cramped rear is also a problem for the ATS – speaking of which, GM really has 2 offerings in this segment withe the Regal and ATS.
The Regal’s old too, and for all that standard turbo power, it’s not very fast. It’s one of the few cars that makes the TLX look like a good buy. I appreciate the optional brown interiors and manual transmissions though.
It’s a pity about the Regal’s shortcomings because unlike some other GM sedans, it looks great from the sides and rear. Also MSRP too high for what you get. Conversely, the Verano seems like a good buy, but it’s rather homely.
The Verano Turbo seems to be the one to get, and it seems over priced to me at more than $29K before adding in the requisite option packages. But I don’t know what the actual selling prices are. Either way, it’s not far off from the Regal, which probably comes with more standard equipment.
I wouldn’t buy a LaCrosse, I’d buy an Impala LTZ instead.
Looks better.
IMHO the LTZ is too “blingy” for a Chev. Though I have to agree, the Impala is better looking.
It may be, but with a little fiddling around on the Chevy website I was able to put together a fairly well loaded Impala LTZ for $37k. Why would I buy a LaCrosse? Hell, why would I buy a XTS?
I think the Regal’s problem is the Fusion. The Buick is a decent looking car, reasonably quick, and offers AWD in the low $30s. It’s also pretty decent to drive, and the interior in the ’14 update is pretty nice.
The Fusion has similar power and similar features for similar money, looks better, and has more space. The Regal I think is just too tight for American tastes.
I’d also add the 200C to that mix. It’s basically a Regal with an even nicer interior plus a huge six and infotainment in another league.
The 200C doesn’t drive anywhere near as well as the Regal does. Neither does the Acura.
Not that it matters, sales-wise.
“The 200C doesn’t drive anywhere near as well as the Regal does. Neither does the Acura.”
I think it might be worth revisiting the Acura and Buick.
The last time Motortrend had the Regal GS in a comparo it came in dead last at 8th. The TSX V-6 (not TLX, sure, but is there an appreciable difference?) came in sligtly better at sixth.
But, as you mentioned, it doesn’t matter. Acura’s been out Buicking Buick for the past ten years.
The 200 is nice but I couldn’t own a car that I would constantly bang my head on when getting in and out. I have myself a slight headache when I sat in one recently.
I had the same head-banging issue with the 200. Also, I was playing with the little command/control knob in the center stack, when I realized it wasn’t supposed to be moving around like that. All three of the knobs are really just that loose. Shoddy, is how I would describe the interior of that car.
Where’s our 200 vs 200 review that we were promised a month ago?
Hey Derek, I have the same question. You and Jack were supposed to run a comparison of your two rental 200’s. You ran a teaser before Christmas and everyone is still waiting for it. What’s up?
Fusion Titanium to be precise. When I was looking for the new car last year I had Regal. Fusion Titanium and Mazda6 GT in my short list. I cannot seriously consider Mitsu/Nissan and Malibu. Accord/Camry are also out of consideration since there is nothing special about them and they are just cars for masses. TSX had a quality of numb steering boat, ugly outside and busy inside. So Mazda6, Fusion and Buick were all that left in the list. Regal had a hands down the highest quality interior among these three, really premium – therefore price. Regal really felt special like other German cars. But there were short comings too. Interior was snug though I liked it. I do not care for backseats but trunk was too tiny – a big deal for me. The other problem was seating felt too high like in SUV. I do not know why but that is how it felt. Driving dynamics and overall feel was great, as they say it had a Germanic feel, nothing Japanese/American/Korean about it. Other shortcoming was that even though being precise steering felt too light for my taste. Another concern I had with Buick was an uncertainty of GM’s quality. I ended up buying Fusion Titanium since Mazda6 exuded everything that is wrong with Japanese cars, and I am pretty happy with my choice so far. My Touch could be better developed though, they should not team up with MS and touch controls have some usability issues. Like you can unintentionally touch some button, it happens when you drive you know – not a good idea. Climate control have some bugs. It is not easy to hit buttons on screen either – may take several attempts to do that – each time taking eyes from the road. Regal does not have these issues.
Percent change in sales is a poor metric for low volume brands.
“Hi, other hip young person, I’m outside the trendy club in the Buick”
“Where? I don’t see a Buick”
“Oh, ha ha, that’s because I forgot to buy one!”
When is the Envision CUV joining the US lineup? There’a a big gap between the Encore and Enclave.
Looking at prices, a loaded LaCrosse 3.6 AWD can hit $50K. Wait, what?
Inflation adjusted, a loaded 1965 Buick LeSabre cost about half that. Of course the cars are not comparable, but GM is trying to get away from cash on the hood to move the metal, and has raised MSRP to lofty levels. Buyers get them at a lower than sticker price, making them think they got a bargain, but eventually they have to put cash on the hood anyway to clear inventory. Old habits die hard.
Looking at prices, a loaded LaCrosse 3.6 AWD can hit $50K. Wait, what?
Honestly it is more attractive than the Caddy XTS that shares it’s bones. Unless I could afford the 400hp version of the XTS I’d much rather have the loaded Buick.
The LaCrosse is more attractive than nothing. If the beltline was any higher on that thing you’d need a periscope to drive it.
Dive, dive, dive!
The best case against buying the LaCrosse is the Impala across the showroom floor/down the street.
The best case against buying the Cadillac XTS is the Impala, too.
Same car but 45% to 55% of the Cadillac XTPala’s price.
Because General Motors.
I’m mystified why they insist their best model (the GS) comes only loaded, and only with a black interior. The seats are hard too. It’s a great halo sport model, but the trickle down of important components like suspension isn’t happening.
So either you get a lukewarm Regal or a tarted up GS, with no way to get the best of both.
GM doesn’t really want to sell the Regal in North America: originally they did because a) they had to soak up extra production capacity from their European plants, and b) the Verano didn’t exist.
Possibly also: c) Bob Lutz syndrome.
So the packages we get are least-effort jobs.
I’m always surprised they (GM) still sells it, frankly. I assume it’s because it would cost more to run Oshawa Flex at a lower capacity then to just cancel it outright.
Regal is also sold in China, so it already exists. And there are currently no other (better) choices to fill the mid-size slot in the Buick car lineup.
In 2009, it was a good choice to fill the gap, and a far better car than the LaCrosse. The real question is how much better will its successor be — good enough to be a serious challenger, or not?
I wonder sometimes if the Regal was originally intended to be a Saturn, like so many other Opels. Well, at least it’s popular in China. I like the Excelle (Verano) hatchback that they have there.
The Regal was originally supposed to be the next-generation Saturn Aura. When Saturn was discontinued during the bankruptcy/bailout, the car became the Buick Regal.
Thanks for the info. At Saturn prices I could see it working, but no one wants to see a $40K+ sticker on a FWD Buick Regal GS.
The FWD meme is really irrelevant here.
Th009, its not a meme, and no its not irrelevant at all, the regal is marketed as a performance luxury car, fwd (or even fwd biased haldex awd systems) dont cut it for 2015 performance cars anymore, especially at 40k and up. Gm continues to bleed market share in this segment just as acura has for the same reason.
@nickoo
$40K front wheel drive near luxury / luxury cars don’t cut it?
Don’t tell that to Audi, Lincoln, Lexus, or Acura. They would disagree with you.
A stripper FWD Audi A6 starts at $44,800 – and like other Germany companies Audi subscribes to the Porsche school of option packages – e.g. options that should just be on a $45K car should just be there – not bundled into a $5K option package.
Also worth noting at $40K you’re talking a loaded Regal – not a stripped down model.
Want an Audi A4 – OK, be ready to hwarf up $35,500 for a stripped down version with a 4-banger, FWD and a CVT.
Exactly. Doesn’t seem to hurt sales. Whether you prefer RWD, or whether RWD is better in absolute terms, really doesn’t matter — the fact is that only a small percentage of premium car buyers demand RWD.
Not to mention that most BMW and Mercedes owners are reputed to believe that their cars are actually FWD …
Apa, as you were mentioning in a previous comment when you seriously compared the regal to a 3 series, and with the exception of the Audi, those brands are all also-rans against the 3/5 series and C/E class. This car is marketed as a sports sedan, not simply a near luxury mobile.
And it’s laughable that Mercedes and BMW drivers don’t know which wheels drive their cars, you’ll always have a small minority, sure, but here in SoCal, where BMWs are as common as nearly any other make, everyone I’ve ever talked to bought one specifically for it’s drive and handling characteristics.
It’s so rare to see a late model Buick, that I literally stop and stare when I do. Bottom line: Sales prove Buick is a dud here in the USA. It’s squandered brand that went from selling over 800,000 annually in the US, to sales in the toilet and it is not coming back anytime soon. People have moved on.
“I wonder sometimes if the Regal was originally intended to be a Saturn”
It was intended to be an Opel. That it ended up as a Buick instead of a Saturn was because GM knifed Saturn and decided Buick was where they were going to dump their excess European capacity.
The thing with it replacing the Aura, though, is tricky: the last Aura was much roomier than the current Regal (it shared a platform with the then-current Malibu) but the current Malibu is also less roomy than the Aura. The Insignia/Regal would have been a pretty cramped car for Saturn, and a step down from the Aura.
Good point.
I liked the Aura quite a bit.
Is it wrong of me to think that the Aura XR was pretty sweet?
I had one as a rental in 2007 and was darn impressed for a few bucks over $20K (mine was stripper rental with only one very basic option like rear cargo net or something like that).
It got stunningly good gas mileage and made the best use of the GM high value 3.5 V6. It got 4-cylinder fuel economy – I pushed high 30’s on a drive from SFO to Sacramento door to door – and most of that was at ludicrous speed.
During this time frame, GM was rapidly running out of cash. The Insignia may not have been a perfect replacement for the Aura, based on the smaller interior volume, but GM didn’t have much choice by that point.
Everything I’ve read – and from credible sources – indicates that the current Regal was originally supposed to be the next-generation Saturn Aura.
Speaking of rebadges, I once saw an Insignia/Regal in Seoul wearing a Daewoo badge. I’ve never been able to find out the name of it though. I know there was a Daewoo rebadge of the Opel/Saturn Sky, so I have no doubt it was the real thing.
The Aura was basically an Opel Vectra. The Vectra was replaced by the Insignia. I don’t see why it wouldn’t have been a good Aura. I also remember that the Aura was an improvement on previous GM cars, but it had many shortcomings that are not present on the Regal/Insignia.
I think more Opel models can help
“Although it was made clear yesterday that TTAC is no fan”
Not so fast: Although Cameron Aubernon’s overzealous tagging of non-Buick review posts has buried it several pages down, Alex Dykes’ original review of the Buick Encore is actually quite positive, finding brand perception the larger issue for what he deemed a pretty good car he’d actually buy.
You can disagree with Alex, but he was TTAC’s reviews editor for quite a while and he was always very fastidious in evaluating models, and if you combine Derek and Alex’s reviews, it averages out to a TTAC opinion of the Encore that is more neutral than negative.
Lastly, all these slow-selling sedans, be they Buicks or Jaguars or Acuras, are not surprising. Tall wagons are en vogue right now, and show no signs of letting up. If you’re not paying a bit penalty on sticker price or gas price—and you’re not in either case right now—people are going to go for the CUV.
I’m not saying the sedan is obsolete or going the way of the dodo, but it’s certainly declining, excepting the heavy hitters in the midsize segment.
Jack also gave the 2015 LaCrosse high praise just a few months ago, comparing it to the Lexus ES.
Buick’s sales slid in January because old people don’t like to go out in the cold, and January was really cold.
You are wrong – I like cold and bought my car in end of January.
Scion dropped more than Buick: maybe young people don’t like cold weather either? The 20-ish young lady who lives next door just kicked her Altima (’11-’12 model) to the curb for a Verano. I will agree that they seem tight inside, but the high driving position? A bonus in that market. Buick is still thought of as a premium brand in the Black community, IMO. It’s not quite on Caddy level, but above Chevy (well, until recently). You could call it starter luxury. I’m torn about seeing more Opel rebadges and seeing actual Opels .. and still mulling over buying a low miles Saturn Astra …