2008 Car Sales Statistics

Auto manufacturer researchers from Automobile Magazine tallied 2008 car sales statistics and found some surprises as well as a few disappointments. The following is a breakdown of how the most popular auto manufacturers scored in terms of percent of market share for model year 2008.

2008 Car Stats

Toyota’s market share of twenty-six percent includes Toyota, Lexus, and Scion models. Highs for Toyota were a two percent increase in the Corolla and a sixteen percent increase in the Sequoia. Lows were the Tundra which dropped a whopping sixty-five percent. Both Lexus and Scion, with higher price tags, showed poor sales performances for 2008.

Chrysler’s market share of thirty-five percent includes Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep models. The Chrysler Corporation’s market share was due to high orders and sales of the Dodge Viper, which was up by one-hundred forty-two percent, and the Crossfire at one-hundred- twenty-eight percent; the Crossfire was discontinued for model year 2009 despite its increase in sales. Every division of Chrysler suffered a loss in sales, which experts attribute to the introduction of the Dodge Durango hybrid along with the Chrysler Aspen hybrid, only to be released and discontinued immediately. In all, Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep saw a loss in all models other than the Viper and Crossfire of twenty-nine percent, except the Dodge Ram models which saw a rise of twelve percent.

General Motor’s forty-five percent share includes the Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac, Saturn, Chevrolet, Hummer, and Saab lines. Surprisingly, Hummer sales rose sixty-five percent even with high gas prices. The Chevy Malibu was a hit with an increase in sales of eighty-two percent, and lows were the Chevy Aveo with a loss of fifty percent, and the Tahoe with a seventy-seven percent loss. General Motors pick-up trucks did better in the truck market with an increase of eight percent.

Ford’s thirty percent share includes the Ford, Mercury, Lincoln, Mazda, and Volvo market. Highs for Ford were the Mazda5 minivan which rose a whopping two-hundred-forty percent and the Ford Fusion rising three percent. At the bottom for Ford were the Taurus losing fifty-three percent, and the Edge which had a decrease of fifty-eight percent in sales. Ford’s F-series trucks rose seven percent and the Lincoln Town-Car had an eleven percent increase in sales, most likely due to the fleet market.

Nissan’s thirty percent market share includes Nissan and Infiniti lines. The Nissan Maxima was up by thirty-three percent and the Versa rose three percent in sales for 2008. The entire Infiniti market showed a loss of twenty-nine percent in sales.

Honda’s twenty-eight percent market share includes both the Honda and Acura model lines. The Honda Fit showed an increase of twenty-eight percent and lows were the Accord losing thirty-eight percent; however, Acura’s TL saw a boost of twenty-two percent. While the Honda Odyssey minivan is one of the most popular on the market today, it realized a loss in sales of three percent.

Hyundai and Kia’s share of thirty-four percent was mostly due to the Sorrento with an eleven percent increase in sales, but all other models in the Korean market failed to deliver in the US for model year 2008.

2008 Car sales statistics and their highs and lows are often blamed on the finance market. In 2008, as the recession began, dealers found it harder to get buyers approved for financing unless credit scores were at 680 or higher. Perhaps General Motors sales analyst, Michael DiGiovanni said it best, "You can’t have an automobile industry without a functioning credit market."

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