Like a game of Twister, the auto industry is stretched in all different directions these days. Manufacturers must pump out popular, internal-combustion vehicles to meet customer needs even as they satisfy government demands for electric vehicle sales. American consumers love big SUVs, but high gas prices and interest rates demand smaller cars.
And automakers are keen to sniff out the latest enthusiast trends even as they commoditize vehicles on common platforms to save dollars. Six months into the 2024 model year, we have sales data. Here are the latest winners, losers and trendsetters.
The Top Ten models have remained largely the same since 2023 with one exception. America’s perennial best-seller, the Ford F-150 pickup, leads the way, followed by: 2) Chevy Silverado 3) Toyota RAV4 4) Tesla Model Y 5) Honda CR-V 6) Ram 1500 7) Toyota Camry 8) Nissan Rogue 9) Honda Civic and 10) GMC Sierra. Left out? The Jeep Grand Cherokee dropped from the Top Ten to #12 after a 15% sales decline — representative of a tough six months for the brands of Stellantis NV.
Big luxury sedans, hydrogen cars, electric vehicles and sports cars are the market’s basement furniture. Manufacturers have predicted for three decades that hydrogen power is the fuel of the future, but model intros have been few and focused on California, where they generate big regulatory credits. The Hyundai Nexo was the lowest-selling vehicle in the United States through June with 77 units sold, while the Toyota Mirai w.
