Automakers with a U.S. presence continued to report 2023 sales today. Three manufacturers – Subaru, Nissan, and GM, each achieved gains over 2022. All three offered brief news releases. We have culled through all three to supply the following information.
Subaru Achieves a Double-Digit Sales Increase
Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) has announced a continuation of their sales growth, marking 17 months of consecutive increases. In December 2023, they sold 57,764 vehicles, representing a 1.8 percent rise from the 56,760 vehicles sold in December 2022. The total sales for 2023 reached 632,086 vehicles, showing a 13.6 percent increase from the previous year.
Jeff Walters, the President and COO of Subaru of America, Inc., highlighted the company’s commitment to exceeding customer expectations throughout 2023, leading to a year of consistent sales growth. He also emphasized the company’s charitable contributions, noting the substantial donations made to various organizations, reinforcing the Subaru Love Promise’s commitment to community enrichment.
The Outback led the 2023 numbers by volume, with 161,814 vehicles sold, a 10 percent increase. The Crosstrek followed closely, recording its most successful year with 159,193 sales (a 3 percent increase) and its best December performance. The Forester also saw a significant rise with 152,566 sales, marking a 34 percent increase. In terms of performance vehicles, the WRX saw a 32 percent increase with 24,681 sales, and the BRZ sports car recorded a 25 percent increase with 4,188 sales. The Solterra EV, in its first full year of availability, sold 8,872 vehicles.
Troy Poston, the Senior Vice President of Sales at SOA, reflected on the successful year, noting the steady sales growth and the expansion of the Subaru family. Looking ahead to 2024, he expressed optimism about attracting new customers and expanding their vehicle range.
Nissan Enjoys a Strong Finish for 2022
Nissan Group has recently announced an increase in their U.S. sales for both the fourth quarter and the entire calendar year of 2023. In the final quarter, from October to December, the group sold 201,747 units, showing a 5.6 percent increase from the previous year’s same period. The total sales for 2023 were also noteworthy, with 898,796 units sold across the U.S., marking a significant rise of 23.2 percent compared to the prior year.
Focusing on the Nissan Division’s performance in the fourth quarter of 2023, there were remarkable increases in several models. The Kicks compact crossover led the way with a 71 percent surge in sales year-over-year for the quarter. This was followed by the Sentra sedan, which experienced a 41.9 percent increase, and the Rogue crossover, which saw a 7.1 percent rise in sales compared to the same quarter in the previous year.
Throughout 2023, Nissan Division recorded impressive growth in various models. The Rogue’s sales increased by 45.6 percent for the year, the Sentra’s sales were up by 41.6 percent, the three-row Pathfinder crossover saw a 23.9 percent increase, and the Kicks compact crossover sales grew by 21.8 percent. These figures underscore Nissan’s strong market presence and growing popularity among U.S. consumers in 2023.
GM Remains Top Domestic Automaker
In 2023, General Motors Co. (GM), alongside its dealers, achieved a significant milestone in the U.S. vehicle market by delivering 2.6 million vehicles, marking a 14 percent increase from the previous year. This performance positioned GM as the industry leader in total sales in the United States. Notably, GM emerged as the top-selling manufacturer across various segments, including trucks, full-size pickups, full-size SUVs, affordable SUVs, and fleet vehicles.
Marissa West, GM’s Senior Vice President and President of North America, expressed her enthusiasm about the company’s achievements. “GM has tremendous momentum. We grew our market share in 2023, maintaining strong pricing and low incentives. We led the industry in trucks and had great success with our affordable SUVs like the Chevrolet Trax and Buick Envista, some of today’s hottest-selling vehicles,” she said. Looking forward, West highlighted the company’s optimistic outlook for 2024. She anticipates strong industry sales to continue and is excited about the opportunities that lie ahead, particularly with the introduction of new vehicles like the Chevrolet Equinox EV and Cadillac Escalade IQ, which are set to expand customer choices.
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