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In the U.S. in
August 2007, Toyota Sales Drop a Bit; Honda Sales Set New Monthly Record; Nissan
Sales Rise; Mazda Sales Soar; Chrysler's Sales Fall, Ford's Tumble and GM's
Rise; Overall, U.S. Consumer Pace to Quality and Out of Big Three Products Slows
to a More Historical Pace
Auto on Info September 2007
In the U.S. in August 2007, Toyota Sales Drop a Bit; Honda Sales Set New Monthly Record; Nissan Sales Rise; Mazda Sales Soar; Chrysler's Sales Fall, Ford's Tumble and GM's Rise; Overall, U.S. Consumer Pace to Quality and Out of Big Three Products Slows to a More Historical Pace
By James B. Bleeker
Toyota Motor Corporation, with a 1999-2003 Reliability Percentrank average of .89, saw its U.S. auto sales fall 3% in August 2007, over those of August 2006. Its August U.S. car sales fell 6%, but its U.S. light truck - SUV, minivan, and pickup - sales rose 2%.
The following table provides detailed information regarding Toyota Motor Corporation's U.S. sales in the month of August 2007, together with 1999-2003 model, line, and manufacturer Reliability Percentrank averages.
Table I: Toyota Motor Corporation's August 2007 U.S. Unit Sales and Daily-Selling-Rate Percentage Changes, TMC's Year-to-Date U.S. Unit Sales and Daily-Selling-Rate Percentage Changes, and 1999-2003 Reliability Percentrank Averages, by Line, Type, and Model Manu-facturer Divi-sion Type of Vehicle Model and (distinctions) August Unit Sales Volume Percent-age Change for August 2007 from August 2006 Year-to-Date Unit Sales Volume Year-to-Date Percent-age Change 1999-2003 Reliability Percentrank Average Toyota Motor Corporation 233,471 -2.8% 1,788,603 4.4% .89 Scion Division 14,773 -23.3% 87,417 -29.5% N/A14 xA (R05) 190 -93.9% 9,394 -59.2% N/A15 xB (R05, R07, GW07) 5,329 -23.4% 28,990 -35.9% N/A16 tC 6,590 -28.3% 46,369 -16.9% N/A xD 2,664 N/A 2,664 N/A N/A Toyota Division 186,499 -1.8% 1,481,644 7.4% .88 Passenger Car 100,945 -5.2% 822,760 9.2% N/A Avalon (GS07, GC07) 5,880 -12.9% 48,494 -17.6% .95 Camry (AL07, 4-cyl.: R05, R06, RV07, 4-cyl. hybrid: GD07) 42,6587 1.0% 324,702 6.8% .93,.88, .92,.859 Corolla (R05, R06, R07, RV07, AL07, 5-spd manual: GD07) 30,491 -12.8% 262,431 -4.7% .93 Prius (CL07, T05, T06, T07, R05, R06, R07, RV07, GT07, GD07, GW07, GS07, GC07) 14,055 25.7% 124,620 76.0% .91 Yaris2 (R05, R07, RV07, 5-spd manual: GD07) 7,861 -31.0% 62,509 40.7% .9717 Light Truck 85,554 2.7% 658,884 5.2% N/A RAV4 (SUV) (CL07, T07, R05, R06, R07, 4-cyl.: RV07, RIT) 15,916 10.8% 117,534 12.3% .9718 Sienna (minivan) (T07, GS07) 11,099 -13.3% 96,047 -11.0% .8319 Highlander (mid-size SUV) (CL07, R05, R06, R07, GS07, 4-cyl.: GW07, 6-cyl.: RV07, hybrid: T06, T07) 9,5148 -18.3% 83,121 -2.7% .9910 FJ Cruiser (SUV) (R07) 4,802 -23.3% 38,684 13.1% N/A 4Runner (SUV) (CL07, R07, 6-cyl.: RV07, GS07) 8,312 0.1% 59,182 -18.8% .9311 Land Cruiser (large SUV) (CL07, R05, R06, RV07, RIT) 181 -36.7% 1,589 -26.4% .94 Tundra (pickup truck) (R05, R06, 6-cyl.: GW07, GS07, GC07) 18,919 69.3% 124,909 57.5% .8612 Tacoma (pickup truck) (AL072, V6: RIT) 15,094 -5.8% 121,519 3.2% .9313 Lexus Division 32,199 3.6% 219,542 4.6% .91 Passenger Car 19,789 7.7% 135,454 14.9% N/A ES (CL07, T07A, R07, RV07, RIT) 8,646 8.4% 55,953 15.1% .96 LS (CL07, T05, R05, R06, R07, RV07, RIT) 3,164 128.3% 23,432 157.0% .99 GS (R06) 2,3006 -22.6% 15,422 -17.2% .973 SC (hardtop convertible) (R05, R06, R07) 298 -39.6% 2,698 -33.5% .881 IS (R05, R06) 5,3814 -3.1% 37,949 1.1% .94 Light Truck 12,410 -2.3% 84,088 -8.5% N/A RX (SUV) (T05, RIT, GS07) 10,0325 2.3% 67,686 -5.9% .95 GX (SUV) 2,157 -12.2% 14,430 -11.3% .781 LX (large SUV) (R05) 221 -49.2% 1,972 -46.2% .84 Note: Percentage changes are daily selling rate percentage changes from previous year's version of the model, and Corolla sales total includes Matrix wagon. 1Based on data for 2 or fewer model years 2Includes data for preceding model number 3The 1999-2003 Reliability Percentrank average of the GS is .97 and that of the V6 rear-wheel-drive GS is .90. 4The August sales breakdown of the IS 250 and the IS 350 was unstated. 5The RX 350 had August sales of 8,860 and RX 400h - 1,172. 6The GS 350 had August sales of 2,161, and the GS 430 and the hybrid GS 450h had combined sales of 139. 7The non-hybrid Camry had August sales of 38,374 and the Camry hybrid - 4,284. 8The August sales breakdown of the non-hybrid Highlander and the Highlander Hybrid was unstated. 9The 1999-2003 Reliability Percentrank average of the 4-cylinder Camry is .93, that of the V6 Camry is .88, that of the Camry Solara is .92, and that of the V6 Camry Solara is .85. However, it should be noted that the V6 Camry Solara's early 2004 Reliability Percentrank (based on only one year of data) is only .47, a disaster for a Toyota product, but very much above average for a Big Three product. 10The 1999-2003 Reliability Percentrank average is for the V6 Highlander. 11This 1999-2003 Reliability Percentrank average is for the V6 4Runner. 12The 1999-2003 Reliability Percentrank average is for the V8 Tundra. 13This 1999-2003 Reliability Percentrank average is for the V6 Tacoma. 14The Scion line's early 2004 Reliability Percentrank average (based on only one year of data) is .88. 15The Scion xA's early 2004 Reliability Percentrank (based on only one year of data) is .90. 16The Scion xB's early 2004 Reliability Percentrank (based on only one year of data) is .86. 17This 1999-2003 Reliability Percentrank average is that of the Echo, the Yaris' less refined predecessor. 18This 1999-2003 Reliability Percentrank average is for the 4-cylinder RAV4. 19Advisory: While the 1999-2003 Reliability Percentrank of the Toyota Sienna is .83, the early 2004 Reliability Percentrank (based on only one year of data) is only .54 and that of the all-wheel-drive Toyota Sienna is even worse - .31, both surprisingly bad for Toyota (but excellent when compared with Big Three minivan Percentranks). T05 denotes a Consumer Reports 2005 Top Pick, T06 - a CR 2006 Top Pick, T07 - a CR 2007 Top Pick, T05 - a CR 2005 Top Pick in the Green Car category, T06 - a CR 2006 Top Pick in the Green Car category, T07 - a CR 2007 Top Pick in the Green Car category, T05A - a CR 2005 Top Pick alternate, T06A - a CR 2006 Top Pick alternate, and T07A - a CR 2007 Top Pick alternate. R05 denotes that Consumer Reports accorded the 2005 model its highest predicted short-term reliability, R06 - that CR accorded the 2006 model its highest predicted short-term reliability, and R07 - that CR accorded the 2007 model its highest predicted short-term reliability. CL07 denotes a Consumer Reports 2007 best bet "for the long run," i.e., a good candidate for a long distance runner. AL07 denotes a model with 5 or more listings on AOI's 300,000+ mile roster. The Toyota Tacoma pickup and its predecessor, the Toyota Pickup, have a pooled count. RV07 denotes a best model by CR's 2007 Reliability Verdicts. RIT denotes a top-ten model by the 2007 Reliability Index. GT07 denotes that it is one of two current models that have reduced exhaust emissions sufficiently to receive a permit to use the car pool lanes on Arizona's freeways. (See "Cleaning Arizona Air: The Exclusive Three," Auto on Info, March 2007.) GD07 denotes that the model, or specified edition of the model, is on GreenerCars.com's top dozen green cars. GW07 denotes that the model, or specified edition of the model, is best in category on global warming performance, by the Union of Concerned Scientists, GS07 denotes best in category on smog performance, and GC07 denotes best in category on combined environmental performance. (See "By Yet Another Quality Measure, Toyota and Honda Are Best and GM and DaimlerChrysler - Worst: The UCS 2007 Environmental Report," Auto on Info, April 2007.) To view a table providing Toyota's models on Consumer Reports' list of 2007 models having the highest predicted short-term reliability, go to "By CR's Predicted Short-Term Reliability for Model Year 2007, Toyota and Honda Dominate Best and GM, Ford and DaimlerChrysler Dominate Worst, per Detroit News Table," Auto on Info, November 2006. The Toyota Motor Corporation models showing the largest sales gains in August 2007 over August 2006 were the Lexus LS 460, up 128.3% to 3,164, the Toyota Tundra large pickup truck, up 69.3% to 18,919, the original hybrid Toyota Prius, up 25.7% to 14,055, the Toyota RAV4 small sport-utility vehicle, up 10.8% to 15,916, and the Lexus ES 350, up 8.4% to 8,646.
Toyota's Hottest Sellers in August 2007 Lexus LS 460 Toyota Tundra Toyota Prius Toyota RAV4 Lexus ES 350 The above photos are of the 2007 models and the above links are to onsite review pages of either the 2006 models (highlighted) or the 2007 models (not highlighted). The Toyota Prius, up 25.7% for the month, is Toyota's original gas-electric hybrid. The extraordinary popularity of the post-2004 editions is likely a consequence of a combination of factors. First, the post-2004 Prius is a midsize sedan. Second, it employs new gas-electric power-train technology that delivers more power and performs greater work per unit of energy source. This gives it an acceleration comparable to that of the Camry midsize sedan and increases its estimated EPA rating for in-city driving from 55 miles per gallon to 60 miles per gallon.1 In short, the post-2004 editions of the Prius are a bigger car with better gas mileage than its pre-2004 editions. Third, the Prius is a Consumer Reports 2005 Top Pick (green car category), a CR 2006 Top Pick (green car category), a CR 2007 Top Pick (green car category), a CR 2007 Long-Run Pick, a recipient of a CR's 2007 "Most Reliable" rating for predicted short-term reliability, a recipient of a CR's 2007 highest ownership satisfaction rating for predicted short-term satisfaction, a recipient of a CR's 2007 highest crash protection rating, a UCS 2007 Best on Global Warming Performance in midsize car category, a UCS 2007 Best on Smog Performance in midsize car category, a UCS 2007 Best on Combined Environmental Performance in midsize car category, one of Arizona's two "green cars" for car pool lane usage, and No. 2 on GreenerCars.com's greenest dozen.
The likelihood of finding a 2007 made-in-Japan Toyota Corolla, Toyota Camry, or Lexus RX350 on a U.S. dealer lot is not good; Toyota Motor Corporation reports that 91.1% of the Corollas sold in the U.S. through August 2007 were made in North America, 84.8% of the Camrys sold in the U.S. through August 2007 were made in North America, and 87.0% of the RX350s sold in the U.S. through August 2007 were made in North America. If made-in-Japan is an uncompromisable criterion, most likely the U.S. consumer will have to buy used, if a Toyota Corolla, Toyota Camry, or Lexus RX350 is his/her desire. (However, the consumer may try telling the dealership, "Look for it. If you can't find it, there's no sale.") U.S. consumers looking for a made-in-Japan 2007 Toyota Avalon are without any hope, as all of the Toyota Avalons sold in the U.S. are made in North America. Currently, all Yaris sold in the U.S. are made abroad; however, Toyota plans North American production of this model, so it may behoove U.S. consumers eyeing the Yaris to buy it within the next two years.
Honda Motor Company, with a 1999-2003 RPA of .84, saw its August U.S. auto sales rise 5% to 158,342 to set a new monthly record. Honda Motor Company's models showing the largest sales gains in August 2007 over August 2006 were the Honda Fit small car (Auto on Info's Top Car Pick of 2007, a 2007 CR Top Pick in Budget Car category, and a 2007 CR All-Around-Ability Budget-Car Quick Pick, with a predicted short-term reliability in CR's highest category, an ownership-satisfaction rating in CR's highest category, an accident-avoidance rating in CR's second-highest category, and a crash-protection rating in CR's highest category; also, the manual transmission edition is No. 8 on GreenerCars.com's greenest dozen), up 167.7% to 6,408, the Honda CR-V small sport-utility vehicle (with a 1999-2003 RPA of .96 and a CR 2006 comfort-versatility-and-snow-traction Quick Pick, a CR 2007 All-Around-Competence Quick Pick, a 2007 CR Top Pick runner-up, a CR 2007 Long-Run Pick, a recipient of CR's 2007 highest rating for predicted short-term reliability, a recipient of CR's 2007 second-highest rating for predicted short-term ownership satisfaction, a recipient of CR's 2007 second-highest accident avoidance rating by road test performance, a recipient of CR's 2007 highest crash protection rating, a best motor vehicle model by CR's 2007 Reliability Verdicts, and a top ten by the 2007 Reliability Index), up 42.1% to 23,192, the non-hybrid Honda Accord family car (the 4-cylinder Accord with a 1999-2003 RPA of .96 and the V6 Accord with a 1999-2003 RPA of .90 and a CR 2007 Top Pick, a CR 2006 Top Pick, with the 2006 EX 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder editions All-Around Quick Picks, with the 2007 EX 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder editions Well-Rounded Quick Picks, and with quite a number of additional distinctions), up 38.5% to 47,085, the Acura RDX midsize sport-utility vehicle (with a CR 2007 predicted short-term reliability in the second-highest category), up 36.7% to 1,860, the Acura MDX small sport-utility vehicle (with a 1999-2003 RPA of .82 and a CR 2007 predicted short-term reliability in the second-highest category), up 35.5% to 5,816, and the Honda Ridgeline pickup truck (with a CR 2007 predicted short-term reliability of only average), up 12.8% to 4,439.
Honda's Hottest Sellers in August 2007 Honda Fit Honda CR-V Honda Accord Acura RDX Acura MDX Honda Ridgeline The above photos are of the 2007 models and the above links are to onsite review pages of either the 2006 models (highlighted) or the 2007 models (not highlighted). Through August 2007, the Honda Odyssey minivan outsold the Toyota Sienna by 17,756 vehicles, or 18.5%, and the Honda CR-V small sport-utility vehicle outsold the Toyota RAV4 by 29,920 vehicles, or 25.5%. Both of the latter two have solid reliability histories; the Honda CR-V has a 1999-2003 RPA of .96 and a CR 2007 predicted short-term reliability in the highest category and the Toyota RAV4 has a 1999-2003 RPA of .97 (4-cylinder) and a CR 2007 predicted short-term reliability in the highest category. With regard to the reliability of the minivans, neither the Honda Odyssey nor the Toyota Sienna have fared well recently relative to other Honda and Toyota products, but have fared excellently relative to Big Three alternatives.
Subaru division of Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd., with a 1999-2003 RPA of .77, saw its August 2007 U.S. auto sales fall 7%.
Nissan Motor Company, with a 1999-2003 Reliability Percentrank average of .70, saw its August 2007 U.S. auto sales rise 6%. Its car sales rose 8% and its light truck sales rose 4%. Sales by its luxury Infiniti division, with a 1999-2003 Reliability Percentrank average of .81, rose 9%; sales of Infiniti cars rose 9% and sales of Infiniti SUVs rose 7%.
Mazda Motor Corporation, with a 1999-2003 RPA of .66, saw its August 2007 U.S. auto sales soar 11%.
Overall, the August 2007 U.S. sales by the auto manufacturers of higher quality products were quite good. Honda sales rose 5%, Nissan sales rose 6%, and Mazda sales soared 11%.
At the other end of the quality spectrum, General Motors Corporation, with a 1999-2003 RPA of .31, saw August 2007 sales rise 6% with hefty sales incentives in place. Its year-to-date sales are down 8%.
Chrysler LLC, with a 1999-2003 RPA of .38, saw its August 2007 U.S. auto sales fall 6%, despite hefty incentives. Its year-to-date sales are down a modest 3%.
Ford Motor Company, with a 1999-2003 RPA of .50, saw its August 2007 U.S. auto sales tumble 15%, despite hefty incentives. Its year-to-date U.S. sales are down an immodest
