5/10/10
4:10 PM
Page 1
May 17, 2010
www.usedcarnews.com
Study Reveals Ford Growing Marketshare By Jeffrey Bellant
The most common vehicle on the road is a 10-year-old Ford, according to Experian Automotive. That was among the findings as Experian Automotive presented a report on marketshare in the automotive industry during a recent conference call. The report showed how things are shifting in the market. Jeffrey Anderson, director of consulting and analytics, presented the company’s report. “The battle for marketshare continues to be fierce and interesting,” Anderson said. “Every day, there’s a new, large incentive program or marketing program. “We’ve seen Ford Motor Co. and Hyundai continue their success, but smaller manufacturers are also jumping into the fray. “VW and Subaru have increased their marketshare dramatically.” Anderson said. “Hyundai continues to grow,
Rush - Dated Material
UCN_01
with 6.2 million light-duty vehicles currently on the road.” Nearly 240 million lightduty vehicles were on the road in 2009, which was down more than 721,000 units. While Ford Motor Co. is the most dominant brand on the road, it is followed by Chevrolet and Toyota. Trucks and cars are split almost evenly, with trucks making up 50.1 percent of vehicles on the road. Korean automaker Hyundai has more than 6.2 million vehicles on the road. The majority of vehicles on the road - 91 million - are in the model years ranging from 2000 to 2005. Crossover utility vehicles continue to expand, remaining the top growing segment, Anderson said. More than 60 different models of CUVs are available in the market, Anderson said. “But the segment is clearly pulling sales from existing SUV and minivan categories,” he said. Anderson said while there is a perceived gas mileage advantage, their mileage is similar to an SUV’s, depending on the model. “In terms of vehicle dynamics and ride quality, crossovers are generally better than SUVs,” he said. CUV registrations in the entry-level and mid-range segments for 2009’s fourth quarter are up more than 40,000 and 23,000, respectively, from the prior year fourth quarter. Despite all the attention given to hybrid vehicles and
NO BULL: A recent study by Experian Automotive revealed several trends about the new- and usedcar industries. For example, the most common vehicle on the road now is a 10-year-old Ford, like the Taurus above.
the green economy, less than 1 percent of vehicles on the road are hybrids. The only segments smaller than hybrids are ultra upscale units and ultra luxury sports cars. Full-size pickups make up more than 14 percent of vehicles on the road, followed by mid-range standard cars and small economy cars. Drivers in the Northeast make up the bulk of car drivers, while truck drivers are predominant in the South and in the West. Used-car registrations peaked at more than four times the new-car registration rate in the first quarter of 2009. New-vehicle registrations dropped nearly 22 percent in 2009 from the prior year. Anderson said used-vehicle
registrations traditionally have been 2.5 times the rate of new. Full-size pickup registrations dropped more than 51,000. During that same period upscale near-luxury, SUV entry-level and SUV lower mid-range level registrations also saw steep drops as CUVs siphoned off those sales. The Chevy Equinox and Traverse registrations were up last year while Dodge Ram and Chevrolet Silverado registrations saw declines in 2009 from the prior year. Hot new models included the GMC Terrain, Kia Forte, Kia Soul and Mercedes-Benz GLK. The Honda Accord Crosstour model did not crack the top ten.
GM and Chrysler each saw their marketshare drop 2 percent, while Hyundai increased its marketshare nearly 2 percent. Ford, Nissan and Honda also saw slight increases in marketshare in 2009, compared with 2008. In brand loyalty, Ford Motor Co. matched Toyota in the fourth quarter of 2009 compared to the prior year. Cash for Clunkers accounted for a quarter of new vehicle registrations in the third quarter of 2009, Anderson said. Experian’s database includes more than 600 million vehicles in the United States and Canada, using sources ranging from dealers registrations and auto auctions to warranty data.
IN THIS ISSUE • Toyota sets record for monthly certified sales. – Page 3
• Dealers can hit the books this summer. – Page 8
• Wholesale prices continue climbing as demand rises. – Page 4
• ADESA sees better spring after harsh winter. – Page 10