See The Biggest Automotive Sales Disappointments of 2016
Americans purchased around seventeen million new vehicles in 2016 alone. Of those seventeen million, approximately eight hundred thousand were Ford F-Series pickup trucks, making it the best-selling line in the United States yet again, with the Ram truck line and Chevrolet Silverado following close behind. Not all automobile lines did as well in 2016 despite relatively low-interest rates and decreasing gas prices. Here is a look at those lines that did not do so well.
Fiat 500 And 500L
Fiat sales suffered a massive plunge in 2016 with just fifteen thousand 500 hatchbacks and convertibles sold - a thirty-seven percent drop since the following year. The Fiat 500L - a larger vehicle - saw a sixty percent drop with only three thousand reported sales. The Fiat Crossover 500 X did slightly better during the 2016 sales year but not enough to carry the brand through a successful year. Sale prices have dropped in 2017 to encourage sales.
Toyota 86 And Subaru BRZ
The Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ sedans prove that Americans want more power in their daily commuter vehicle. The Toyota 86 sold approximately seven thousand units for a total drop of thirty percent from 2015. Subaru BRZ sales were a bit better at four thousand units sold, which was a twenty percent drop from the previous year. Thanks to the disappointing 2016 sales, the future of both cars seem grim despite being a nice little ride in need of a turbocharger boost.
Alfa Romeo 4C
Low Alfa sales were initially blamed on a shortage production, but numbers have increased as the line has been for sale for two years. Even with more units available for purchase, Americans purchased a mere five hundred 4Cs throughout the entire year. One theory explaining the low numbers is a lack of convertible option. Because other two-seater sports cars like the Porsche Cayman and Boxter did quite well in 2016, no one can say there was not a market for it.
Cadillac ELR
It is hard to believe any Cadillac would have not a solid showing, but apparently, the ELR has been forgotten. Although there was not an actual 2015 model, Cadillac made so many ELR’s in 2014 that they did not need an upgrade. They brought the ELR back in 2016 with better performance upgrades, improved suspension components, and a price drop. Even with all those incentives, the ELR saw a forty percent decline in sales.
Acura RLX And ILX
Acura sold around approximately sixteen thousand units of the RLX and ILX total in 2016, which is a decent total. However, these figures are low when compared to other vehicles in the lineup, specifically the crossovers. The best-selling Acura is the mid-level TLX, while the ILX saw a sales drop of nineteen percent from the previous year. Sales for the RLX were reportedly worse with only fifteen hundred units sold, making it a thirty-seven percent decline from the year before.
Lexus GS, IS, LS, CT, And RC
Not even Lexus was exempt from a bad turnout in 2016 for sedans. It sold thirteen thousand five hundred and fifty-three GS cars throughout November, which was a thirty percent drop from 2015. Sales for the CT hybrid fell forty percent while the two-door RC dropped twenty percent. The LS sedan was even down by twenty percent despite being the brand’s most popular model. The good news was that the ES was only down by eight percent and the SUV and crossover sales did well.
BMW 3 Series, 4 Series, And X4
Even BMW saw a decrease in sales numbers for a few of its sedans. The brand’s mainstream 3 Series model saw a decline in sales of about thirty percent from 2015, while the 4 Series did a bit better with just a twenty percent drop. The X4 fared best with only a fifteen percent drop in sales. Through November, the X5 was not doing that much better with a fifteen percent decline since 2015. The best selling BMW’s of 2016 included the X1 and X3 models.
Lincoln MKT And MKS
The Lincoln MKT was the only exception on this list of poor-selling sedans. As a crossover, the vehicle took an unexpected hit in 2016 with three thousand three hundred and seventy-nine total units sold for a total drop of twenty-one percent. The MKS sedan did not do much better with fewer than five thousand units sold. The MKS saw an upgrade in 2017 as a new Continental, which should bring sales numbers back up to where they should be.
Dodge Dart And Chrysler 200
Dodge Dart sales reportedly dropped fifty percent from 2015 with only forty-five thousand models sold. Sales for the Chrysler 200 were worse at fifty-five thousand models sold for a sixty-five percent drop from last year. Both models were put to rest after the 2016 year due to the low turnout number. A few 2017 Chrysler 200’s were reportedly built, but production will not continue for either vehicle. The drop comes as no surprise as compact and midsize cars across the board did not do well in 2016.