Photo: Infiniti
2016 was a strange year for every walk of life. Things get stranger still in the automotive world. The U.S. market, for example, is falling in love with the Infiniti QX50. Fret not, though, because sales data reveals that the Ford F-Series still is the king.
According to Bloomberg, the slow-selling Infiniti QX50 sold 272 percent more units through November 2016 in comparison to the same period in 2015. Why did this happen I have no idea whatsoever, but one thing is certain: SUVs are getting more popular. If it weren’t for this appetite for jacked-up vehicles, no one in his right mind would spend top dollar on what is, in essence, a luxury crossover designed with the Chinese market in mind.
Moving on, the biggest spikes in sales volume for vehicles on sale in the United States come courtesy of the Mercedes-Benz GLE (221 percent), Volvo XC90 (202 percent), Audi TT (201 percent), and the BMW X1 (88 percent). Notice anything strange about the top 5 finishers? Other than the TT, the list abounds with crossovers and sport utility vehicles.
The worst performers ranking, as per Bloomberg’s report, is a case of hot and cold. Sales of the Honda Fit, which is a versatile subcompact hatchback, dropped by 43 percent compared to January to November 2015. The explanation for this outcome can be pinned down on cheap gas prices and a booming U.S. economy thanks to surging consumer confidence.
Then there’s the BMW 6 Series, whose sales dropped a worrying 46 percent in the analyzed period. The incredibly awful Fiat 500L took a nosedive as well (60 percent), whereas the now-defunct Chrysler 200 was a bad idea from the start (65 percent). The biggest loser of 2016, however, is the Kia K900 luxury sedan, which dropped by a whopping 68 percent. So much for those top dollar LeBron James ads, huh?
On the upside, there’s a silver lining for the South Korean automaker. Next year, Kia will unleash its sportiest model yet, the GT. A 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 engine, rear-wheel-drive, and a coupe-like body are its strongest points.
Moving on, the biggest spikes in sales volume for vehicles on sale in the United States come courtesy of the Mercedes-Benz GLE (221 percent), Volvo XC90 (202 percent), Audi TT (201 percent), and the BMW X1 (88 percent). Notice anything strange about the top 5 finishers? Other than the TT, the list abounds with crossovers and sport utility vehicles.
The worst performers ranking, as per Bloomberg’s report, is a case of hot and cold. Sales of the Honda Fit, which is a versatile subcompact hatchback, dropped by 43 percent compared to January to November 2015. The explanation for this outcome can be pinned down on cheap gas prices and a booming U.S. economy thanks to surging consumer confidence.
Then there’s the BMW 6 Series, whose sales dropped a worrying 46 percent in the analyzed period. The incredibly awful Fiat 500L took a nosedive as well (60 percent), whereas the now-defunct Chrysler 200 was a bad idea from the start (65 percent). The biggest loser of 2016, however, is the Kia K900 luxury sedan, which dropped by a whopping 68 percent. So much for those top dollar LeBron James ads, huh?
On the upside, there’s a silver lining for the South Korean automaker. Next year, Kia will unleash its sportiest model yet, the GT. A 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 engine, rear-wheel-drive, and a coupe-like body are its strongest points.
Google News