Honda / Acura US Model Sales : 2023/24

Both Honda and Acura have a good reputation in the USA. Honda in particular sells very strongly. Acura has its work cut out against several bigger selling premium marques, including fellow countryman Lexus.

Honda: The brand was up 11%  with the CR-V up 11% too and the Civic +21%. The Accord is down 18% and the HR-V up 24%. 

The CR-V is clearly the best selling model but for many years before it was the Accord, until 2014. In 2015, the Civic took over for just one year and then the CR-V has been top since. Those three are still on top but the HR-V looks destined to change that.

Acura: A North American brand which doesn't even feature in Japan. It has occasionally been used elsewhere but without much success but it works well in the US. 

Passenger cars were down 35% and SUVs were up 4% but combined sales were down 9% at 132,000. 

Acura is currently based around three main models, the RDX crossover the only one up at the present (+10%). The ADX SUV will join the range in 2025.

The new electric ZDX (picture to the left) is an interesting one. Honda has a cousin in the form of the Prologue and it has relatives in Buick, Chevrolet and Cadillac. That's quite a family! It's built at a GM factory in Tenessee. 

Obviously, there are cost savings in sharing costs (which I think the industry doesn't do enough of) but the brands all have their own level of trim and sophistication so it's the way forward for the industry. 

Data & photo source Honda.  

BMW / MINI US Model Sales : 2023/24

BMW: The marque was up 2.5% for the year. It's still a few thousand sales short of Mercedes-Benz despite slightly closing the gap and just ahead of Lexus despite the gap narrowing.

The top model the X5 returned a similar result to last year while the X3 was up 9%. The 3 and 4-Series were both down, 16% and 8% respectively. The X7 and X1 conversely were up 3% and 30%. 

I don't know what was expected of the new XM (picture above) but it must have been much more than this. The figures shout it's a belly flop which goes to show that even a successful niche hunter like BMW gets it wrong sometimes.  

Data source: BMW.

MINI: Not many do a retro model and get it right. The MINI was an outstanding exception but keeping that going for a prolonged period is the challenge and for the past few years the MINI has pulled back on volume. A sound move if it improves the bottom line.

Expanding the range over the years has been hit and miss in terms of success. Now in 2024 US sales are the lowest full year result since its introduction but it still has a solid following here. It is currently achieving 7% of the BMW brand sales.  

Stellantis US Model Sales Part 2 : 2023/24

Stellantis is a huge amalgam of brands from the US and Europe. There are seven operating in the States and here it's the US side of the company that's under the spotlight. Sales are not going that well but there seems to be a policy of reducing unit sales. Part 2 covers the five smaller brands. 

Dodge: Total sales were down 19% with the Charger leading the charge at -54% as the old model departs. 

The new 2025 iteration will have a 2-door variant as well so will hopefully arrest the decline and then add plenty of more sales as well. 

The Durango SUV is the main model with just over 42% of all sales for the brand in 2024. The new Dodge Hornet will add sting to the range and it's based on the Alfa Tonale so a sensible cost saving in doing that. 

Chrysler: Sales were down just 7% despite a 60% drop for the 300 model car which has been discontinued. It has a tiny range of vehicles which could be enhanced by Euro vehicles but hasn't been. It consists of two MPVs and a large car. 

The MPV range has been enhanced with a new model, the Voyager which is a base trim option to higher spec Pacifica. 

Fiat: It is an insignificant part of Stellantis USA but they persist with it. Sales were up 153% but only to 1,528 units just in case you get too excited. The 500e and 500X were the total range and the latter has been axed.  

Alfa Romeo: The three model line up was down 19% despite to the new Tonale. Alfa is a fringe player in the US premium segment but has found a niche in the market nevertheless. Well, more a case of sticking with it as sales are poor. 

Maserati: I don't have a model breakdown for the premium marque but total sales were about 4,600 and down about 40% by my reckoning.

Data & pictures: Stellantis.