AutoBeta(AutoBeta.net)01/23 Report--

According to data released by research firm Wards Intelligence, total sales in the US car market in 2022 were 13.867 million, down 7.9% from a year earlier, the worst sales performance since 2011. However, with a large base, the United States still ranks second in the world in terms of car sales. Rising interest rates, supply chain and chip problems are believed to be the main factors contributing to the performance.

In 2022, parts and supply chains affect global automakers, with varying degrees of decline in major car companies, and there is a large sales gap between automobile groups. Specifically, GM overtook Toyota Group to become the No. 1 car company in the US market in 2022, and compared with other car companies, it increased by 2.5% to 2.2582 million vehicles year-on-year, while Toyota Group sold 2.1085 million vehicles, down 9.60% from the same period last year. In addition, Ford sold 1.851 million vehicles for the year, down 2.2% from a year earlier.

In addition to Toyota Group, other Japanese car companies also did not perform well. Honda plunged 32.90% from the same period last year, making it one of the mainstream car companies with a big decline in the US auto market. Nissan fell 25.40% year-on-year, Mitsubishi dropped 15.90%, Mazda fell 11.40%, and Subaru fell 4.70%. In addition, the performance of German car companies was mixed, with Volkswagen down 14.40 per cent, BMW down 1.20 per cent and Mercedes-Benz up 6.50 per cent. By contrast, new energy vehicles have skyrocketed, with Tesla up 44.10% year-on-year (estimated), Polar Star up 189.70% year-on-year, and Ravian up 12983.30% year-on-year to 15700 vehicles, up from 120 in 2021.

In terms of brand segmentation, although Toyota was taken away as the top seller of new cars in the United States by General Motors in 2022, its Toyota brand beat Chevrolet to become the highest-selling car brand in the United States, and Ford is the second best-selling brand in the United States. However, Chevrolet is the only one of the top 10 best-selling brands in the United States to achieve year-on-year sales growth, coupled with Cadillac, GMC brands also achieve year-on-year growth, General Motors successfully became the first sales group in the U. S. auto market.

GM and its three brands rebounded, helping GM become the top seller of cars in the United States, with Cadillac up 13.90% year-on-year, Chevrolet up 5.70% and GMC up 7.30%, while Buick fell 42.4%. Toyota Group performed quite the opposite, with Toyota brands down 8.80% and Lexus down 15.00%. As the second largest local auto brand in the United States, the two major brands of the Ford Group also declined, with the Ford brand down 2.10% and the Lincoln brand down 4.00%.

In terms of other brands, Honda fell sharply in the US market, with Honda brands down 32.70% and Acura down 35.00%. The same is true of Nissan, with the Nissan brand down 25.870% and Infiniti down 20.40%. In addition, Stellantis, the merger of FCA Group and PSA Group, fell by more than double digits in the US market, with major brands declining to varying degrees in the US market, including Fiat down 61.50% and Alfa Romeo down 29.60%.

In terms of specific models, although Ford recorded the lowest national sales since 2012, its Ford F-Series has become the best-selling car type in the United States for the 41st year and the best-selling truck in the United States for 46 years in a row. Chevrolet Silverado has been in second place for years since sales were overtaken by Ram pickups in 2021.

With the epidemic and the impact of spare parts supply on the traditional automobile market, Tesla broke into the top 10 best-selling models in the United States for the first time, beating Mercedes-Benz, BMW and other luxury brands for the first time. Tesla Model Y beat GMC Sierra pickup trucks, Honda CR-V and other models to become the sixth best-selling car in the United States. Tesla Model 3 is not inferior, ranking 13th with sales of 195600 vehicles.

Since the outbreak, spare parts and supply chain problems have caused car companies to stop production at different times, causing car sales rankings to fluctuate over the past few years. 'We found that sales and inventory fluctuated so much, 'said Michelle Krebs, an executive analyst at Cox Automotive. The American new car market in 2022 starts with very high demand. But by the end of the year, things had changed. Demand seems to be a little weak, while some carmakers' inventories are picking up.

Carmakers are generally optimistic about the performance of the US market in 2023. On the one hand, due to spare parts and supply chain problems, new car sales in the United States have been at or close to recession levels, coupled with the shortage of car inventory during the COVID-19 epidemic, consumer and business demand has been accumulating.

Carmakers have reported record or near-record results in recent years due to tight supply of new cars and strong consumer demand. As inventory levels return to normal, carmakers have been pinning their hopes on persistently pent-up demand and avoiding big discounts or promotions. While the steep discounts common in the car industry help maintain production and boost sales, several car executives say they will not revert to this strategy at the expense of profits.

On the other hand, automakers can offset weak retail sales by selling bulk to companies such as the government and car rental agencies. In recent years, bulk sales to corporate customers are in a secondary position compared with retail customers, and profits have always been not as high as those of private consumers, but it is conducive to the circulation of products.

As for how the American auto market will go in 2023? Let's wait and see.

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