America is known for many things, being the land of the free, an industrial powerhouse, and obsessed with making great cars. According to Statista, in 2020, nearly 78 million passenger vehicles were produced worldwide (not counting light commercial vehicles, heavy trucks, buses, coaches and minibuses), with the United States pumping 2, 2 million units.
Currently, there is a decline in car sales in the United States, but in 2020, according to Statista, 3.4 million cars were sold.
Those with keen eyes will have noticed that Americans bought 1.2 million more cars than they produced. Which means there is a need for more foreign cars, so it got our “brain cogs” spinning, and we wondered which foreign cars are selling better than domestic models in their own country?
Well, luckily for us, all auto brands are happy to share their sales stats. Here’s what we found by looking at which foreign car models beat local brands. All of the following data comes from the manufacturers themselves.
9
Toyota tacoma
In the US market, the king of small and mid-size pickup trucks is the Toyota Tacoma. In the first three quarters of 2021, around 200,631 units were sold, meaning it holds 41.2% of the market segment. And we’re not really surprised …
The next bestseller in these segments is the Ford Ranger, which sold 72,706 units during the same period. To say the Tacoma is the winner is an understatement – it dominates!
8
Kia Soul
The Kia Soul is a quirky little Korean gem that’s bursting with character. It’s a constantly evolving vehicle and with the third generation Kia hit the park with its turbocharged engine and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
We sang the praises of Soul for being the best American subcompact car on the market.
And the sales figures for 2021 reflect the fact that Americans agree. In the first three quarters of 2021, the Kia Soul sold 60,345 units and had 37.6% of the market. It should be noted that the best-selling American car in this segment is the Chevrolet Sonic, which moved only 1,563 units during the same period.
7
Toyota Sienna
For an automobile segment of American origin, foreign manufacturers have settled in and dominated. While the “heyday” of the minivan may be behind us, there has been a surge in sales of this type of vehicle, and the number one spot in this segment is the Toyota Sienna.
It comes with all-wheel drive and comes standard with hybrid technology, has towing capacity, a lot of comfort and is pleasing to the eye. In the first three quarters of 2021, 83,447 units were sold and the Sienna claimed 35.6% market share. And, if you compare the evolution of sales year over year, they have increased by 190%.
The Chrysler Pacifica, America’s AWD minivan, sold 59,502 units during the same period in 2021, and year-over-year sales fell 7%.
6
Honda HR-V
The Honda HR-V is a small crossover that Americans have turned to because it is a family vehicle that offers comfort, reliability and many features. Like all Honda products, it is designed for family use. And young American families buy what the Japanese sell.
In the first three quarters of 2021, 68,441 units were sold. But as this segment is very competitive and growing, this little gem is not miles ahead of the competition. The Subaru Crosstrek sold a respectable 64,214 units during the same period.
The best-selling American car in this segment is the Chevrolet TrailBlazer, which sold 48.37 units, while Buick’s Even GX is seeing an impressive 277% sales growth, year over year. other. This could be a segment that Americans can recover in the future.
5
Toyota corolla
A legendary car, the Toyota Corolla has always been the compact sedan to beat in the US market – and around the world. Most of the domestic brands have just pulled out of the segment altogether to let the Japanese giants fight for the top spot – otherwise known as the battle between the Toyota Corolla and the Honda Civic.
It should be mentioned that the Honda Civic outperformed the Toyota in the second and third quarters of 2021, but was pushed out of first place by 1,200 units. So how many units have the two brands sold in the first three quarters of 2021?
The Toyota Corolla has moved 217,727 units and the Honda Civic has sold 216,575. Currently, the only US car in the segment is the Chevrolet Bolt EV, which has moved 24,803 units. And now, let’s take a look at another Toyota that dominates the US market.
4
Toyota highlander
Another Toyota is added to the list, but this one is a bit of a surprise. The Toyota Highlander is now the best-selling midsize SUV for the first three quarters of 2021, with 207,564 units. It’s the breadbasket of the American auto industry, with competitors like the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler and Ford Explorer in the segment – so what happened?
A global shortage of semiconductor chips – that’s what happened. News of the shortage caused demand to surge in the first quarter of 2021 for U.S. brands, but as the year progressed, local automakers were unable to keep up. At the start of the year, the Ford Explorer took first place, and fell off the podium after the third quarter due to production slowing down.
This is a very competitive segment and the Toyota Highlander could lose its top spot. But for now, it’s beating the Americans at their own game.
Oh, has anyone asked about another winning Toyota?
3
Toyota camry
The Toyota Camry is another Japanese giant that dominates the midsize car market in the United States. It topped the next competitor by nearly 100,000 units for the first three quarters of 2021, displacing 256,769 units. It’s a car with a legacy of small and big changes over the decades, and now it’s a vehicle that is far from boring.
Toyota camry
If you were wondering, the second in this segment is the Honda Accord with 157,988 units. But if you were worried that no American manufacturer was on the podium, you’ll be happy to hear that Elon’s Tesla Model 3 claims third place, selling 87,910 units in the same time frame.
Now we promise this is the last time we will mention Toyota on this list.
2
Toyota RAV4
It’s the must-have compact crossover, the Toyota RAV4. After years of reputation for reliability, off-road capability and comfort, this is a model that has evolved over the years.
In the first three quarters of 2021, 313,447 units were sold, making it America’s most popular Toyota.
That being said, it’s the same segment as the Tesla Model Y, which has seen 2325% year-over-year sales growth – so maybe someday in the future a brand American automobile will take the first place.
Now let’s look at something a little whimsical …
1
Mercedes-Benz S-Class
When it comes to luxury sedans, you can’t go wrong with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. While it’s not the biggest seller, it tops the charts when it comes to the upper class sedan segment. . In the first three quarters of 2021, Americans bought 9,181 units.
It should be mentioned that this is the biggest, most expensive and most luxurious version of the S-Class ever launched by Mercedes-Benz. The base model costs around $ 109,800, which isn’t cheap, but it’s once again the most popular luxury sedan in the United States, by far beating the nationally-produced Cadillac offering. CT6 (which sold 172 units during the same period).
And it is foreign cars that sell better than American models in their own country.
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