Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • European Rubber Journal
  • Plastics News
web
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • ITEC
    • Automotive
    • Tire
    • Non-Tire
    • Suppliers
    • Silicone
    • Latex
    • Coronavirus
    • Executive Action
    • Government/Legal
    • Opinion
    • Technical Notebooks
    • International Elastomer Show
    • Women in Tire & Rubber
    • HEXPOL Sponsored Content
    • Goodyear recognized by Lockheed Martin as 'elite supplier'
      EV tire advancements to help secure future
      Lambillotte: Only question on AVs is timing
      CAR official says EV future brighter than autonomous
    • Goodyear to install dynamic driving simulator at Luxembourg site
      Nokian Tyres to add up to 150 jobs at Dayton, Tenn., factory
      Biden signs executive order, prioritizes U.S.-made EVs, PPE
      Conti starts production of ‘HL' load index tires for select OE customers
    • Order takes Michelin-Enviro partnership a step closer
      Goodyear to install dynamic driving simulator at Luxembourg site
      Nokian Tyres to add up to 150 jobs at Dayton, Tenn., factory
      Conti starts production of ‘HL' load index tires for select OE customers
    • NewAge Industries promotes two from within
      EnergyEne gets grant to focus on guayule latex
      DuPont investing in Liveo line of silicone products
      A change at the top for Stockwell Elastomerics
    • NuSil's high-purity silicones are taking off
      Audia Elastomers launches new range of sustainable TPEs
      Order takes Michelin-Enviro partnership a step closer
      Phillips Carbon Black expanding capacity at site in India
    • NuSil's high-purity silicones are taking off
      NewAge Industries promotes two from within
      Rubber Division scholarships, stipends available
      DuPont investing in Liveo line of silicone products
    • WCCO task force navigates pandemic, expands communications
      ASTM cancels April meetings as COVID-19 continues impact
      Paycheck Protection Program funding reopens Jan. 15
      Detroit Auto Show canceled; alternative event being planned for September
    • NewAge Industries promotes two from within
      A change at the top for Stockwell Elastomerics
      Angelos Papadimitriou to leave position with Pirelli after six months on job
      Tero Peltomaki named Cimcorp CEO
    • Biden signs executive order, prioritizes U.S.-made EVs, PPE
      ITC votes to keep duties in place on China P/LT tire imports
      Hwa Fong joins Taiwan tire makers' bid for alternative to import duties
      NLRB certifies USW as bargaining unit for Kumho Tire plant in Georgia
    • Editorial: Against a backdrop of turmoil, M&A deals give glimpse of normalcy
      Column: Pandemic looms over everything in life, business in 2020
      Column: Lessons from the 2020 Best Places to Work
      Editorial: Silicone hit hard by pandemic, expected to bounce back
    • Advancements in synchronous drive belt design for industrial and consumer markets
      Effects of multiple repurposed materials for reinforcements of standard rubber compounds
      Impact of peroxide blends on the cure rate and aged properties in HNBR
      Techniques to detect long chain branching in polymers
    • Rubber Division seeks abstracts for 200th Technical Meeting
      WORD panelists say evolution, authenticity keys to success
      IEC keynote: Communication key to logistics
      IEC speaker: Specialized elastomers may reduce spread of life-threatening pathogens
    • WORD panelists say evolution, authenticity keys to success
      New video celebrates women in rubber industry
      ITEC panelists say women can thrive in tire industry
      Rubber Division planning second Women of Rubber event
    • Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Faster Access to Your Polymer Compounding Experts Around the World
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Take a walk thru a HEXPOL Lab
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      HEXPOL offers a unique selection of High Performance Elastomers to match your application requirements
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      It’s what you can’t see that makes the Difference at HEXPOL
  • Blogs
    • Products
    • Wacky World of Rubber
    • New Products: Nova thinks outside the box with sealing tech
      New Products: MonTech introduces 1,500 kN lab press
      New products: 3M introduces new durable, pliable medical adhesive
      New Products: Lanxess launches energy-efficient PU elastomer
    • Wacky World of Rubber: How Trelleborg, teens sealed a spot in the world record book
      Wacky World of Rubber: Of chicken and feet, but not chicken feet
      Wacky World of Rubber: Time to go mattress shopping
      Wacky World of Rubber: Because nothing says football like 'frunk' shrimp
  • Newsletters
    • Rubber in Automotive
    • Silicone News
    • Latex News
    • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Goodyear to install dynamic driving simulator at Luxembourg site
      Nokian Tyres to add up to 150 jobs at Dayton, Tenn., factory
      Biden signs executive order, prioritizes U.S.-made EVs, PPE
      Conti starts production of ‘HL' load index tires for select OE customers
    • NuSil's high-purity silicones are taking off
      NewAge Industries promotes two from within
      Rubber Division scholarships, stipends available
      DuPont investing in Liveo line of silicone products
    • EnergyEne gets grant to focus on guayule latex
      Rubber Division scholarships, stipends available
      Bridgestone bets on guayule as alternative natural rubber source
      Synthomer CEO MacLean to step down by early 2022
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Directory
  • Resources
    • Classifieds & Mold Mart
    • Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
    • Sponsored By HB Chemical
      The Company Behind the Inventory
      Sponsored By French Oil Mill Machinery
      Process Improvement, Cost Reduction with Custom Press Systems
    • Sponsored By Uncountable Inc.
      Cooper Standard deploys lab informatics platform to synchronize R&D
      Sponsored By Elkem
      LSR Select™: A solution to improve your financial impact in molding applications
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Understanding and Selecting Performance Additives for Rubber Compounding
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Peroxide Cureable Silicone Injection Molding
  • Data
  • Events
    • RPN Events
    • RPN Livestreams/Webinars
    • Industry Events
    • Past Events
    • ITEC Library
    • International Silicone Conference Library
    • 2021 Healthcare Elastomers Virtual Edition
      2021 Rubber in Automotive Virtual Edition
      2022 ITEC
  • Advertise
  • DIGITAL EDITION
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
January 05, 2018 01:00 AM

U.S. sales slip in 2017, ending 7-year streak

David Phillips
Automotive News
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    David Phillips, Automotive News
    U.S. car sales slipped 17 percent last month while light truck demand edged up 1.6 percent. For the year, car deliveries slid 11 percent and truck volume rose 4.4 percent.

    U.S. new light-vehicle sales slipped 5 percent in December and dipped 1.8 percent to 17.25 million for all of 2017—ending a string of seven annual gains that had propelled the industry to new highs following the 2008-09 market collapse.

    After hitting a record 17.55 million in 2016, annual light-vehicle sales fell for the first time since 2009 while topping 17 million units for the third straight year and just the fifth time in history.

    Even with the dip in December volume, the seasonally adjusted, annualized pace sales came in at 17.86 million in December, among the year's strongest months.

    Car sales slipped 17 percent last month while light truck demand edged up 1.6 percent. For the year, car deliveries slid 11 percent and truck volume rose 4.4 percent.

    Among leading auto makers, General Motors, Toyota, FCA, Nissan and Honda posted declines in U.S. deliveries in December while Ford advanced.

    Ford's 1.3 percent increase marked its fourth straight monthly gain. GM fell 3.3 percent and FCA US was off as both companies pared back shipments to daily rental companies. Volume dipped 8.3 percent at Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., 9.5 percent at Nissan North America and 7 percent at American Honda, though Nissan and Honda both set sales records for the year.

    Company results

    Ford Motor's 1.3 percent gain came on the strength of a 2.4 percent increase at the Ford division, which was fueled by strong light truck volume. Lincoln skidded 17 percent as car sales plunged 26 percent. In December, SUV/crossover demand rose 8 percent but car deliveries slid 5.5 percent, Ford said. For the year, Ford's U.S. deliveries dipped 0.9 percent.

    General Motors' sales slipped 3.3 percent behind a decline of 2.9 percent at Chevrolet and 29 percent at Cadillac, even as the company fattened deals. Volume rose 4.7 percent at Buick and 1.2 percent at GMC. GM continues to trim daily rental shipments but said it set new annual sales records for pickup and crossover deliveries, electric vehicle sales and average transaction prices.

    At Toyota, volume fell 8.3 percent to 222,985 with sales off 7.2 percent at the Toyota brand and 14 percent at Lexus. Light-truck deliveries, a bright spot for Toyota all year, dropped 5.6 percent last month.

    FCA US reported a sales decline of 11 percent as the company dials back on fleet business. Led by a drop in volume of 12 percent at Jeep and 6.9 percent at Ram, every FCA brand except Chrysler and Alfa Romeo posted a decline in deliveries last month.

    David Phillips, Automotive News

    U.S. sales of the Ford F-Series pickup totaled 896,764, up 9.3 percent, in 2017.

    Honda volume fell 7 percent on weaker car demand, with December sales off 6.3 percent at the Honda Division and 12 percent at Acura. Still, American Honda set an annual sales record of 1,641,429 units in 2017—an increase of 0.2 percent.

    At Nissan, volume slipped 9.4 percent at the Nissan brand and 10 percent at Infiniti, yet Nissan still finished with 2017 U.S. sales of 1,593,464, up 1.9 percent for a new annual high.

    The Hyundai brand notched its first monthly gain, year over year, with a 1.8 percent increase in December U.S. volume.

    Subaru extended its U.S. sales gains to 73 months year over year with a 0.3 percent increase in December deliveries. It was the company's smallest monthly increase of the year but enough to set an annual record of 647,956 cars and light trucks.

    December sales dropped 21 percent at Kia, 6.5 percent at Mazda and 19 percent at the Volkswagen brand. Mitsubishi posted a 15 percent increase in December deliveries.

    Ford, Nissan and Hyundai also benefited from a spike in rental and fleet business last month.

    Among other luxury brands, volume last month rose 10 percent at Mercedes, 4.3 percent at BMW and 16 percent at Audi, but dropped 21 percent at Jaguar, 3.6 percent at Land Rover and 2.5 percent at Porsche.

    "Auto makers pull out all the stops to eke out every last sale before the end of the year," said Edmunds analyst Jessica Caldwell. "With sales tapering off, we could be in for a high-stakes incentive war in 2018."

    While the tax reform bill signed by President Trump is expected to provide a lift to U.S. sales, analysts say any gains may be negated by rising interest rates.

    Spiffs

    The average new-vehicle incentive was tracking at $4,302 in the first few weeks of December, J.D. Power says. Year-end deals were projected to lift that figure to a record.

    Led by GM, where discounts averaged just over $5,000 last month, industry incentives rose 2.4 percent last month to $3,844, up from $3,756 in December 2016, ALG estimated.

    Among the offers, the Volkswagen brand dangled deals with zero due at signing, no down payment, no security deposit and a first-month payment of nothing on many models. Buick offered up to 25 percent off the suggested retail price on remaining 2017 crossovers.

    The results come in comparison to a robust December a year earlier, when the fifth-highest seasonally adjusted annual sales rate of all time was recorded.

    Analysts had forecast that December would mark the 10th monthly drop of 2017— despite being the strongest month for raw volume.

    "In 2017, we had solid GDP growth and good news on employment, wages and consumer sentiment, which helped deliver very strong retail sales for the auto industry," Mustafa Mohatarem, GM's chief economist, said in a statement.

    He forecast that light-vehicle sales this year will be in the high 16 million-unit range as income gains stemming from U.S. tax reform are offset by rising interest rates.

    Odds and ends

    • Among auto makers, GM, Ford, Honda, Nissan, Jaguar Land Rover, Mercedes, Toyota, Subaru, Volvo and VW Group gained U.S. market share in 2017, while only four companies—BMW, FCA, Mazda, and Hyundai-Kia -- lost ground.
    • The Toyota Camry remained the top-selling car in the U.S. in 2017, with sales of 387,081, well ahead of the Honda Civic at No. 2, with volume of 377,286. The Civic was ahead by 2,130 at the end of November.
    • There were 26 selling days last month vs. 27 in December 2016.
    • Among major auto makers, Fiat Chrysler and Hyundai-Kia failed to post a single monthly sales gain, year over year, in 2017. Among brands, Fiat, Jeep and Smart fell short of a monthly advance, year over year, in 2017.
    • Incentives, expressed as a percentage of MSRP, stood at 11.2 percent in early December, exceeding the 10 percent threshold for the 17th time over the last 18 months, J.D. Power says.
    • Average transaction prices closed the year on a strong note, rising nearly 2 percent in December 2017 to $36,113, a record high, mostly behind strong light-truck demand, Kelley Blue Book says.
    • Average new-vehicle transaction prices for all of 2017 finished 2 percent higher than last year, slightly slower growth than 2015 and 2016, at 2.5 percent, Kelley Blue Book says.
    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Rubber & Plastics News wants to hear from its readers. If you want to express your opinion on a story or issue, email your letter to Editor Bruce Meyer at [email protected].

    SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Rubber & Plastics News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe Today

    Subscribe to Rubber & Plastics News to get the best coverage and leading insights in the industry.

    SUBSCRIBE
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    MISSION

    To serve companies in the global rubber product industry by delivering news, industry insights, opinions and technical information.

    web
    Contact Us

    2291 Riverfront Pkwy, Suite 1000
    Cuyahoga Falls,
    OH 44221

    Customer Service:
    877-320-1726

    Resources
    • About Us
    • Digital Edition
    • Contact the Staff
    • Advertise
    • Order Reprints
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    • Terms of Service
    • Careers
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Partner Sites
    • Tire Business
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Plastics News
    • Plastics News China
    • Urethanes Technology
    • Automotive News
    • Crain Brands
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • ITEC
      • Automotive
      • Tire
      • Non-Tire
      • Suppliers
      • Silicone
      • Latex
      • Coronavirus
      • Executive Action
      • Government/Legal
      • Opinion
      • Technical Notebooks
      • International Elastomer Show
      • Women in Tire & Rubber
      • HEXPOL Sponsored Content
    • Blogs
      • Products
      • Wacky World of Rubber
    • Newsletters
      • Rubber in Automotive
      • Silicone News
      • Latex News
      • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Multimedia
      • Videos
      • Photo Galleries
    • Directory
    • Resources
      • Classifieds & Mold Mart
      • Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
    • Data
    • Events
      • RPN Events
      • RPN Livestreams/Webinars
      • Industry Events
      • Past Events
      • ITEC Library
      • International Silicone Conference Library
    • Advertise
    • DIGITAL EDITION