The U.S. auto business continues to get well from the pandemic-tainted gross sales of 2020, however you would not realize it from a look on the gross sales charts, which contained just about universally unhealthy information for the producers who nonetheless report month-to-month retail gross sales totals.
Other than Genesis, which is having a gangbuster yr with an enormous fats asterisk on it, each model that has reported its November gross sales thus far has come up brief in comparison with final yr. Even Kia, which has already surpassed its earlier full-year gross sales document, offered fewer models final month than it did throughout the identical interval in 2020. Sister firm Hyundai noticed an almost 20% drop for its mainstream model.
Honda and Toyota, which each appeared better-positioned to climate the chip scarcity earlier this yr, stay up greater than 12% and practically 16% for the yr, respectively, however these numbers will probably slip in December if present traits proceed. With manufacturing shutdowns changing into much less frequent and provide chain points easing barely, the ultimate month of 2021 might be the distinction between a rebound and relapse for some automakers.
Subaru, which skilled many consecutive years of gross sales progress previous to the pandemic, is at risk of promoting fewer models in 2021 than it did in 2020. Its quantity was down greater than 34% in November. Of the automakers who report month-to-month gross sales, solely Ford’s figures have been nonetheless excellent on the time of publication; like GM, the Blue Oval is predicted to announce that its gross sales volumes have slipped additional as a result of ongoing components shortages.
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