Cruze Sales Down as Big Three Post Mixed Results

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Big Three automakers reported mixed January sales results this morning as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and General Motors Co. posted gains, leaving Ford Motor Co. as the only American brand to have a drop in sales.

General Motors’ sales were up 9% last month from a year ago with 203,745 cars, trucks and SUVs sold between its four brands. Two brands, Cadillac and Chevrolet, reported sales drops.

Sales for the Lordstown-built Chevrolet Cruze dropped again, this time 23.2% to 14,362 sold nationwide. The redesigned 2017 Cruze began production at GM’s Lordstown Assembly yesterday and is expected to bring a boost the model’s falling sales numbers.  Overall, Chevy sales totaled 137,803, a 3.6% drop from January 2015. The Silverado, whose sales jumped 4.9% to 37,863, led the brand’s sales.

For Cadillac, sales dropped 8% to 10,740 and the SRX crossover led sales with 4,778 delivered last month.

GM’s other two brands, Buick and GMC, were on the rise with gains of 45.5% and 3.5%, respectively. Buick’s final tally for the month was 18,269 and GMC reported 36,933 trucks and SUVs sold.

Fiat Chrysler reported its 70th consecutive month of year-over-year sales increases with 155,037 vehicles sold last month, the best January for the automaker since 2007 and a 7% increase from last year.

Two of Fiat Chrysler’s American brands – Jeep and Ram trucks – posted their best January ever with 59,032 and 33,021 vehicles sold, respectively. The top selling Jeep was the Cherokee with 13,164 leaving showrooms.

Chrysler totaled 18,124 cars and vans sold, a 22% drop from January 2015, with the Town & Country leading sales with 8,380. Dodge sales rose 19% to 42,109 as the Challenger, Charger and Journey all recorded their best January ever. Sales of those three models were 5,085, 9,164 and 8,456, respectively.

Sales for Ford Motor Co. dropped 2.6% to 173,723 vehicles moved in January. The F-Series pickup truck line continued to lead sales for the Ford brand with 51,540 sold last month, followed by the Fusion with 19,877 and the Escape with 19,219.

For the Lincoln brand, sales were up 8.4%, led by the MKX with 2,052 hitting the streets last month, a 51.1% jump from January 2015. Sedan sales for the brand were led by the MKZ, of which 1,946 were sold last month, a 6.3% climb.

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