It’s been another rollercoaster year for U.S. new car and truck sales.
Thanks to the way some automakers handle their data, the most impactful view of where 2022 sales stand is the year-end report. As we charge forward into the new year, a flood of numbers is emerging — and the picture is not a particularly rosy one in most cases.
You could probably have guessed that, based on the endless stories about supply chain constraints and inventory shortages over the past several months. On the whole, forecasts project 2022 sales to slide around 8% from 2021 levels, but some brands lost substantial ground beyond even that figure as the year wrapped up. Moderate inventory improvements and fleet deliveries helped some automakers in December, but overall end-of-year volume dropped to its lowest level since 2011.
So, how did each brand fare?
Numbers are still rolling in as of January 4, 2023, so check back for occasional updates.
| Brand | Full-year 2022 Sales | Full-year 2021 Sales | Year-over-Year (’22 vs. ’21) Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acura | 102,306 | 157,408 | -35% |
| Alfa Romeo | 12,845 | 18,250 | -30% |
| Audi | 186,875 | 196,038 | -5% |
| BMW | 332,388 | 336,644 | -1% |
| Buick | 103,519 | 179,799 | -42% |
| Cadillac | 134,726 | 118,310 | +14% |
| Chevrolet* | 1,518,048 | 1,437,677 | +6% |
| Chrysler | 112,713 | 115,004 | -2% |
| Dodge | 190,795 | 215,724 | -12% |
| Fiat | 915 | 2,374 | -61% |
| Ford* | 1,780,978 | 1,819,026 | -2% |
| Genesis | 56,410 | 49,621 | +14% |
| GMC* | 517,649 | 482,437 | +7% |
| Honda* | 881,201 | 1,309,222 | -33% |
| Hyundai | 724,265 | 738,081 | -2% |
| Infiniti | 46,619 | 58,553 | -20% |
| Jaguar | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Jeep | 684,614 | 778,711 | -12% |
| Kia | 693,549 | 701,416 | -1% |
| Land Rover | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Lexus | 258,704 | 304,476 | -15% |
| Lincoln | 83,486 | 86,429 | -4% |
| Mazda | 294,908 | 332,756 | -11% |
| Mercedes-Benz | 350,949 | 329,574 | +6.5% |
| Mini | 29,504 | 29,930 | -1% |
| Mitsubishi | 85,810 | 102,037 | -16% |
| Nissan* | 682,731 | 919,086 | -26% |
| Porsche | 70,065 | 70,025 | Same |
| Rivian | 20,332 | 920 | +2,210% |
| Subaru | 556,581 | 583,810 | -5% |
| Tesla | 1,313,851 | 936,172 | +40% |
| Toyota* | 1,849,754 | 2,027,786 | -9% |
| Volkswagen | 301,069 | 375,031 | –19.7% |
| Volvo | 102,308 | 122,173 | -17% |
Based on the batch of numbers we have though, General Motors is the clear victor for the 2022 sales crown. The automaker moved over 2.25 million vehicles, netting a 3% uplift from 2021. Pouring through the numbers, it is curious which models performed well. Cars like the Cadillac CT4, CT5 and XT4 all gained ground, while Chevy Malibu sales nearly tripled from 2021, to 115,467 units. And if your first thought as you flew over “Malibu” was “rental car”, therein lies the answer as to why GM took the crown: fleet sales.
GM also bounced back better than some other automakers with respect to actually shipping cars out to dealers. As of December 2022, the automaker says its dealers have 410,682 vehicles in their inventories, including in-shipment vehicles.
Other companies, like Honda, Nissan and Stellantis, experienced more of a thud with their sales figures. Honda itself acknowledged 2022 as a “tough sales year”, though it is rebounding on supply. What’s more, it has fresh product heading into 2023, including the HR-V, CR-V, Pilot and Accord, that may well help those numbers bounce back.
Hyundai and Kia held their own, only falling 1-2% from where they were in 2021. However, the story gets a lot more interesting when you look at EVs. The Ioniq 5, for instance, sold 22,982 examples in its first full year on sale. It’s Kia EV6 cousin did nearly as well, shifting 20,498 units.
Speaking of new vehicles, check out two of TFL’s latest purchases below:
Update 1/4/2023: Added BMW, Mini sales figures.
Update 1/5/2023: Added Ford, Lincoln, Volkswagen, Volvo sales figures.
Update 1/10/2023: Added Mercedes-Benz sales figures.
Update 1/12/2023: Added Porsche sales figures.
