Most Popular Family Cars in 2011
Looking at the first-quarter data from 2011, and from March 2011 in particular, we might be surprised. While some of the numbers are pretty consistent from past years, a few changes have occurred. A new front-runner has emerged in March, and some interesting shifts round out the top ten. Certain consumer demands, paired with changes in the economy and the world in general, can explain these changes.
The top spot for the first quarter still belongs to the Toyota Camry, the ever-popular mid-size family sedan, with 76,821. However, the winner during the month of March is the Nissan Altima, with 32,289. The Toyota Camry took third place in March, with 31,464.
In the overall Quarter 1 sales, the Camry is followed by the Honda Civic, Hyundai Sonata, Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Impala, and the Toyota Prius.
In the March sales, the Altima, Honda Accord, and Camry, in the top three spots, are followed by the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata, Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Prius, and Chevrolet Impala.
The Toyota Prius has seen, since last March, a rise of 52 percent. The Hyundai Sonata and Elantra have risen 55 percent in sales, and now make up the majority of Hyundai’s overall sales. The Chevrolet Cruze represents a newer model, and its compact, economical appeal could result in steady numbers; its bigger brother, the mid-size Impala, slightly won out during the month of March.
The slightly unusual numbers in the first quarter and in March specifically are largely explained by the buyers’ desire for economical and high miles per gallon. The earthquake in Japan has also affected the vehicle supply and assembly. During the quarter, Nissan has also advertised more, which explains its prominence in sales.