Sales of the subcompact car segment in the US are plummeting in the first half of 2022, with sales falling 53% in an overall market down 18%. In Q2, the class was down by half in an overall market down 21%. With just over 55,000 deliveries, subcompact cars now make up just 0.8% of the US passenger car market, just over half of their share last year. Not surprising if you consider that only four models from three brands will remain in this class, as all other brands have withdrawn.
The ever-increasing popularity of crossovers and a worldwide shortage of supply causing manufacturers to prioritize higher-margin models are of course the main factors for this decline in both availability of models and thus market share. The Kia Soul holds on to its top spot with sales down 29% on last year, and grows its share of the class to a dominant 49.7% and outselling its closest rival by almost 2-to-1. This rival is its stablemate Kia Rio with a share of 26.8%, which means Kia sells over 75% of all vehicles in this segment. The Rio is down just 11% this year, while its sibling Hyundai Accent is down 26% in third place. Former class leader Nissan Versa loses 86% of its sales to fall to fifth and last place among survivors. That means in the first half of 2022 just about nine out of every ten subcompact cars sold in the United States came from a South-Korean brand. The Chevrolet Sonic, Fiat 500L, Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris have been pulled from the market.
US subcompact car sales 2022-H1
| Subcompact segment | 2022-H1 | 2021-H1 | Change | 2022 Share | 2021 Share | 2022-Q2 | Change | |
| 1 | Kia Soul | 27.608 | 38.780 | -29% | 49,7% | 33,0% | 13.484 | -38% |
| 2 | Kia Rio | 14.918 | 16.673 | -11% | 26,8% | 14,2% | 8.411 | -15% |
| 3 | Hyundai Accent | 7.430 | 10.104 | -26% | 13,4% | 8,6% | 4.733 | -19% |
| 4 | Nissan Versa | 5.626 | 41.321 | -86% | 10,1% | 35,2% | 3.296 | -83% |
| 5 | Chevrolet Sonic | 16 | 1.512 | -99% | 0,0% | 1,3% | 13 | -97% |
| 6 | Fiat 500L | 3 | 153 | -98% | 0,0% | 0,1% | 2 | -98% |
| 7 | Honda Fit | 0 | 8.673 | -100% | 0,0% | 7,4% | 0 | -100% |
| 8 | Toyota Yaris | 0 | 201 | -100% | 0,0% | 0,2% | 0 | -100% |
| Segment total | 55.601 | 117.417 | -53% | 29.939 | -50% |
Source: Manufacturers.