US sales 2016 first half Premium Compact segment

US premium compactSales in the Premium Compact segment fell by a slight 2 percent in the second quarter, erasing the segment’s gains for the year so far. Just as in the first quarter of 2016, however, the performance of the segment has to be viewed alongside the other Premium segments, sales for all of which shrank so far in 2016, including double-digit falls for the Premium Mid-sized and Premium Large segments.

Highlights for first half of 2016

BMW-2-series-auto-sales-statistics-Europe
BMW 2-series
  • The top two models in the segment, Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz CLA, both saw their sales shrink in the second quarter, by 11 and 15 percent, respectively
  • Acura ILX could not sustain its growth from the first quarter, losing 16 percent of sales compared to Q2 2015, which, much like the segment as a whole, erased its gains for the year so far
  • BMW 2-series continued its standout performance from the first quarter, with sales rising by 77 percent in the second quarter, which allowed it to claim third spot in the standing, leaping over Acura ILX and Lexus CT

Note: “AP” designates models that are classified in the Alternative Power segment, presented here for comparison; clicking on the model name opens the sales data page for that model; clicking year in the legend turns the display for that year on/off

  1. How Honda is able to sell the Acura ILX is a mystery to me. I had the chance to sit in one and it’s just a tarted up Honda Civic…. a $2,000 upgrade in materials and a $10,000 upgrade in the price. Nice gouge if you can get it!

    1. Well, the Audi A3 is just a tarted up VW Golf. Does it also justify the premium?
      And the CLA is a tarted up Renault Mégane and Nissan Pulsar. Does it also justify the premium?

      I would prefer a tarted up Honda Civic, with honda’s reliability to any of those germans if I had the chance to get it in Europe.

      The only one that can (still) be considered as an independent and true premium would be the 2 Series, since it retains the RWD scheme and doesn’t share components with any other generalist car in the market.

      1. I don’t believe in cars being ‘premium’. That’s a marketing tool so people are willing to spend more money for mostly the same thing, but there are differences between companies. Mercedes only uses the 1.5 diesel engine from Renault-Nissan for the CLA 180 d. The model has nothing to do with the Mégane nor Pulsar, because it’s a different car whereas the A3 is marketed as a luxury Golf/Octavia/Leon.

    1. @Cauiti – the Lexus CT is classified in the Alternative Power segment, but you’re not the first person to look for cars from that segment in other segments (Tesla Model S in Premium Limousine, Toyota Prius in Compact etc.), so I figured I’d add them for comparison purposes, though they will still not feed into the overall sales for the segment.

      What do you think, is this way of incorporating the info useful?

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