Sales of Large Cargo Vans in the US rose by 28% in Q1 2016 to 86,460 vehicles, considerably faster than the 11% rate of growth recorded by the Small Cargo Van segment. While most models in the segment gained sales over this period, the standout remains the Ford Transit, which now accounts for 40% of the market.
Highlights in Q1 2016:
- Sales of Ford Transit rose by 57% compared to Q1 2015, easily setting a new quarterly high watermark at 36,022 units, and more than offsetting the 9% drop in sales of the ancient Ford E-series
- Chevy Express saw its sales rise by 29%, allowing it to take second place from the E-series, though it is clear that if the company wants to properly compete in this segment it needs to bring a new, modern car to the market quickly, especially as the sister GMC Savana model lost 22% of its sales
- Sales of Ram ProMaster were up by 51%, a performance almost as good as that of the Ford Transit which put the model well clear of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (sales up 12%), the car once sold as the Ram Sprinter
- Nissan NV saw its sales rise by a decent 22%, helping it jump over GMC Savana and out of last place, which is now occupied by a newcomer: the mid-sized Mercedes-Benz Metris