It is September 1 and automakers have begun releasing their August 2009 auto sales figures throughout the day. While growth was expected from Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Subaru, Toyota, and Volkswagen all posted year-over-year increases. The Cash for Clunkers program has ended but the effects of the program are evident in today’s auto sales figures.

Domestic Automakers

Ford was the only one of the Detroit 3 to post an increase in sales. Ford’s year-over-year August sales were up by 17.2%. The fuel-efficient Ford Focus was one of the best selling Cash for Clunkers vehicles and several model years of the Ford Explorer were one of the most traded in vehicles. It looks like Ford’s customer loyalty paid off and helped put the company in the black for a second month in a row.

Despite the success of the Cash for Clunkers program, both General Motors and Chrysler posted sales declines. Chrysler sales were down by 15.4%. This is an increase from the 9.4% decline seen in July 2009. General Motors August 2009 sales were down by 20.1%, again an increase from July 2009 (-19.4% sales growth).

Imports

The Cash for Clunkers program was good for American Honda and Toyota. American Honda, with a bevy of fuel-efficient vehicles to choose from, posted a 9.9% increase in sales in August 2009. Toyota’s sales were up 6.4%.

Other non-domestic automakers that posted increases in August 2009 include:

• Hyundai – 52.1%
• Mazda – 12.1%
• Subaru – 51.5%
• Volkswagen – 14.2%

While hybrid vehicles weren’t a requirement during the Cash for Clunkers program, it will be interesting to see how the government-run auto stimulus plan helped hybrid sales. Check back tomorrow for the August 2009 hybrid auto sales figures.

Subscribe

Filed Under: General

If you enjoyed reading this article... Subscribe to Our Feed