The Blaze - A Glenn Beck Publication
Glenn Beck added the pictorials to the 24/7 Wall St article. Both are given credit below. Only two are GM product and neither is a sedan.
Here are the cars with the highest sales growth as researched and compiled by 24/7 Wall St.:
10. Jeep WranglerPct. change: +60.3 percent
# of units sold in the last year: 116,599
Miles per gallon: 17 city/21 hwy
Base price: $22,045
JD Powers Quality Score: 2.5/5
JD Powers Reliability Score: 2.5/5
The Wrangler is as close to the iconic WWII Jeep as Chrysler gets. The car has survived a long list of owners that dates back to America Motors in the 1970s through Daimler Chrysler all the way to the “new” Chrysler, which went through a pre-packaged bankruptcy.
Unlike the top-of-the-line Grand Cherokee, the Wrangler is relatively inexpensive. Chrysler added a number of features to the base model, including special sound and electronics packages.
9. Hyundai ElantraPct. change: +60.4 percent
# of units sold in the last year: 162,153
Miles per gallon: 29 city/40 hwy
Base price: $16,446
JD Powers Quality Score: 3/5
JD Powers Reliability Score: 3/5
The Elantra is one of the vehicles at the heart of the Hyundai/Kia invasion of the U.S. Both nameplates are part of Hyundai, one of South Korea’s largest companies. Its targets are the popular Honda Civic and the Toyota Corolla, which are among the best selling cars in America. Based on the Elantra’s sales record over the last five years, it has been successful in making inroads against the segment’s leaders.
8. Subaru LegacyPct. change: +63.8 percent
# of units sold in the last year: 16,325
Miles per gallon: 19 city/27 hwy
Base price: $19,995
JD Powers Quality Score: 4.5/5
JD Powers Reliability Score: 3.5/5
When considering the multi-decade growth of Japanese car companies such as Toyota, Honda, and Nissan, Subaru’s place among them is often lost. Nevertheless, Subaru has held a special place in the American market since it was introduced in 1968.
It is the only Japanese manufacturer where the models are exclusively all-wheel drive. The Legacy is Subaru’s mid-priced car—more expensive than the Impreza base model and less expensive than the company’s SUVs and wagons. The model has seven versions, with the highest priced 36R Limited at almost $29,000.
7. Ford EscapePct. change: +68.8 percent
# of units sold in the last year: 94,120
Miles per gallon: 20 city/27 hwy
Base price: $21,440
JD Powers Quality Score: 2/5
JD Powers Reliability Score: 3.5/5
The Escape is Ford’s entry level SUV. It is aimed at fuel-price conscious drivers and has a hybrid model priced at just over $30,000. The light truck runs on the 2.5L Duratec I-4 engine, a four cylinder version of one of Ford’s base engine designs. The Escape competes with the Toyota RAV4 and Chevrolet Equinox.
6. Chevrolet EquinoxPct. change: +74.2 percent
# of units sold in the last year: 84,495
Miles per gallon: 17 city/24 hwy
Base price: $23,450
JD Powers Quality Score: 3/5
JD Powers Reliability Score: 3/5
The presence of both the Equinox and Escape on this list is a testament to the change in America’s taste in SUVs. The oversized Mountaineers and Suburbans are not nearly as popular as they were a decade ago. A lack of growth in real household income and high gas prices has probably caused the change. The base Equinox engine is a four-cylinder similar to the Escape’s.
5. Ford Fusionpct. Change: +75.1 percent
# of units sold in the last year: 100,621
Miles per gallon: 17 city/25 hwy
Base price: $20,200
JD Powers Quality Score: 3.5/5
JD Powers Reliability Score: 4/5
The Fusion is Ford’s mid-priced four-door sedan. It is part of the engineering renaissance that begun at the company in 2006 by new CEO Alan Mulally. The model was the first Ford to carry the company’s “new face” of three vertical bars on the grille. The car has been received well by the public and the automotive press.
The Fusion was named Motor Trend Car of the Year in 2010. The hybrid version received the North American Car of the Year Award. The Fusions is now one of the top 10 selling cars in the U.S.
4. Subaru Outbackpct. Change: +77.9 percent
# of units sold in the last year: 44,559
Miles per gallon: 19 city/27 hwy
Base price: $23,295
JD Powers Quality Score: 4.5/5
JD Powers Reliability Score: 2.5/5
Remarkably, Subaru has another vehicle on the list while Toyota and Honda have none. The Outback is the company’s flagship SUV. It is another example of the demand for light trucks with substantial seating and cargo capacity combined with low sticker prices and small engines.
The base boxer engine has four cylinders. Subaru offers six models of the Outback with increasing options. The highest-priced versions sell for almost $32,000, still a relatively low price compared to many similar U.S. SUVs.
3. Kia Optimapct. Change: +93.8 percent
# of units sold in the last year: 33,336
Miles per gallon: 22 city/34 hwy
Base price: $19,500
JD Powers Quality Score: 3.5/5
JD Powers Reliability Score: 2.5/5
The South Korean nameplates Hyundai and Kia had virtually no market share in the U.S. five years ago. In October, Kia’s share had risen to 3.7 percent and Hyundai’s to 5.1 percent. The Optima is Kia’s mid-sized, low-priced four-door vehicle, which puts it in one of the most competitive segments of the market.
The Optima’s success is another example of how new models created by U.S. manufacturers GM, Ford, and Chrysler, along with cars imported from Korea, have been able to effectively compete in a segment controlled for 20 years by Japanese manufacturers. The Optima runs a four-cylinder engine for fuel efficiency.
2. Cadillac SRXpct. Change: +150.7 percent
# of units sold in the last year: 32,936
Miles per gallon: 17 city/24 hwy
Base price: $35,185
JD Powers Quality Score: 2.5/5
JD Powers Reliability Score: 3.5/5
The SRX is the only luxury car on this list. It is an indication of how far Cadillac has come as a viable competitor to automakers that dominated this segment of market such as Lexus, Mercedes, BMW, and Acura. The model is part of the “re-launch” of Cadillac. The re-launch includes Cadillac’s CTS mid-sized performance sedan, Escalade Hybrid, and STS full-sized sedan. The SUV is an example of how GM has been able to produce six-cylinder engines that have high horsepower but reasonable fuel economy. The SRX base engine produces 265 HP. It is combined with an all-wheel drive transmission.
1. Kia Sorento:pct. Change: +160.4 percent
# of units sold in the last year: 79,659
Miles per gallon: 22 city/32 hwy
Base price: $23,150
JD Powers Quality Score: 3/5
JD Powers Reliability Score: 2.5/5
The vehicle with the largest improvement in sales over the last five years is another South Korean product. The Sorento is a small, inexpensive SUV. The base model has a four-cylinder engine, although a six cylinder is available as well. Like many other successful small SUVs, the Sorento can seat five and has a modest towing capacity of 1,650 pounds. It is a nearly perfect car for the current market. Made by a new generation of companies that have invaded the U.S. market, it is inexpensive, underpowered, and carries people and cargo equally well.
(Douglas A. McIntyre/Becket Adams—24/7 Wall St./The Blaze)
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