Remember when Ford said that end car production Supporting SUVs? To be fair, General Motors is doing the same thing with its brands, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has long lacked a small, cheap option for buyers (except the special Fiat 500). Looking at the sales figures for the first half of 2024, we wonder how the executives in Detroit feel about the decision. Small cars aren’t dead, folks. Far from it.
Let's start with Nissan. That Center is on a roll in the best way possible. It has sold 89,028 units in the first half of this year, up 55 percent from 2023. It is the second-best-selling model in Nissan's lineup, beating out many SUVs. If it continues at this pace, it could reach 180,000 units by the end of December. That would easily put it among the top 20 best-selling vehicles in the U.S. And don't overlook the On the contraryThe cheapest new car in America is up 61 percent so far this year.
The cars that have entered the top 20 are Honda Civicand its popularity continues to grow. Sales are up 38 percent through June, with a total of 129,788 vehicles. Like the Sentra, it is the number two car in Honda's lineup, easily outselling subcompact cars. HRV-A. And don't forget, the Civic was up nearly 50 percent last year. If that rate continues, the Civic could be among the top 10 best-selling products by 2024.
We suspect Toyota Corolla will reach that target. Last year, the Corolla was in 12th place, but Corolla sales are up 25 percent so far in 2024. That's 121,991 vehicles, and to be clear, that number doesn't include Corolla Cross. In fact, Corolla sales are more than double those of SUVs. And it's not just Japanese brands that are enjoying strong small-car sales. Kia Forte up 13 percent with 70,473 units sold so far.
| Model | 2024 Sales (To Date) | Percentage Increase |
| Honda Civic | 129,788 people | +38% |
| Kia Forte | 70,474 people | +13% |
| Nissan Sentra | 89,028 | +55% |
| Nissan Versa | 17,812 | +61% |
| Toyota Corolla | 121,991 people | +25% |
To be clear, SUVs are still very much alive. They have long since replaced sedans as the vehicle of choice. But the five small sedans and hatchbacks mentioned here have now sold nearly half a million units, and this year is only half that. That’s a significant group of buyers that can’t be ignored. We wonder how long it will be before the Detroit brands realize that.
