it's very strange. hyundai sold 8000+ sonatas in Jan, but only 4000 something in Feb.

maybe because hyundai sold almost all of their leftover 08 models with huge rebates(it was like $4000) in january?

anyway it's an outgoing model and i think new 2010 sonata(supposedly coming this fall) will sell alot more than last gen. i fully expect a genesis minime.

 

My 09 Sonata V-6 Limited has been a unyielding surprise since I got it in May... EXCELLENT car. If Hyundai had some added features on their cars I would have strongly considered for next ride(s)...

 

Yes, the Sonata is a amazing transportation value. I helped a young relative negotiate a cash deal on a 08 Sonata 4 cylinder, a great/reliable first car. He is very happy with the car.

 

the auto industry will certainly never be the same, and we haven't even got to the next wave, the chinese cars which will cause the 'traditional' brands MAJOR problems.

 

\

yEAh, I dont understand this.
the new mazda 6 and sonata are two good cars.
why sell in a low volume ~~

 

Via Autoblog

 

the lexus gs has proven it's a dismal failure with sales this past month (and others) a fraction of competing 'sports sedans'.

the gs does nothing well. it's not very sporty. it's not very functional. it's huge but not roomy. it has a sterile interior. it looks bulky or disproportionate in some angles. it is overall a failure.

i'm sad to say this after the 2GS brought so much excitement to the brand.

lexus, u need to do better.

if they want to make it this 'stylish' vehicle without much sport they might consider doing a venza-like exercise for the next gen.

 

funny thing is both the LS and IS do pretty good job with the new design, i have no idea why the GS is so disappointing. to me reliability and gas mileage and power are the reasons we got the car. styling isn't my fav, features are so-so, spacing is a big complaint.

maybe they can pull in the redesign sooner

 

You mean interior space, especially the rear seat space right ?
I suppose you pick it over the IS350 because rear seat space is still better in the GS350 ? Otherwise, IMO, there is absolutely no other reason to pick the GS350 over the IS350. I personally will pick the IS350 over the GS350 in a second unless there will be passengers at the back often ......
I don't think they will introduce the redesign sooner though, Lexus usually don't care as much with their low volume models, & the GS has always been their lowest volume sedan model, although I think it will be soon enough if it comes Spring of 2011(a six-year cycle), that's only 2 years away, unless they want to drag it longer like they did with the 2GS (7 1/2 years right ?)

 

yup, the rear space of gs350 is small, but still usable. i wouldn't really call the 2is rear usable, i almost died sitting in there. but also the front room the 2is is a bit small (side wise) imho. and of course there is a the image issue, the 2is is too "young" for our likings. but that's on a personal preference level

 

I can relate to being "older". I don't view the IS as being too youthful, I find it's styling to be somewhat conservative.

I agree that IS is more like a 4 door 2+2, which is exactly how I use it.

What's impressive in these February sales numbers (at least to me) are the sales of C-classes, 3-series and 5-series cars, at least when looking at Lexus competition during a recession.

 

C- classes, reminds me the situation when this generation IS first went on sale. It's just because it's a new design.

3-series, ---yes, IS do needs more variants to compete directly/fiercely with 3-series.. hopefully in the next gen..

5-series, I have already made my point, the next gen GS should not be degined like this gen.. It should be desgined to directly compete with 5-series.
roll out more engine selections..It's a huge market..especially worldwide..

 

C-class might have a little more going for it than "flavor of the month" sales spike IMHO, now that it's been out for 18 months. Agreed it's a new design, but it's Mercedes best design in recent history.

I agree, looking at the success of the 5-series deserves some serious study.

 

I certainly can't argue that this gen GS is anything other than an afterthought. In the GS competitive class, it just doesn't compete on almost any level other than reliability IMO.

LS sold 700 units while the S class still sold 985. Might be more the target customer than the vehicle but a 62% decline in LS sales vs 35% drop for the S class is not a terribly good sign. Seems like the mags are not naming any Toyota or Lexus as the winner in any segment anymore. In the last couple of months the auto mags have run a fair amount of ten best in class or 40 most significant and while Toyota has never been too interested in these awards, they have done pretty well. Now it is rare to see any Lexus make these lists.

Still not so convinced that if house prices firm that people won't run right back out but just like corporate jets, there are actually people who feel it is just too showy to drive luxo. Not here of course, but the articles on the political incorrectness in conspicuous consumption showing up the luxo brand sales would be hard to ignore. And that may explain why the S is holding up. The average S buyer might not be so fickle where the LS buyer might actually buy into it.

Once again, thanks for the data. Amazing. And Ford better count what's in the piggy bank if they keep this up.

 

Not sure about reading too much into month-by-month data, after all in January the LS sold 904 and the S sold 516; there was a reverse this month but the margin is closer.

As for the magazines, I do see a trend against Lexus being given the top spots, but at the same time this may relate to a shift in magazine attitudes; as the publishing industry wanes, print media is left to cater to increasingly specialized niche markets, along with a new crop of young writers, and part of that is a move towards emphasizing sportiness in reviews, which is not Lexus' strength. There is some of this happening in the market overall, but frankly I don't think the average luxury buyer targeted by Lexus/MB cares what some anonymous writer in C&D's or similar car review guide says; if they do listen to 'expert' viewpoints it will most likely be those that are less short-term opinionated and more concerned with long-term ownership data and an established, consistent set of reviewing standards.

Also, Lexus is no longer the upstart, it is an established brand, and is now judged against others, rather than treated as a novel make...expectations are higher. Outside of the first LS 400, 10 Best lists have tended to favor BMW/Honda/Infiniti (latter moreso lately), and before that the 1SC/2GS come to mind as the only Lexus entrants. Still, Lexus has been winning awards in other long-running tests, most recently the LS460 as Consumer Reports' best overall car, and highest scorer overall for two years running. There is room for improvement, but from a sales perspective I believe that Lexus' position remains relatively good in terms of the vehicle lineup--with the LS, LX, RX, and IS well regarded, the ES continuing to cater to a loyal conservative clientele, while the SC, GX, and GS are in need of updating in varying degrees of urgency.