USA: car sales in 2023 recover and reach 15.5 million vehicles

The sales of automobiles in USA recovered in 2023 and reached around 15.5 million vehicles, 13% more than in 2022, thanks to manufacturers such as General Motors (GM) They experienced increases in demand of 14%.

GM indicated this Wednesday that in 2023 it delivered 2,594,698 vehicles in the United States, a 14.1% more than the previous year, despite the six-week strike that paralyzed some of its main factories in the last quarter of the year.

Even with the stoppages, which reduced vehicle production not only at GM but also at Ford and Stellantis, analysts pointed out that in view of the figures released this Wednesday, sales in the US market were close to 15 .5 million units in 2023.

The final figures will be known after Ford and Stellantis, traditionally the second and third US automakers respectively by production volume, publish their sales figures in the coming hours.

While waiting for Ford’s figures, Toyota can snatch second place from the American manufacturer since the Japanese company said this Wednesday that its sales increased by 6.6% and stood at 2,248,477 vehicles.

Toyota attributed its growth to strong demand for electric and hybrid vehicles in the U.S. market.

According to the largest Japanese manufacturer, in 2023 the 29.2% of its sales in the US were electrified vehicles (hybrid or electric) and announced that in 2024 it will add more models of this type “to satisfy the strong demand.”

Another manufacturer that can climb the ladder in the United States is the South Korean conglomerate formed by Hyundai and Kia.

Combined, Hyudai-Kia sold 1,583,646 vehicles in the US market last year, a record number in its history that could catapult them ahead of Stellantis.

Hyundai sold 801,195 cars, a eleven% more than in 2022. Kia surpassed the increase with 782,451 vehicles, a 13% more than the previous year. In both cases, the figures were historical highs.

For its part, the Honda group (made up of the Honda and Acura brands) indicated that its sales increased by 33% in 2023 with the sale of 1,308,186 vehicles.

Another Japanese manufacturer, the Nissan group (which markets the Nissan and Infiniti brands) also enjoyed a strong increase in sales last year, a 23.2%, with the delivery of 898,796 vehicles.

The chief economist of Cox Automotive, one of the main analysis firms in the sector, Jonathan Smoke, pointed out this Wednesday that in view of the results in 2023, the US market will return to normal in 2024.

The president of GM in North America, Marissa West, expressed the same sense, who expects that in 2024 sales in the sector will maintain their strength. GM estimates that in 2024 sales in the sector will reach 16 million vehicles.

For his part, Smoke said in a statement that “The past four years have been chaotic, even by automotive industry standards.”with historic appreciations in the value of vehicles, unprecedented supply chain declines and sudden extreme swings in interest rates.

The Cox Automotive analyst anticipated that in 2024, vehicle production will increase, incentives for their sale and discounts will grow, so prices will be reduced, although only moderately.