2017 June Sales: Optima and Forte Indicate a Counter-Trend Despite Industry-Wide Market Slump
2017 Kia Optima
Kia’s June 2017 sales report revealed that the manufacturer has sold a monthly total of 56,143 units. Year-to-date, Kia has sold 295,736 units. How does this compare with last year’s totals? June 2016 witnessed 62,572 units sold. 2017’s year-to-date total was 328,327 units.
With such core selling points like affordability, fuel efficiency, and safety, shouldn’t the Kia show higher sales numbers? The answer lies not in any flaws with its models, but rather in the universal force that impacts all car sales: the economy. The current marketing trend is an overall decline in auto sales, across all brands. USA Today articulates this year’s end of a two-year sales peak. When looking at the industry as a whole, the first six months of 2017 marked 2.1% lower sales than the first half of 2016. The month of June continued this slump, bringing in 3% less sales than June 2016.
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Changing consumer preferences seem to be playing a significant role in the type and size of cars people are buying during this industry low. Crossover sales have increased 1.4% the first half of this year, while mid-size cars dipped 2.2% in this same period. More consumers seem to be preferring crossovers to cars. USA News claims it’s because Baby Boomers want higher-sitting rides and Millennials with growing families gravitate toward the extra space.
Despite Kia’s low numbers for June, the top two selling cars were the Forte and Optima. June 2017 sold 11, 387 Forte models and 11, 252 Optima models. This time last year, more consumers were opting for the Sorento and the Soul. A second look at the year-to-date totals for 2016 show the top four models as the Soul, Optima, Sorento, and Forte. For 2017, the top four selling models year-to-date have been the Optima, Forte, Soul, and Sorento. So, although Kia’s overall sales are a bit lower than last year’s, Kia buyers seem to demonstrate a counter-trend of consumers that are buying smaller, more gas efficient cars.
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No matter what the market does in the second half of 2017 with overall car sales, there will always be cost-savvy individuals looking to maximize their finances by purchasing smaller rides that save them money at the pump. Kia’s reputable options like the Forte and Optima will be there to meet these needs, despite 2017’s current dip in sales.
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