Despite a 9.7 per cent sales decrease, the Hyundai Elantra secured a leading position among passenger cars and was placed in DesRosiers Automotive Consultants’ 2023 first quarter top 10 vehicles list.
Hyundai’s Elantra model took the lead over the popular Honda Civic, which was hit hard by semiconductor shortages and experienced a sales decline of 42.6 per cent, according to DAC.
“With an uneven recovery in supply visible across the automotive market, new light vehicle sales performance at the model level varied significantly in the first quarter of 2023,” said DAC in its update. “Large increases were contrasted against notable setbacks and even on the positive end the degree of success varied wildly.”
The Toyota Camry benefited from a 48.4 per cent sales increase, placing it in sixth position, while the Chevrolet Malibu (up 59.7 per cent) and Volkswagen Jetta (up 283.6 per cent) slotted eighth and ninth for the first quarter of 2023.
As for light trucks, DAC said the Ford F-Series remained on top with a 31.7 per cent sales increase, while the RAM Pickup series came in second. The Toyota RAV4 came in third with a large sales increase of 66.9 per cent. And the Kia Seltos, a “standout performer from a percentage gain perspective,” experienced a 101 per cent sales increase that placed the model in ninth position.
“Supply chain dynamics created some noticeable shifts in the top ten rankings,” said DAC Managing Partner Andrew King in a statement, adding that “availability at the model level has become a driving force for consumer behaviour.”
