mobile-menu-icon
GM Authority

Chevy Sonic Sales Decrease 66 Percent To 1,576 Units In October 2017

Chevrolet Sonic sales decreased in the United States and increased in Canada in October 2017.

Chevrolet Sonic Sales - October 2017 - United States

In the United States, Chevrolet Sonic deliveries totaled 1,576 units in October 2017, a decrease of about 66 percent compared to 4,689 units sold in October 2016.

In the first ten months of the year, Sonic sales decreased about 44 percent to 25,623 units.
MODEL OCT 2017 / OCT 2016 OCTOBER 2017 OCTOBER 2016YTD 2017 / YTD 2016 YTD 2017 YTD 2016
SONIC -66.39% 1,576 4,689 -44.05% 25,623 45,798

Chevrolet Sonic Sales - October 2017 - Canada

In Canada, Chevrolet Sonic deliveries totaled 336 units in October 2017, an increase of about 145 percent compared to 137 units sold in October 2016.

In the first ten months of the year, Sonic sales increased about 5 percent to 3,845 units.
MODEL OCT 2017 / OCT 2016 OCTOBER 2017 OCTOBER 2016YTD 2017 / YTD 2016 YTD 2017 YTD 2016
SONIC +145.26% 336 137 +4.60% 3,845 3,676

The GM Authority Take

The Sonic had one terrible October in the face of a terribly underperforming year. The October sales performance puts it squarely in last place in its segment by sales volume, behind the Nissan Versa in first, Hyundai Accent in second, Ford Fiesta in third (see Ford Fiesta sales), Honda Fit in fourth and the Toyota Yaris in fifth. The Mitsubishi Mirage and Kia Rio brought up the sixth and seventh places, respectively, and the Sonic slotted into last at eighth. In fact, the Sonic experienced the biggest sales volume drop in its segment, despite having quite a good start when it launched back in the 2011/2012 calendar year.

Despite there being a significant amount of noise from the press about the subcompact car space being are a dead-end segment thanks to the ongoing shift in consumer buying dynamics that favors crossover utility vehicles (CUVs) over passenger cars, the numbers suggest quite the opposite to be the case. In fact, four of the segment’s eight contenders posted sales upticks during October.

We attribute the Sonic’s notably steep sales slump to the following factors:

  1. The lack of marketing support by GM/Chevrolet for what is still a rather new nameplate in the segment
  2. Lack of motivation for dealers to move the current model from GM
  3. GM’s pursuit to decrease sales to daily rental fleets, a customer segment that was popular for the Sonic
  4. A good product that appears to have lost its competitive edge with the 2017 facelift; prior to the update, the Sonic enjoyed a unique position in its segment due to its unique headlamps and character

As such, the segment is not to blame for the Sonic’s sales cliff dive, but rather GM’s poor execution of various strategic factors related to product, sales and go-to-market activities the model.

Sales Numbers - Subcompact Mainstream Cars - October 2017 - United States

MODEL OCT 17 / OCT 16 OCTOBER 17 OCTOBER 16 YTD 17 / YTD 16 YTD 17 YTD 16
VERSA +7.24% 9,556 8,911 -19.93% 92,373 115,366
ACCENT -15.59% 5,485 6,498 -27.03% 50,126 68,698
FIESTA +1.09% 3,418 3,381 -6.24% 39,557 42,188
FIT -31.65% 3,172 4,641 -9.76% 43,221 47,896
YARIS +38.10% 2,878 2,084 +18.38% 39,518 33,383
MIRAGE +18.74% 1,768 1,489 +4.76% 20,155 19,239
RIO -9.26% 1,657 1,826 -47.64% 13,609 25,991
SONIC -66.39% 1,576 4,689 -44.05% 25,623 45,798
TOTAL -11.96% 29,510 33,519 -18.66% 324,182 398,559

Sales of the mainstream subcompact car segment fell 12 percent in October and 19 percent in the first ten months of 2017.

About Chevrolet Sonic

2017 Chevrolet Sonic Hatchback exterior - 2016 New York International Auto Show Live 003

The Chevrolet Sonic is a subcompact family of vehicles that include a four-door sedan and five-door hatchback. Having replaced the Aveo in the Chevrolet lineup, the Sonic is currently Chevrolet’s second-smallest car, slotting above the Chevrolet Spark city car but below the compact Chevrolet Cruze, midsize Chevrolet Malibu and full-size Chevrolet Impala.

The current model was introduced for the 2012 model year and represents the first generation of the Sonic nameplate. The model rides on the GM Gamma platform shared with the Chevrolet Trax and Buick Encore.

The 2018 Chevy Sonic represents the sixth model year of the first-generation Sonic. The model was given a midcycle refresh for the 2017 model year. The vehicle remains highly competitive in its segment and the 2018 model year brings a handful of changes, including a new exterior color, a change to the Sun and Sound Package, and the standardization of the seven-inch diagonal color touchscreen.

For the U.S. and Canadian markets, the 2018 Chevy Sonic sedan and hatchback are assembled by GM U.S.A. at the GM Lake Orion plant in Orion Township, Michigan, USA.

About The Numbers

  • All percent change figures compared to Chevrolet Sonic October 2016 sales
  • In the United States, there were 25 selling days in October 2017 and 26 selling days in October 2016
  • In Canada, there were 24 selling days in October 2017 and 25 selling days in October 2016

Related Sales Reporting

GM Authority Executive Editor with a passion for business strategy and fast cars.

Subscribe to GM Authority

For around-the-clock GM news coverage

We'll send you one email per day with the latest GM news. It's totally free.

Comments

  1. Seems to be a crowded segment and the sonic has not distinguished itself from others. Do think the problem may be the lack of options on lower trims. It appears a lot of automakers are putting most safety features in lower trims

    Reply
    1. The segment has some contenders, but not as many as the next one up (C segment/compact segment). Check out the competition in that segment:

      http://gmauthority.com/blog/2017/11/chevrolet-cruze-sales-numbers-figures-results-october-2017/

      The C segment is a highly competitive segment, and Chevy is at least competing with the Cruze. In this one, Chevy is utterly failing.

      That said, the Sonic is the oldest vehicle in its class (tied with the Fiesta if I’m not mistaken)… as you mention, the options packages need to be restructured and the model needs to distinguish itself in the marketplace, something that I believe the pre-facelift model did really well but the post-facelifted model is not doing.

      Reply
  2. I think one of the big things not mentioned here is that GM is one of only four automakers in the Mainstream Subcompact Crossover segment, and it has two offerings (Encore & Trax). For those looking at a compact GM vehicle, the small price increase from a subcompact sedan to a subcompact CUV is worth it when you can get a much better vehicle.

    Reply
    1. Nice try but the Sonic starts at $15K the Trax at $21K.

      Reply
  3. The Sonic is really ugly.

    Reply
  4. This is a very old car, its based philosophically at least, on the ancient Daewoo Aveo from 18 years ago. A Spark is really a better more modern car for a lower price, and the 1.4L turbo Cruze only costs a few k more but is larger and uses more fuel. And neither are as plain ugly.

    Reply
  5. This is a very old car, its based philosophically at least, on the ancient Daewoo Aveo from 18 years ago. A Spark is really a better more modern car for a lower price, and the 1.4L turbo Cruze only costs a few k more but is larger and uses less fuel. And neither are as plain ugly.

    Reply

Leave a comment

Cancel