Chevy Express Sales Decrease 19 Percent To 6,296 Units In December 2017

Chevrolet Express sales decreased in the United States and in Canada in December 2017.

Chevrolet Express Sales - December 2017 - United States

In the United States, Chevrolet Express deliveries totaled 6,296 units in December 2017, a decrease of about 19 percent compared to 7,763 units sold in December 2016.

During the complete 2017 calendar year, Express sales increased about 2 percent to 69,164 units.

Chevrolet Express Sales - December 2017 - Canada

In Canada, Chevrolet Express deliveries totaled 372 units in December 2017, a decrease of about 19 percent compared to 462 units sold in December 2016.

During the complete 2017 calendar year, Express sales increased about 18 percent to 4,925 units.

The GM Authority Take

Sales of the aging old but trusty Chevy Express family were roughly in line with the segment in December, taking second place behind the significantly more modern Ford Transit (see Ford Transit sales) in first, which sold nearly twice as many units as the Express did in December.

Third place went to the Ford E-Series (see Ford E-Series sales). which is available exclusively in the cutaway configuration, while the Ram ProMaster came in fourth (see Ram ProMaster sales). The Express’ twin – the GMC Savana – took fifth (see GMC Savana sales) while the Nissan NV rounded out the segment in sixth (and last) place.

It’s worth noting that the Transit and E-Series offerings of GM cross-town rival, Ford Motor Company, saw cumulative deliveries of 16,291 units, eating up roughly 55 percent of the segment during the month. Meanwhile, GM’s offerings – consisting of Chevy Express and GMC Savana sales – accounted for 8,250 units, or roughly a 28 percent share – significantly less than that of Ford.

Notably, all segment contenders saw sales decrease in December, which we attribute to fleet order timing. In addition, the sales figures make it astoundingly clear that the market is strongly favoring more modern models such as the Ford Transit and, to a certain extent, the Ram ProMaster, over older van offerings such as the Express and Savana. Even so, the fact that the Express (and Savana) can garner as many deliveries as it does is quite impressive, given that it is the oldest vehicle in the segment that has seen very few changes over the past two decades.

We attribute the Express’ sustained sales performance in the face much newer and more competitive offerings to the model being highly cost-effective to buy, operate and maintain. In addition, the Express enjoys a well-established market for up-fitters that prepare the vehicles for various commercial duties. We also believe that the 2.8L Duramax Turbo-Diesel LWN engine and 8-speed automatic transmission (M5U) that were introduced for the 2017 model year have generated increased interest in the model.

Sales Numbers - Full-Size Vans - December 2017 - United States

The full-size mainstream van segment, which includes passenger, cargo, and cutaway/chassis cab models, contracted 19 percent in December and about 2 percent for the entire 2017 calendar year.

About Chevrolet Express

The Chevrolet Express is a line of full-size vans offered in cargo, passenger, and cutaway configurations. It slots above the Chevrolet City Express compact van, which is currently sourced from Nissan.

The first-generation Express ran from the 1996-2002 model years and was based on the GMT 600 platform. In 2003, an updated model was launched on what is known as the GMT 610 platform. This updated model remains on sale today, albeit the range has undergone a few updates to powertrain and minor styling changes. The Express also has a GMC-badged twin – the GMC Savana.

It is currently unclear whether or when General Motors will overhaul the Express, which is showing its age. The 2018 model year will represent its 16^th year on the market.

The Chevrolet Express is built primarily at the GM Wentzville factory in Missouri operated by GM USA. In early 2017, Navistar began contract assembly of the Express cutaway in its factory in Ohio, as GM aims to boost the model’s production and supply.

About The Numbers

• All percent change figures compared to Chevrolet Express December 2016 sales
• In the United States, there were 26 selling days in December 2017 and 27 selling days in December 2016
• In Canada, there were 25 selling days in December 2017 and 27 selling days in December 2016
• Sales numbers for the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter are not available, since the company’s Vans division does not break out sales by model