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Buick Cascada Sales Decrease 32% To 1,374 Units In Q2 2018

Buick Cascada Sales - Q2 2018 - United States

In the United States, Buick Cascada deliveries totaled 1,374 units in Q2 2018, a decrease of about 32 percent compared to 2,013 units sold in Q2 2017.

In the first six months of the year, Cascada sales decreased about 34 percent to 2,292 units.
MODEL Q2 2018 / Q2 2017 Q2 2018 Q2 2017YTD 2018 / YTD 2017 YTD 2018 YTD 2017
CASCADA -31.74% 1,374 2,013 -33.66% 2,292 3,455

2017 Buick Cascada Sport Touring Sport Red exterior live at 2016 LA Auto Show 005

The GM Authority Take

We attribute the ongoing decline in Buick Cascada sales volume to the following factors:

  1. Potential vehicle issues, such as the model’s outdated in-vehicle technology department
  2. The potential saturation of the market for non-luxury convertibles, a segment that includes a redesigned Mazda MX-5 Miata, Fiat 124 Spider and Audi A3 Convertible
  3. The ongoing shift in consumer purchase patterns that favors CUVs and SUVs over other vehicle types like sedans, coupes and convertibles

Nevertheless, adding the Cascada to the Buick lineup was meant to fill “white space” to change the brand’s perception while also attracting new-to-brand customers. Figures released by Buick in 2017 state that the Cascada has been successful in doing exactly that, with nearly 70 percent of Cascada customers being new to GM.

We expect Cascada sales to continue decreasing in the coming quarters as long as the crossover craze persists, Buick doesn’t offer significantly attractive incentives on the Cascada, or update the model with new in-vehicle technology.

2017 Buick Cascada Sport Touring Sport Red interior 002

About Buick Cascada

The Buick Cascada is a compact convertible. The current, first-generation Cascada was introduced for the 2016 model year. Essentially a rebadged Opel/Vauxhall Cascada, the vehicle is based on a variant of the GM Delta II platform shared with the Opel Astra and first-generation Chevrolet CruzeChevrolet Volt and Opel Astra J.

For the 2018 model year, the Cascada received three new exterior colors, two new convertible top colors and expanded availability of the Dark Effects Package. For the 2019 model year, The Cascada gets two changes: the removal of the Carrageen Metallic exterior color and newfound ability to get the Sport Red exterior color without getting the Dark Effects Package. In addition, the Light Neutral seats with Jet Black accents become newly available with the Sport Red exterior color.

For the 2019 model year, the Cascada lost the Carrageen Metallic exterior color and made the Sport Red exterior color available without the Dark Effects Package or the Light Neutral seats with Jet Black accents interior color combination.

The Buick Cascada is built exclusively at the GM-Opel Gliwice, Poland factory initially owned by GM/Opel Europe but now operated by PSA Groupe as a result of GM selling Opel and Vauxhall in 2017.

About The Numbers

  • All percent change figures compared to Buick Cascada Q2 2017 sales
  • In the United States, there were 77 selling days in Q2 2018 and 77 selling days in Q2 2017

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Comments

  1. If Buick plans on keeping the Cascada, it definitely needs the Avenir touch of refinement to it’s general appearance and more performance in the form of a 250 hp LTG 2.0L DOHC-4v 4-cyl turbo which would help offset the Cascada being a bit overweight at 3,979 lbs (and heavier than the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox).

    Reply
  2. Direct to you from Poland . Instead of changing out the center stack and it’s massive amount of buttons to push and tiny smart ? display and anemic engine , by golly GM has the makings of a fair product . The question really is why mess with mediocrity when the cost of improvements is just too much , right ?

    Reply
  3. I agree with the above comments. The issue here is the dashboard cheapness

    Even Faux wood trim would be better than “Plastic Techo”

    Reply
    1. So if they are not buying the Cascada based on the supposed “dashboard cheapness”, what are they buying?

      Footnote: I personally don’t subscribe to the notion that the Cascada’s dashboard is negatively impacting sales. Ask current owners – they love their cars.

      Reply
  4. In photos, the rounded nose and high beltline make it look stubby to me. I presume it’s better in real life from a normal angle, but a convertible is all about style.

    It would be interesting to see which convertibles do sell well and which don’t (and which are profitable or just halos).

    Reply
    1. Reply
  5. According to carsalesbase.com, in Europe the Cascada sold 3.563 units in 2017.

    In 2016: 4.279 units
    2015 4.428
    2014 5.910
    2013 5.842
    introduced in 2012

    Reply
  6. I own a Cascada and love it. Never had a problem with power, and for me the additional chassis stiffness is well worth the extra weight. The slick German-engineered top is equal to any on the market today. As for the dash buttons, I find they are less distracting than trying to focus on a screen while driving. I’ve received many positive comments on my Cascada, top up or down. For those of us who love open air driving, this is the only 4 passenger mid-priced option in the US today.

    Reply
  7. I’m shocked shocked that Buick’s all-show-no-go convertable for geezers isn’t selling well.

    Reply
  8. Just do the update..

    Reply
  9. My Cascada S with 200HP and manual 6-speed gearbox is the perfect convertible. Here in Europe / Germany / Bavaria / ZIP93055 Regensburg, the Cascada is often bought and driven by women. Often with 20-inch wheels, but only about 140HP and manual 6-speed transmission. The colors are varied colorful. You can see immediately that the women like to drive the Cascada. A very nice elegant convertible for a reasonable purchase price.

    See https://www.opel.de/fahrzeuge/cascada/uebersicht.html

    Reply
    1. The 6-speed manual is not available in the USA. That would have been my choice if I had that option. Unfortunate ly, we are also denied a selection of engines. (200 HP only). I have owned several GM convertibles and the Cascada is the most well built of them all. I enjoy driving it and would definitely buy another.

      Reply
  10. The 6-speed manual is not available in the USA. That would have been my choice if I had that option. Unfortunately, we are also denied a selection of engines (200 HP only). I have owned several GM convertibles and the Cascada is the most well built of them all. I enjoy driving it and would definitely buy another.

    Reply
  11. Why is FWD necessary on a car that never sees winter roads? And how is 200hp enough to make a summer car fun to drive? What is the purpose of an underpowered FWD convertable?

    I’ve never seen one of these on the road and I cannot imagine who would buy one. The Camaro convertable features one of the best chassis in the world and GM decides to give Buick a Cruze platform to chop up for convertable duty, lol!

    Reply
    1. The Cascada is not the same kind of convertible as the Camaro, and even so it’s still fun to drive, front-drive chassis and 200 hp motor. Ever driven a Golf GTI? It’s the same formula, and is very fun still.

      More importantly, let’s remember how the Cascada started: as an Opel. Any units sold in the U.S. are pure gravy train profit.

      The point is that GM could offer a wide gamut of products like three convertibles (Cascada, Camaro, Corvette) this thanks to its previous global reach via Opel. Now that that’s gone, I’m sure the likes of Buick will become more boring still.

      PS: the Cascada has the highest conquest ratings and the highest satisfaction ratings of any “mainstream” convertible model. Those are very solid figures that the Camaro has not delivered, despite more engine and a superior rear-drive platform.

      Reply
      1. The GTI has a 2.0T with 220hp and 258 lb-ft torque, does 0-60 in 6 seconds, and handles like a GTI.

        The Cascada has a 1.6T optimistically rated at 200 hp and 221 lb-ft torque, does 0-60 in 8.3 seconds, and handles like a Buick.

        One is fun to drive. One accelerates and handles like a spongy Chevy Cruze. It’s got a little more power than the Cruze but it’s a lot heavier so it reaches 60 mph a little slower than the Cruze. Ridiculously underpowered for the price.

        As for customer ratings, it’s a Buick so anyone who’s bought one has low expectations and doesn’t value performance or handling. There may be enough of these rubes to keep the Cascada selling just enough to stay profitable but there’s not enough for it to thrive.

        It’s such a shame because GM has an appropriate engine: the 2.0T LTG. It would still suffer from a bad chassis but the bean counters wanted a cheap to produce car they could con buyers into buying at a premium price.

        Reply
    2. Clearly the main selling feature is that it is a convertible, and that it’s the only mid-priced 4 seat convertible currently available in the US market (Mustang and Camaro back seats are not really functional). So the convertible attributes are the selling ponts. The slick operating top is fully insulated and seals tightly when up, very little wind buffeting when the top is down, rigid structure with no cowl shake. I’ve owned F-bodies and this isn’t the same kind of car at all. You don’t see many in the rust belt, but in Florida you can go to most dealers and pick whatever color you want, same for So Cal. Those who aren’t convertible fans probably won’t get it.

      Reply
      1. The Cascada does not have a rigid structure:

        “The bad news is serious cowl shake, so severe as to be revealed by high-frequency side-to-side motion of the back-seat headrests in the rearview mirror while driving over even modest pavement imperfections…This is the result of amputating the roof without sufficiently reinforcing the foundation to maintain torsional stiffness…the quaking body structure, total lack of steering feel, and heavy understeer at the limit of grip discourage enthusiastic driving.”

        https://www.caranddriver.com/buick/cascada

        Reply
        1. The company says that the body structure HAS been reinforced, this car being a convertible without the self-stabilizing integral body of a normal passenger car. I found this on the web showing some of the elements: https://www.boronextrication.com/2014/03/19/2014-opel-cascada-body-structure/

          I remember having read more when the car came out, but I can’t located so fast. And my time is short…

          This other site https://supplierinsight.ihsmarkit.com/news/23156/suppliers-to-the-new-opel-cascada also says:
          »
          Body stiffness was a key requirement when designing the Cascada and several measure were taken to ensure an optimal balance between torsional and bending stiffness. the new model features cross steel bars in the underbody and reinforced side sills. As well as a reduction in noise, vibration and harshness, the Cascada’s body is also 41 percent stiffer in torsion and 27 stiffer in bending when compared to Opel’s previous generation convertible.
          «

          Reply
          1. O7, enjoyed reading your comments. I currently own vintage GM B and E-body convertibles and have owned others in the the past. The Cascada is stiffer than all the other convertibles by far. I don’t drive to test performance limits, but in my experience and after a year of ownership, it has exceeded all NVH expectations.

            Reply
            1. Wayne, have you driven any modern convertibles or only vintage ones? Because modern convertibles like the current Camaro are vastly stiffer than the convertibles from 20 years ago.

              If you’re comparing the Cascada’s stiffness to other modern convertibles, then I’d wonder about the test sample Car and Driver reviewed. Sometimes they get pre-production cars, though that article didn’t say that’s what it was.

              Reply
          2. I never claimed the body structure wasn’t reinforced.

            Did you even read the quote I provided that was written by a professional car reviewer who has not only driven the Cascada but just about every other convertible on the market? He says it has serious cowl shake and other vibration issues which are indications of an insufficiently reinforced body structure. In other words, the reinforcements that were made are inadequate.

            Reply
  12. We’re all here because we enjoy cars and trucks, and we thankfully have many different vehicles to choose from in the US . None are perfect. GM Authority is a great place to be informed and to exchange opinions and ideas. Personal slurs and name calling are not consistent with the goals of this forum and should not be tolerated or accepted.

    Reply
    1. I didn’t call anyone names, you must have me confused with someone else.

      Reply

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