GMC Savana Sales Fall 3.5 Percent During Q3 2020

GMC Savana sales decreased in the United States and in Canada during the third quarter of 2020.

• The Savana is sold exclusively in the U.S. and Canada. It is not sold in Mexico, where GM only sells its platform mate, the Chevrolet Express.

GMC Savana Sales - Q3 2020 - United States

In the United States, GMC Savana deliveries totaled 4,843 units in Q3 2020, a decrease of about 4 percent compared to 5,021 units sold in Q3 2019.

In the first nine months of the year, Savana sales decreased about 43 percent to 12,009 units.

GMC Savana Sales - Q3 2020 - Canada

In Canada, GMC Savana deliveries totaled 1,253 units in Q3 2020, a decrease of about 33 percent compared to 1,862 units sold in Q3 2019.

In the first nine months of the year, Savana sales decreased about 24 percent to 3,345 units.

Competitive Sales Comparison (U.S.)

The 3.5 percent decline in GMC Savana sales during Q3 2020 was substantially smaller than the 33 percent decline posted by its corporate twin – the Chevy Express. Even so, the Savana sold three times fewer units than the Express during the same timeframe. The performance places the Savana in fifth place in its segment by sales volume out of a total of six rivals.

Leading the segment, and by a wide margin, was the Ford Transit in first place (see Ford Transit sales), followed by the Ram ProMaster, and the Express (see running running Chevrolet Express sales). The Ford E-Series followed in fourth (see Ford E-Series sales), despite the model being available exclusively in the cutaway configuration), followed by the GMC Savana in fifth (see running GMC Sierra sales). The Nissan NV brought up the rear in sixth place. All models in the segment except for the Ram posted a decrease in sales during the quarter.

Sales Numbers - Full-Size Vans - Q3 2020 - United States

On a segment share basis, the Transit accounted for a segment-leading 44 percent, the ProMaster took 18 percent, and the Express saw 17 percent. E-Series held 11 percent, Savana had six, and Nissan NV – which will exit the commercial van segment in the near future – took four.

The full-size mainstream van segment, which includes passenger, cargo, and cutaway/chassis cab models, contracted 13.7 percent to 87,652 units in Q3 2020, meaning that the Savana outpaced the segment average.

Sales Numbers - GM Vans - Q3 2020 - United States

Combined sales of the two GM vans – the Savana and Express – totaled 19,718 units in Q3 2020. By comparison, combined deliveries of the Ford Transit and E-Series totaled 48,176, units. That gives Ford a 55 percent segment share versus 23 percent for GM.

Sales Numbers - Ford Vans - Q3 2020 - United States

The GM Authority Take

The GMC Savana (and the Chevy Express) is an old vehicle that traces its roots to the 1990s. In fact, the duo is the oldest vehicle in the segment, and by a wide margin. They’re also the oldest GM vehicles currently in production.

We attribute the drop in GMC Savana sales during the third quarter of 2020 to two complications associated with the COVID-19 pandemic:

1. Sub-par supply at the dealer level as a result of production downtime lasting roughly two months, preventing dealers from selling the vehicle and fulfilling fleet/commercial orders, and
2. Sub-par demand, as some companies scaled back plans to purchase new products or update their fleets

Though these two circumstances impacted the entire industry and segment as a whole, they appear to have had a more pronounced impact on the Savana’s twin, the Chevy Express, causing the vehicle to slip into third place in its segment. The Express typically occupies the second place, behind the Transit. We expect sales of the Chevy Express as well as of the GMC Savana to rebound, as factors related to both supply and demand improve during the Q4 2020 and into 2021.

Though the Savana and Express continue to perform relatively well in the marketplace, their segment share has been slipping as of late. The two vans have a strong reputation for being hard-working, trustworthy and reliable. Further helping the Savana (and Express) are well-established offerings from upfitters that prepare or modify the van for various commercial-purpose duties. The accessible purchase price and low operating cost is another factor responsible for the ongoing success of the Savana/Express duo.

Additionally, the introduction of the 2.8L Duramax Turbo-Diesel LWN engine and 8-speed automatic transmission (M5U), introduced for the 2017 model year, has generated increased interest in the product. The Savana received several improvements for the 2021 model year, headlined by the replacement of the archaic Vortec 6.0L V8 L96 engine (and its LC8 gaseous variant) with the new 6.6L V8 L8T motor.

As far as we know, GM plans to produce the Savana and Express in their current forms until at least 2023, as GM Authority was first to exclusively report. That timeline, however, could be extended by a few years Meanwhile, an indirect replacement for the Savana and Express is part of GM’s electric vehicle plans, and the vehicle should launch by 2025 at the latest.

About The Numbers

• All percent change figures compared to GMC Savana sales for Q3 2019, unless noted otherwise
• In the United States, there were 77 selling days in Q3 2020 and 76 selling days in Q3 2019
• Sales numbers for the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van are not available, since the Mercedes-Benz Vans division does not break out sales by model. Requests to provide the information have been continuously declined.

GM Q3 2020 sales reports:

• GM Q3 2020 sales U.S.A.
  • Chevrolet sales Q3 2020 U.S.A.
  • Cadillac sales Q3 2020 U.S.A.
  • Buick sales Q3 2020 U.S.A.
  • GMC sales Q3 2020 U.S.A.
• GM Canada sales Q3 2020
  • Chevrolet Canada sales Q3 2020
  • Cadillac Canada sales Q3 2020
  • Buick Canada sales Q3 2020
  • GMC Canada sales Q3 2020
• GM Mexico sales Q3 2020
  • GM Mexico sales July 2020
    • Chevrolet Mexico July 2020 sales
    • Buick Mexico July 2020 sales
    • GMC Mexico July 2020 sales
    • Cadillac Mexico July 2020 sales
  • GM Mexico sales August 2020
    • Chevrolet Mexico August 2020 sales
    • Buick Mexico August 2020 sales
    • GMC Mexico August 2020 sales
    • Cadillac Mexico August 2020 sales
  • GM Mexico sales September 2020
    • Chevrolet Mexico September 2020 sales
    • Buick Mexico September 2020 sales
    • GMC Mexico September 2020 sales
    • Cadillac Mexico September 2020 sales
• GM China sales Q3 2020
  • Chevrolet China Q3 2020 sales
  • Buick China Q3 2020 sales
  • Cadillac China Q3 2020 sales
• GM Brazil sales Q3 2020
  • Chevrolet Brazil July 2020 sales
  • Chevrolet Brazil August 2020 sales
  • Chevrolet Brazil September 2020 sales
• GM Argentina sales Q3 2020
  • Chevrolet Argentina July 2020 sales
  • Chevrolet Argentina August 2020 sales
  • Chevrolet Argentina September 2020 sales
• GM South Korea sales Q3 2020
  • GM South Korea July 2020 sales
    • Chevrolet South Korea July 2020 sales
    • Cadillac South Korea July 2020 sales
  • GM South Korea August 2020 sales
    • Chevrolet South Korea August 2020 sales
    • Cadillac South Korea August 2020 sales
  • GM South Korea September 2020 sales
    • Chevrolet South Korea September 2020 sales
    • Cadillac South Korea September 2020 sales
• GM Russia sales Q3 2020
  • GM Russia sales July 2020
  • GM Russia sales August 2020
  • GM Russia sales September 2020