The Buick conquest rate was 72 percent during 2020. That much was revealed by Buick-GMC chief, Duncan Aldred, during a recent conference call with the media attended by GM Authority.
What this means is that 72 percent of the people who bought a Buick in the U.S. last year were new to the brand. The stat is quite significant, since it’s considerably higher than the 58 percent average conquest rate across the U.S. auto industry.
Sales Results - Q4 2020 - USA - Buick
| MODEL | Q4 2020 / Q4 2019 | Q4 2020 | Q4 2019 | YTD 2020 / YTD 2019 | YTD 2020 | YTD 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASCADA | -100.00% | 0 | 77 | -99.53% | 12 | 2,535 |
| ENCLAVE | +21.64% | 12,338 | 10,143 | -24.78% | 38,480 | 51,156 |
| ENCORE | -77.76% | 6,338 | 28,497 | -59.23% | 41,752 | 102,402 |
| ENCORE GX | * | 16,965 | * | * | 44,841 | 0 |
| ENVISION | +1.12% | 8,474 | 8,380 | +5.16% | 34,942 | 33,229 |
| LACROSSE | -96.97% | 14 | 463 | -96.82% | 230 | 7,241 |
| REGAL | -96.10% | 59 | 1,514 | -76.03% | 2,484 | 10,363 |
| BUICK TOTAL | -9.96% | 44,188 | 49,074 | -21.35% | 162,741 | 206,926 |
In other respects, 2020 was not a successful year for Buick. Compared to 2019, sales declined by 21 percent to 162,741 units. The performance represents the greatest of all four GM brands offered in the U.S.
The picture is not quite a bleak as it immediately appears, because several Buick models – namely the Cascada, LaCrosse and Regal – are no longer in production. Only run-out examples would have been sold during the 2020 calendar year. Hence, Buick was able to achieve the impressive conquest rate despite having discontinued all sedans from its lineup.
Less positively, the Buick Encore crossover, previously the most popular of the Tri-Shield brand’s models by a very large margin, slid from 102,402 sales to 41,572, a drop of nearly 60 percent. The decline is partly due to the arrival of the more spacious and considerably more modern Encore GX. This in-brand rivalry has led to General Motors to attempt to present the Encore as more of a low-cost, entry-level option than the price difference between it and the Encore GX would immediately suggest.
The only Buick model to experience growth in 2020 was the Envision, which found 5 percent more buyers than it had in the previous year. Incidentally, those sales are of the outgoing, last-generation model, rather than that all-new 2021 model currently launching across the United States.
The Buick Enclave seven-seat crossover that serves as Buick’s flagship model was due for a mid-cycle refresh for the 2021 model year. However, the refresh was pushed back due to complications arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The refresh will now apply to the 2022 Enclave. What Buick refers to as “a more modern, expressive design”, and no doubt a series of equipment upgrades, should result in improved sales after the vehicle becomes available later in 2021.
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Comments
Fantastic news! We purchased our first Buick in 2020. It continues to impress and, more importantly, impress our friends who would’ve never considered a Buick.
gm should tell us which brands these customers are coming from other than chevrolet/gmc/cadillac. the fact that they don’t says something.
steve, I agree that this article needed to give us an idea which brands Buick is taking from. But I would say the fact that the article doesn’t say isn’t reflecting on GM/Buick. Wouldn’t that be something the writer should have put in the article? Sure, some of the 72% may have come from other GM brands, but probably a small amount.
I didn’t read anything on Buick Encore.I had a recall and it affected the engine and other parts if it was not repaired. When I called they said I had no recall and I had not been notified one of a 2017 Buick encore preferred. Drivability got so bad as if the tranny was going to fall out. I took it in then they told me it had a recall. I don’t think it’s fair I had to pay out of pocket other things that it had affected such as clogging up the fuel system.
the fact that buick/gmc are often under the same roof, increases the chances that people are cross shopping between the two brands. so i don’t buy your assertion that the numbers are insignificant.
if gm is stealing customers from the asians and europeans, they’d be shouting it from the rooftops.
gm should just tell us if buick’s market share in the US is increasing. the rest of it is just spin.
steve: Understood, but the entire point is that we don’t know where they are coming from or what the real numbers are. My point was that you were attempting to lay blame on GM. I’m saying we don’t really know and the author of this article should have listed that info or at least given us some form of estimates. I’ve been in the auto sales business for over 18 years total. 13+ with a GM dealer. Seldom did GM give out those numbers and if they did, it was normally more model specific. In other words, they would say the Encore GX is selling in XYZ numbers to Toyota buyers or something like that. I’m not saying I’m correct, but you are certainly just making an assumption that you can’t back up.
is there anything to back up your claim “some of the 72% may have come from other GM brands, but probably a small amount.”?
Yes. Experience. And you?
Speaking of experience or past history. Anytime GM says Conquest sales that means a vehicle from a competitor not another GM division.
To back this up when they also offer conquest discounts you can never use them from another GM division.
So while we are not given a break down I feel it is safe to expect these numbers are all from non GM vehicles.
C8.R, that is very true and I forgot about that. Great point. GM has used “conquest” for years in reference to bringing in sales form other makes outside GM.
Now if I could recall the term they used for the ones who crossed over from one GM brand to another. Do you recall that?
They often called it cannibalizing. Like in the Donner party. Eating your own.
common sense
Right!
Are these conquests from Hyundai, Nissan and other GM marques?
Buick has nice designs but is shrinking a la Chrysler. I’d rather drive an Envision over a Lincoln Corsair but Buick is unable to compete with prestige brands even though it has the goods.
I’m also disappointed that Buick no longer sells a sedan which sorta was what separated it from GMC. Tour X still has my heart!
Any word on the next gen Buick Encore/Trax? It’s showing it’s age compared to the other models in the lineup. Hoping it keeps the LE2 and drops in a 9 speed.
Hard to say if they will be sticking around. The Trailblazer and Encore GX are priced right on top of them.
Which is great in my opinion. The Trailblazer should just replace the Trax and the Encore GX ought to replace the Buick Encore. Keep the lineups of both brands clean and simple so customers can better understand each model’s positioning. Encore GX, Envision, and Enclave look beautiful as a lineup.
This is great to read about. Just wish we knew which brands Buick is pulling from. I totally believe that anyone who drives a Japanese brand would convert to Buick if they would only give it a chance.
I converted from my 10 year loyalty with Toyota to Buick in 2013 and my Encore has been flawless. My mom has a 2018 Toyota but she’s told me she is going to be trading it for a Buick when the time comes. Her reason (and arguably mine too) is that Toyota treats their customers like garbage whenever a problem arises with their vehicles. Buick has always gone above and beyond to make sure I’m satisfied with my vehicle and dealership experience and never fail to impress me. They also just rebuilt the Buick dealership in my area and the new dealership puts everyone else to shame!
Marco Morel: Thank you so much for sharing that. Industry wide, there is zero secret as to how Toyota handles issues and problems. They blame everyone but themselves and do anything they can to hide the problems. Honda is the same way and is why (after selling them next to GM’s for 12 years) I will NEVER buy one of those two brands. I will most likely never buy any Japanese brand because the others (Nissan, Mazda, Subaru, etc) are just very average products and offer zero above the GM brands. I have many stories of customers who went from Honda (due to problems) to Toyota only to highly regret it. On the flip side, I have thousands of very happy GM customers from over the years as well as nearly every family member.
So thanks for telling us that and wish your mother best of luck getting into a Buick. I’m certain she will love it.
Regarding capture, back in 1975, I bought a used 1971 Buick Electra two door hardtop. My dad liked my car so much he dropped his lifetime FoMoCo product purchases for a new Buick LeSabre. All you need is a little taste of another brand!
Timothy R: Very true! Boy, I would love to have that 71 Electra 2 door now. Fantastic cars.
This is great to hear.
I cannot understand why Americans no longer want cars. The SUVs are simply butt ugly. In my opinion this is not just confined to Buick but all makes in the USA.
Is it that they no longer want cars or are they opting for rival European and Japanese brands, since the big three is letting them down in designs.
VW just dropped the common model of the Golf, its been selling so poorly.
Calvin Wolfe: People are voting with the money in their pockets and they are saying SUV’s and CUV’s. It’s all about utility and practicality. The icing is that they are easier for ingress/egress and are no longer more expensive than cars, plus they ride as good if not better than most cars.
Breamworthy Walter: Look at the numbers. Yes, the Japanese and European brands do sell a good number of sedans (cars), but those numbers are tanking fast. Just watch and see what they also do. This is all about profits and business. If the money is in SUV’s, then that’s where they will go. And this is coming from someone who has had both cars and SUV’s over the past 20 years and I just went back to a sedan (Cadillac CT4).
Discontinuation of automobiles is a concerted effort on the part of manufacturers to prepare the future car buyers for the purchase of electric vehicles.
We had a 2016 Buick Encore. We updated to the Encore GX because it definitely was a step up in functionality and the interior especially. Actually we love it.
Sad that no sedans exist anymore. Everything is a raised AMC Gremlin now. Not attractive then or now.
Buick has fallen into same boring lineup that my father drove. Remember the late 60’s early 70’s the GS line was something to be proud of I know times change but how about putting some umph and pizzazz into their cars and SUV’s. Loved my GS stage 1
Keep making that awesome refreshed 2022 Envision in Communist China and that will be a flop in the USA too.
worst mistake the General has made recently was dropping the mighty 3800 V6, the best engine ever conceived by mankind, bulletproof, strong as a locomotive while getting 33 MPG in a family sized sedan