Runaway Cable Spool Threatens Cadillac Escalade, Stopped By Chevy Malibu: Video
Luckily, no one was hurt.
Read More »Chevy Malibu sales increased in the United States and Canada but decreased in South Korea during the third quarter of 2022.
| MODEL | Q3 2022 / Q3 2021 | Q3 2022 | Q3 2021 | YTD 2022 / YTD 2021 | YTD 2022 | YTD 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MALIBU | +7,940.59% | 21,630 | 269 | +148.17% | 79,799 | 32,155 |
| MODEL | Q3 2022 / Q3 2021 | Q3 2022 | Q3 2021 | YTD 2022 / YTD 2021 | YTD 2022 | YTD 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MALIBU | +1,122.78% | 1,712 | 140 | +174.67% | 3,719 | 1,354 |
| MODEL | Q3 2022 / Q3 2021 | Q3 2022 | Q3 2021 | YTD 2022 / YTD 2021 | YTD 2022 | YTD 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MALIBU | -25.61% | 430 | 578 | -44.22% | 1,284 | 2,302 |
Chevy Malibu sales during the third quarter of 2022 places the Bow Tie brand’s only remaining sedan in fourth place in its segment when ranked by sales volume. The Toyota Camry was solidly in first place once again, posting a one percent dip in sales to 78,478 units year-over-year, while the Honda Accord placed second in spite of a 31 percent drop to 30,041 units. The Nissan Altima took third, while posting a solid 103 percent jump to 27,512 units, while the Malibu held fourth with a leap in sales from nearly no sales a year ago, posting 21,630 deliveries this time around.
The Kia K5 took in fifth with an 18 percent slide to 18,251 units, while the Hyundai Sonata placed sixth with a 40 percent drop to 15,643 units. The Subaru Legacy placed seventh with a 16 decrease to 4,824 units. The discontinued Mazda Mazda6 had one delivery and the retired Chrysler 200 had none.
| MODEL | Q3 22 / Q3 21 | Q3 22 | Q3 21 | Q3 22 SHARE | Q3 21 SHARE | YTD 22 / YTD 21 | YTD 22 | YTD 21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOYOTA CAMRY | -0.78% | 78,478 | 79,098 | 40% | 41% | -16.50% | 214,403 | 256,769 |
| HONDA ACCORD | -30.59% | 30,041 | 43,281 | 15% | 22% | -30.08% | 110,463 | 157,988 |
| NISSAN ALTIMA | +102.62% | 27,512 | 13,578 | 14% | 7% | +40.54% | 106,122 | 75,508 |
| CHEVROLET MALIBU | +7,940.59% | 21,630 | 269 | 11% | 0% | +148.17% | 79,799 | 32,155 |
| KIA K5 | -18.35% | 18,251 | 22,352 | 9% | 11% | -27.08% | 53,563 | 73,456 |
| HYUNDAI SONATA | -40.43% | 15,643 | 26,262 | 8% | 13% | -56.20% | 35,238 | 80,460 |
| SUBARU LEGACY | -16.45% | 4,824 | 5,774 | 2% | 3% | -8.22% | 17,159 | 18,695 |
| MAZDA MAZDA6 | -99.98% | 1 | 4,245 | 0% | 2% | -97.65% | 335 | 14,271 |
| CHRYSLER 200 | -100.00% | 0 | 2 | 0% | 0% | -60.00% | 2 | 5 |
| TOTAL | +0.78% | 196,380 | 194,861 | -13.00% | 617,084 | 709,307 |
From a segment share standpoint, the Malibu held a segment share of 11 percent, up from nothing a year ago. The Camry posted a 40 percent segment share, down one percentage point. The Accord held a 15 percent share, down seven percentage points, while the Altima held a 14 percent share, up seven percentage points. The rest of the pack each posted a single-digit share.
It’s worth noting that the two entries fielded by Hyundai and Kia – the Sonata and K5, respectively – accounted for a cumulative 33,894 deliveries, good for a combined 17 percent segment share. That puts the Korean combo in second place, bumping the Malibu down to fifth. The Camry still outsold the duo by nearly 45K units.
| MODEL | Q3 22 / Q3 21 | Q3 22 | Q3 21 | Q3 22 SHARE | Q3 21 SHARE | YTD 22 / YTD 21 | YTD 22 | YTD 21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HYUNDAI SONATA | -40.43% | 15,643 | 26,262 | 46% | 54% | -56.20% | 35,238 | 80,460 |
| KIA K5 | -18.35% | 18,251 | 22,352 | 54% | 46% | -27.08% | 53,563 | 73,456 |
| TOTAL | -30.28% | 33,894 | 48,614 | -42.31% | 88,801 | 153,916 |
The midsize mainstream sedan segment grew just one percent to 196,380 units during Q3 2022, meaning Malibu sales solidly outperformed the segment average.
The Chevy Malibu sales performance during third quarter of 2022 saw a segment-skewing 7,941 percent since sales just a year ago were near zero. Meanwhile, Toyota’s venerable Camry continued to dominate the midsize mainstream sedan segment in spite of healthy competition from all comers.
Limited Malibu inventory at the dealer level has continued to negatively impact sales of the model. The numbers confirm that Chevy is able to move units when they are in stock. For instance, the midsize sedan was at 26 days supply at the beginning of October, with 6,549 individual units on the ground at U.S. dealers and an additional 8,184 units in transit. Malibu inventory was at eight days in early May 2022, with 165 units on the ground and 1,069 units in transit, before being at eight days at the beginning of March 2022, with 532 units on the ground and 956 units in transit. A 60-day supply is considered optimal in the U.S. auto industry.
The improvement in supply is the result of GM accepting more new sold orders, processing roughly 20,000 additional orders for the Chevy Malibu this past May to get more units of the sedan to dealers. Production of the four-door was idled for the better part of the 2021 calendar year due to the ongoing global semiconductor microchip shortage.
The 2022 Chevy Malibu is the seventh model year of the nameplate’s ninth generation, with minor changes that include the deletion of several dealer-installed accessories along with the discontinuation of the base L trim level, making the LS the new entry-level trim.
The 2023 Chevy Malibu ushers in a variety of important changes and updates compared to the preceding 2022 model year. The midsize sedan will no longer offer the Premier trim level nor its turbocharged 2.0L I4 LTG gasoline engine that powered it along with the GM 9-speed automatic transmission. Going forward, the 2023 Malibu is available exclusively with the turbocharged 1.5L I4 LFV gasoline engine, which mates to the MRG continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). This combination was previously offered for all 2022 model-year Chevy Malibu trim levels, with the exception of the Premier. Output is rated at 163 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque.
For the 2023 model year, Chevy has repackaged the Premier trim as a new 2LT trim level. As a result, the 2023 Malibu’s top trim now costs $2,000 less than that of the 2022 model. Additionally, two of the Malibu’s dealer-installed convenience packages are no longer available to order.
The Malibu is currently the only Chevy sedan offered in the U.S., as the Bow Tie brand has already discontinued its other sedans, including the Impala, Cruze, and Sonic. Additionally, the subcompact Spark hatchback will be dropped after the 2022 model year. The Malibu itself is expected to hit the chopping block around 2024, continuing GM’s shift toward better-selling trucks, crossovers, and SUVs, along with a heavy focus on EVs.
Fortunately for GM, Chevy sedan owners are moving into crossovers and are not being lost to rivals that still offer sedans. Going forward, the Bow Tie brand is answering the crossover call even more with all-electric models.
In July, the 2024 Chevy Blazer EV finally made its official debut, ushering in the next generation of mass-market electric crossovers from the American brand with an available GM-estimated range of up to 320 miles on a full charge. The Chevy Blazer EV will be available in front-, rear- and all-wheel drive configurations, while the trim level lineup will include 1LT, 2LT, RS, and Blazer EV SS, along with a Police Pursuit Vehicle (PPV) model for law enforcement – the quickest police package ever offered by Chevy.
The Bow Tie brand is even bringing back a Super Sport model with the first-ever 2024 Chevy Blazer EV SS. A standard performance AWD propulsion configuration delivers up to 557 horsepower and 648 pound-feet of torque in the crossover, enabling a zero to 60 mph time of under four seconds in the Wide Open Watts (WOW) acceleration setting. Additional performance-focused features include a specific sport-tuned chassis and Brembo front brakes.
In September, GM CEO Mary Barra debuted the first-ever 2024 Chevy Equinox EV on CBS Mornings after the automaker initially teased the all-electric compact crossover earlier this year. The 2024 Chevy Equinox EV will feature as standard a single Ultium Drive electric motor powering the front wheels, rated at 210 horsepower and 242 pound-feet of torque. An optional dual-motor eAWD setup will also be offered, rated at 290 horsepower and 346 pound-feet of torque. Launch trim levels will include the 1LT, 2LT and 3LT, along with the sporty 2RS and 3RS.
Meanwhile, sales numbers confirm that U.S. buyers continue to choose the Bow Tie brand’s remaining sedan when it is in stock on dealer lots, even as rivals regularly introduce refreshed and all-new models. Competing automakers still move plenty of sedans, and Chevy continues to offer an answer in the Malibu that sells as fast as GM can make it.
Luckily, no one was hurt.
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View Comments
GM and Ford are mistaken as many buyers still want a sedan instead of a crossover. This is why Toyota and Honda sales are so great! Keep the Malibu production and bring in a new electric sedan.
Agreed.
So great? Compare them to 10 years ago. And look at the Hyundai Kia twins. Blame the company all you want, but their crossovers are selling well.
The Honda Accord is out sold by the Subaru CrossTrek, Jeep Wrangler and Toyota Tacoma. Could it be any clearer?
Imagine how many they would sell if they actually advertised them. Many people don’t even know that Chevy still builds the Malibu.
Agreed.
Hurry Mary, discontinue it for another boring crossover, instead of actually trying to market them.
If we outlast our XTS, Impala, and Mustang, I doubt we'll be looking at gm for a new car.
People be buying/stealing those Big Altima Energies lol
Yes, Americans will continue buying them if GM builds them, Can you imagine if they spent the money that GM spent on advertising the Cadillac Lyriq, a car that they already have three years of orders on their books? GM needs to advertise and market the autos that they can build today.
No mention that Ford has already abandoned this market segment.
No surprise here
The Fairfax plant was shut down for close to a year
Caddy X4 also assembled here
Look stop lying. Sedan sales are down everywhere. Honda and Toyota have also fallen but they had more volume to fall vs the others.
GM sold a number of good and very good sedans but they rotted on the lots. Like it or not GM even sold wagons and a hatch that you begged for and they all failed. The market moved on.
You can be upset with the market GM tried to sell these models but it is a dying segment.
As for advertising that would have not moved the needle. As GM even promotes little on the top selling vehicles other than trucks and they move. People are not idiots with so few cars on the road they know where to find them.
Hyundai only moves cars because they are cheap. And even they are decline.
If more people were buying sedans GM would be selling them. Ford is the one that killed them all as you can not even get a Lincoln Sedan anymore.
240,000 units is nothing compared to what they once sold. Sedans could sell 500,000 units and more. 79K on the Malibu is a drop in the bucket as the Malibu used to move hundreds of thousands of units a year.
It would be nice if they could sell just one sedan and make money on it.
Thank you Scott!
C8.R
I just can't agree with you on most of what you said. It's a fact that many people still want and buy sedans. Just because the sedan numbers are not as high as they used to be means nothing. Back in the day when those numbers were much higher, SUV's were still mainly a work type truck and the cute little CUV's weren't a thing. Trucks were mostly just for work and not to drive to the mall and then McDonald's drive through. There was less competition back then as Kia and Hyundai were barely known and some brands didn't even exist, where as now the market is flooded with many more brands.
I don't agree that GM's sedans rotted on the lots. Yes there were some models and blunders that slowed things, but overall GM sedans have always sold.
Advertising: Are you serious about that comment? Really? What do you feel "advertising" is for? If it doesn't "move the needle", then why do any brands advertise anything? After all, it doesn't move the needle correct? You comment there is way off base and everyone knows it. The real question you should bring up is why advertise the products that sell themselves? Why bombard the airwaves with Silverado ads instead of promoting other product?
Hyundai's and Kia's are no longer cheap (at least price). If you price them out, they are no less than anything else. And I will point out that they too have concentrated their advertising money more towards the SUV's, so of course the sedans will suffer. This advertising blunder isn't just GM.
You mention Ford not selling any sedans. And you know what? Ford was not likely to get my business back in the day, but they are sure to never see any money from my pocket now. It's bad enough they abandoned the car market 100% (the Mustang is too much of a niche vehicle). But the fact that nearly every Ford product has the ugly black plastic all over along with obnoxious screen layouts/designs means that I'm out. For the record, I've owned 5 brand new Ford/Lincoln cars in the past along with one Ranger truck. Now they have zero for me.
Lastly, the days of a brand selling 200,000 to 500,000 of any single model are gone. Like I said above, there are just too many brands and models to choose from today. So a car that sells 100,000 units (which the Malibu should do this year even with lack of inventory) is good. Just to make a point on this: If GM dropped every SUV/CUV that sold less than 100,000 units, we would lose many models.
You are entitled to you opinion.
But remember there is opinion and reality. What I posted is not what I think but the reality.
I am a Malibu owner and like the car. But I have two eyes and see what really is going on. If there were real money in sedans that would be what they would make and the parking lots would be full of sedans.
The cold hard truth is the market drive product here.
We replaced my wife's car with an SUV 3 vehicles ago and she has no intention of going back. She likes the space and utility of her SUV models She only uses my car for the dog since it sits lower and he is older.
As they say it is simple the majority of the market buys SUV/CUV models like it or not.
So what you see with your own two eyes makes it reality? But what I see with my own two eyes makes it opinion?
Is it an opinion that they advertise the Silverado more than any sedans/cars?
Is it an opinion that there are many more brands today than there were 30 years ago?
Is it an opinion that the choice of models is much higher than 30 years ago?
Would it be safe to say that any brand selling 200,000 or more of a model today is a success?
Would it be my opinion that SUV/CUV's are boring and boxes on wheels? Yes. I prefer a sedan to a SUV type vehicle, so that's a preference and not a fact or opinion. Point being that you don't get to come on here and state your opinions as facts while telling others they can't.
Lastly, when you say there isn't any real money in sedans, you are totally missing a crucial part of the business equation. Upselling and sales retention! Let's look at it this way. If McDonalds only wanted to concentrate on the higher profit items, they would never have a dollar menu. You wouldn't be able to go in and order a small hamburger for around $1.50 or a large drink for a buck. But they have those items to bring more people in and those same people may just order that $4.00 medium iced coffee where the real profit sits. Same thing with the cars. Ford gave the sedan buyers the middle finger and I hope Ford suffers down the road from that. If GM does the same thing, then shame on them and maybe my driveway will end up with an import brand in retaliation.
Look Cars are out of favor globally as their sales have declined and as more automakers are adding SUV and CUV models that sell more. No opinion just pure numbers.
In the global market today we have more automakers in play in more markets than 30 years ago. Not opinion just count them up. More are joining with the drive for EV.
Yes there are more models but not more types of vehicles. Most are CUV models of various size.
Most CUV and SUV models sell at a higher price point than many cars. Low end sedans are not profit centers unless they sell in high volumes. Do the math.
Resale on cars is horrible too as they are worthless on the used market. My truck is worth about what I paid for it but my Malibu is not worth much at all.
As for Mc D you are not selling fries.
Here is the deal you can hate SUV and CUV models all you like. There is no sin in that. In fact I encourage you to do so.
But you also need to deal with the reality that companies are going to build and sell more of what people want and will buy and that is the SUV and CVU segment.
In the parts aftermarket we saw this coming and made adjustments for it. We no longer make much on car parts but Jeep, SUV and Truck parts are loading up my 401K. I no longer see the sales for Mustang parts as I once did.
Just look around at any parking lot and count the cars vs CUV and SUV models and tell me what is selling more.
Most imports have been adding more and more CUV models and leaving the cars as their sales decline. Only the high end cars have not seen much change but they were low volume to start.
There have been some really great sedans out there but most go ignored.
With the average cost of vehicles near 50K people want a vehicle that can haul more cargo, more people and still ride like a well tuned sedan. MPG is no longer an issue as most have MPG and Sizes to fit the need.
People no longer care how much chrome or how tall the tail fin like in the past. Today it is all about what the vehicles can do for all the money I put out.
It used to be people had a SUV and a car but today many just go for the merged version.
Again hate all you like but at some point grasp reality. You are only fooling yourself.
Funny I don't know a single person that used to buy a GM sedan such as the Impala, LaCrosse or any of the other numerous models they killed off that has replaced it with a GM SUV or crossover. Most have bought a Camry, Accord, Altima or one of the competitors vehicles instead. The same will go for me. When my Impala is ready to go it will be to a competitor not a GM crossover. Apparently GM is happy watching itself shrink more and more
Joe Y: Everyone on here knows I have a dislike of import brands, especially the Japanese brands. And it will be a very cold day in hell before I allow a Japanese brand to sit in my driveway. But what you say is so true and most people don't have the same feeling that I do, so they just go out and buy something they see ADVERTISED (in caps for C8.R). And what do they see? Ads for Camry, Accord, Civic, Altima, etc or they have a neighbor who used to drive a Buick sedan (just like you said) and they now drive a Camry because they didn't like SUV's and Buick no longer offered a car for them. So this neighbor now tells the other person to go buy a Camry! This is the slippery slope Ford and GM has placed customers on and getting those same customers back will be nearly impossible.
The only saving grace at this point is that GM does still have the Malibu (a very good car) and the CT4/CT5. Let's just hope this market swing back towards sedans happens before GM does the ultimate stupid move and kills them all off too. If they do, then we will all know that climate change is real because hell will be freezing over and there may be an import brand car in my drive!
I've known a few people that buy the big cars. A couple Impalas. Although notably, one shopped the TourX to replace a Lucerne, ended up going Acadia, made in USA factor. But one of the Impalas is maybe going Stinger next.
Cafe/NHTSA and the EPA are the elephants in the room. They've killed the affordable new car. Aided by people's gullibility for gingerbread features.
The market is no more about volume. GM went broke selling more cars than anyone else. It is about profitability and no longer filling ever niche there is.
The economics of today have changed how automakers operate and they need to invest in what they will see the greatest return on today not so much just building cars just to say we are number one.
Volume sales are difficult today in the global market where companies like Hyundai can pump out non union build cheap sedans and make more money on them at a lower cost.
Companies need to play to their strengths today.
We used to have Grand Prix, GTP Comp G, Bonneville SSEI, Cougar and a T bird. Before I was married I had a Monte Carlo, Chevelle, a Ford Galaxie and GMC Sprint SP.
I today own a Fiero and Malibu. But we also have a truck and the wife has had 3 SUV models since leaving the Grand Prix. I give her her choice of what she wants and she wants a SUV.
To be honest I can't say I know anyone that ever bought a La Crosse. I tried to talk some folks to consider one but no one ever bought. I helped my wife aunt find a loaded Impala that I found at a major discount as it was unsold. It was black and had every option you could get. We got it for $29K.
Many of the folks I personally knew that had cars have gone to a SUV and most already were in a Honda, Toyotas or Subaru.
I do have one neighbor with a older Buick Lucerne but she only buys a car about once every 20 years and she is 82 now so I do not see her buying a new car.
GM needs a sedan with an engine, like a big 4 or a 6. I would buy it. Not crazy about SUVs.
Anne: I would highly recommend trying the Malibu out. I've had mine for 9 months now and around 8,000 miles. It's been terrific so far and I have zero complaints with then engine/trans. I get fantastic MPG, it has good merging performance (needed out here in Los Angeles area), is a very quiet car and rides so well. I can honestly not find one thing to complain about with this car, and I normally have a couple complaints with my cars no matter what the brand is. The only other vehicle I've had like this was my last Buick.
I travel every week for work and have to rent cars when I do. I typically rent Camry’s, Altima’s, or crossovers like the Ford Edge or VW Tiguan. Sometimes I get lucky and nab a Durango or Charger.
No kidding…the latest Malibu with wireless CarPlay is one of my favorite rentals. It’s comfortable, quiet, easy to drive, has good visibility, decent power, and the infotainment is very easy to use. It’s not fancy, but it is just an extremely practical vehicle and easy to live with.
I think it could really benefit from a digital instrument cluster and improved interior finishes - but the higher end variants might already have that.
If I needed another car, I’d seriously consider buying a Malibu. Except I know they are hard to find now. They are pretty much made to order like the other GM cars.