Sign o' the Times? Honda Civic Is New Best Seller

By Marty Padgett June 3rd, 2008

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2008 Honda Civic Hybrid

We're a little wary of using the phrase, now that Prince has gone all legal on loyal fans and whatnot. So we'll just quote Ford's Jim Farley, who, when told by the Detroit News earlier today that the new best-selling vehicle in America is a Honda Civic, called it a "sign of the times."

Honda's Civic wasn't the only vehicle to pass the Ford F-Series as the country's best-selling vehicle in May, either. According to the News, three other vehicles also ran past the F-Series in total sales: the Honda Accord, the Toyota Corolla, and the Toyota Camry. Conspicuously, all of them get more than 20 mpg in highway driving and none has a pickup bed.

With more than 53,000 sales in May, the Honda Civic leaped to the top of the charts, even though the Ford F-Series is still the top-selling vehicle for the year so far. But at just under 43,000 units sold in May, it's clear that Ford might have gambled on a quick redesign of the F-Series trucks like GM did last year, when it pulled ahead its GMT900 trucks.

May sales were generally dismal in Detroit; GM dropped 27.5 percent, and Ford 16 percent, while Chrysler dropped 25 percent. GM doubled its bad-news dose today by putting four plants--all truck plants--on the chopping block.

Toyota sales were down 4.3 percent, while Honda posted a 15 percent gain over a year ago. The Civic, Fit, and Accord all had double-digit sales gains over last year.

All of this suggests that the current truck downturn will have lasting effects on the American auto industry. But why are we telling you? You tell us instead--let us know in a comment below if you think the days of omnipresent full-size trucks are toast, and if we're all destined to drive fuel-sippers from here on out. While you're at it, why not nominate your favorite high-fueler car? The most votes will get a virtual shrine set up (well, OK, a blog post) later in the week, once we pay off our gas bill for last month.

Posted in: 2004, 2008, Honda, Civic

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Responses (10 total)

By Ed | Posted: Jun 4th 2008, 09:28:00 PM

"It's the MPG, Stupid!"
That is how people buy cars these days, they cannot afford to have anything else at the top of their decision criteria.
That may explain why the Execrable FOCUS sold 32,000+ copies last may. it's its EPA 35 MPG highway that did it.
Reliability is also important, but consumers will take a chance, since they will 100% have to pay for the gas, while the vehicle may or may not fail.
Interiors and styling and performance are taking the back seat.
(otherwise, Ford would have to DISCONTINUE the Focus!)
By Ed | Posted: Jun 4th 2008, 06:36:44 PM

The Civic can't be compared to the Vibe, the appropriate vehicle is the 4-door corolla sedan.
The Civic did have an excellent small tall 4wd (!) 6-sp manual wagon in the 80s, my neighbor had one of these. They should bring back wagons both for the civic and the Accord, now that gas prices made people sober up and make the civic and the corolla the no. 1 and 2 US best selling vehicles. If they do, they could be selling 65,000 Civics and 55,000 corollas (that already include the Matrix=vibe).
By Tom L | Posted: Jun 4th 2008, 05:22:17 PM

wkile
Agreed the Civic is the better financial choice but the Vibe comes with Stability control standard for 2009 where the Civic did not offer it standard for 2008 and more importantly my dog would be pissed riding in the trunk of the Civic.
By HDFL | Posted: Jun 4th 2008, 01:51:03 PM

You state this "we're all destined to drive fuel-sippers from here on out" as though it were a bad thing. It is not. Unless car companies figure out a way to produce large vehicles that are fuel efficient and eco-friendly, this is the future. Small car have been quality cars for decades in much of Europe and elsewhere throughout the world. It's time we learn to appreciate this shift. It's also a consequence of globalization. Our choices will be more similar to those in other markets, and other markets will also benefit from efficiency gains in the US car industry.
By Ed | Posted: Jun 4th 2008, 01:04:54 PM

I disagree, i was seeing the trend since January, and I noticed that in April the Camry surpassed the perennial number TWO, the Chevy Silverado, but to have the F-150 PLUMMET to FIFTH from FIRST place, right next month, is a HUGE, DRAMATIC change.
And I am all for it. If it continues at least al summer, and hopefully into the fall, gas prices will have to go down considerably, as the DEMAND DESTRUCTION that the Greedy OPEC types was fearing is HERE.
By wkile | Posted: Jun 4th 2008, 11:05:57 AM

So, we all knew this would happen as gas prices started their climb. Full size trucks will always have a place in our nation. People will always have to pull boats, horses, lumber, and many other things. What is going to happen is that the trucks are going to become a much smaller market (duh! right). The 4 cars that outsold the F series are all great cars, and they are very economical.
Tom L, you mentioned that if you were buying a small car right now you would buy the Vibe. The funny thing is, one of my co-workers at the Pontiac dealership I work at, is looking at a new Vibe with the 1.8L and a Civic LX. All things considered, price, economy, equiment, and resale, the Civic really does represent a better value. The Vibe is a nice car, but the 1.8L is only rated at 31 mpg on the hiway with the 5 speed automatic....whereas the Civic is rated at 36 mpg....
By Trojan Man | Posted: Jun 4th 2008, 02:27:23 AM

Ford, GM and Chrysler bet all their chips on full size SUV's and trucks. They lost big. Time to make a 2am ATM run and hope to get lucky at another casino. We all know how this is going to end...
By J-F Houle | Posted: Jun 4th 2008, 02:05:28 AM

My father gave me his old popular mechanics magazines of the 50's. Time as changed. In one article, it says that american car industry can't be surpassed ! in that time, nobody was suspicious about the fact that Ford and GM send car to japan customers. We know now. Us car industry is thing of the past and soon it will be in history books.
By Martin | Posted: Jun 4th 2008, 02:04:12 AM

This is like the oil crisis of the 1970's all over again... This has been a long time coming! History DOES repeat itself for those who don't learn from the past. GM, Ford and Chrysler all gave up on 50% of the car market in favour of light trucks..... Who in their right mind would willingly give up 50% of a market. This is what short sightedness gets you.
My favourite fuel sipper is my 2000 VW Golf TDI 4.4L/100km hwy 5.6L/100km city. I usually average 1000 km per tank. I would buy this car again in a heartbeat.
By Tom L | Posted: Jun 4th 2008, 01:09:40 AM

No suprise here. The Civic and the Corolla are the best options if you're looking for low-cost, reliable transport.
If I were buying a new car right now my choice would be the Pontiac Vibe.