The Cruze has proven a huge success for GM, helping it raise its share considerably in the small-car market, where in recent years it didn’t have a serious contender. It also helped its market share in the US rise to 20% in the first seven months of the year, compared to 19.2% in the same period of 2010.
“We are competitive for the first time ever,” said GM’s chief marketing officer Joel Ewanick. “The buyers are completely different than the ones we have seen before”.
The main reasons consumers cite for buying the Cruze are its affordable price, which starts at $16,525, its design inside and out, its fuel economy (30 mpg or more) and its comprehensive list of standard equipment.
Chevrolet has sold 147,620 of its new compact sedan from January until the end of July. Though it hasn’t overtaken the Corolla, which sold 154,324 units in the same period, the Japanese model has seen its sales decrease by 8.1%.
GM has also regained the top spot in car sales worldwide, ahead of VW and Toyota. But this is attributed not just to its products like the Cruze but also to the shortage of Japanese carmakers, such as former sales leader Toyota, due to the March 11 earthquake that seriously hampered production, and the negative reviews of competitors like the new Honda Civic.
Story Source: Bloomberg News
