California, the United States market most attuned to import cars, has long been a challenge for Detroit automakers – but it looks like the tides are turning, especially when it comes to compact cars.
General Motors’ Chevrolet Cruze has tripled retail market share in California compared to the outgoing Chevrolet Cobalt. Where the Cobalt had just a tiny sliver of the market – a mere 1.1 percent share – the Cruze has already captured a 3.3 percent stake. That’s still well behind regional leader Honda Civic, which, reports the Los Angeles Times, represents about one in every five compact car purchases.
Buoyed by more competitive products with a higher level of technology than most rivals, Chevrolet took home 8.3 percent of the California new car market during the first three months of 2011 – a big jump over last year’s 7.4 percent.
But the growth isn’t just from the bowtie brand. Ford and Chrysler have both seen sales grow or at least stay solid, which has helped drop Japanese brands to below 50 percent for the first time in years. Ford’s sales are up 37 percent in California so far this year (from 11.3 to 11.6 percent), a gain that is outpacing its national 25 percent gain. Chrysler has stayed put at just under 6 percent of the overall market, a victory on its own considering the Pentastar brand doesn’t have a competitive small car.
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