April 2018 Crossover Sales Report: RAV4 Comes Out On Top, Compact Luxury Crossovers Heating Up [News]

April 2018 crossover sales report numbers are rolling in – which manufacturer is king of the crossovers?

Crossovers are a massively competitive segment. Across the size spectrum from compact to midsize, these vehicles accounted for hundreds of thousands of new car purchases just last month. But which manufacturer came out on top in April 2018? Well, that depends on how you slice it. In this comprehensive sales report, we’ve compared each size category and their competitors to see which one was the best-seller, by sheer volume, last month. We report full-size SUV sales on TFLtruck.com. We’re including mainstream and luxury crossovers in different sections, listed by size category.

Another important note: If you’re curious why GM brands – Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac –  aren’t represented on this list – it’s because the company recently shifted to quarterly sales reporting. We’ll include fresh sales numbers when GM releases their second-quarter sales report on July 3rd.

This post may be updated as sales figures are released.

Jump to segment:

• Mainstream crossovers: Subcompact | Compact | Midsize
• Luxury crossovers: Subcompact | Compact | Midsize

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Subcompact Crossovers (Winner: Jeep Renegade)

Cheap gas is hurting mainstream subcompact crossover sales. The Toyota C-HR’s sales picked up dramatically, but that’s only because the model was only just starting to sell at this point last year. However, excluding new models for 2018, sales were consistently down across the board in this category. The Mazda CX-3 shrunk the least, but it never is a huge seller in the first place. The Jeep Renegade and Honda HR-V are the main contenders to win this category, with the Jeep just edging out the Honda this month.

Make	Model	Apr 2018	Apr 2017	MoM change
Jeep	Renegade	7,735	8,619	-10%
Honda	HR-V	7,322	8,527	-7.0%
Ford	EcoSport	5,277	N/A*	N/A*
Toyota	C-HR	3,923	550	613%
Hyundai	Kona	3,315	N/A*	N/A*
Kia	Niro	2,340	2,939	-20.4%
Mazda	CX-3	1,135	1,147	-1.0%
Fiat	500X	564	758	-26%

*New model – 2017 sales figures are not available.

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Compact Crossovers (Winner: Toyota RAV4)

The mainstream compact crossover segment is, by a huge margin, the most competitive segment in the industry right now. At least half a dozen automakers (including Chevrolet) are vying for the top sales position. However, for the past several months Toyota, Honda, and Nissan have jousted for first place. This month, the Toyota RAV4 came out on top. Although, its sales declined 2.4% compared to April 2017. That was a bit of a pattern, actually – apart from the Jeep Compass, nearly all crossovers took a sales hit compared to last year.

Notable exceptions to that, however, are Hyundai and Kia. Compared to April of last year, their sales actually picked up around 30% each. Mitsubishi’s sales suffered this month, as the Outlander and Outlander Sports each sold fewer than 2,500 units, and their sales dipped at least 15%. Perhaps the new Eclipse Cross will stem the flow, but it’s a bit too early to make that call.

Make	Model	Apr 2018 Sales	Apr 2017 Sales	MoM change
Toyota	RAV4	31,007	31,757	-2.4%
Honda	CR-V	28,323	32,671	-13.3%
Nissan	Rogue	23,331	27,386	-14.8%
Ford	Escape	21,383	25,637	-16.6%
Subaru	Forester	13,679	14,761	-7.3%
Hyundai	Tucson	12,903	9,952	29.6%
Jeep	Compass	11,521	3,520	227%
Mazda	CX-5	11,312	11,334	-0.2%
Kia	Sportage	7,653	5,672	34.9%
Volkswagen	Tiguan	7,637	N/A*	N/A*
Mitsubishi	Outlander Sport	2,286	2,688	-15.0%
Mitsubishi	Outlander**	2,266	2,717	-16.6%
Mitsubishi	Eclipse Cross	655	N/A*	N/A*

*New model – 2017 sales figures are not available.

**Does not include sales of the Outlander PHEV.

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Midsize Crossovers/SUVs (Winner: Toyota Highlander)

Step up a size bracket, and you’ll find a slew of steady-selling, if not record-breaking, midsize crossovers. The Toyota Highlander came out ahead in April 2018, its sales picking up by 2.6%. Thanks to a refresh, the Jeep Cherokee’s sales also picked up a handy 20% this month compared to April 2017. Interestingly, the Dodge Journey, which hasn’t been updated in years, picked up 39%. It is one of the cheapest new midsize SUVs on the market, but it is ancient – the current model hasn’t seen a facelift in nearly seven years. While the Nissan Rogue’s sales are holding strong, the Murano and the Pathfinder faltered this month.

Make	Model	Apr 2018 Sales	Apr 2017 Sales	MoM change
Toyota	Highlander	18,456	17,981	2.6%
Ford	Explorer	17,894	19,771	-9.5%
Jeep	Cherokee	16,887	14,083	20%
Jeep	Grand Cherokee	16,647	18,877	-12%
Subaru	Outback	14,083	14,469	-2.7%
Honda	Pilot	11,891	9,746	22.0%
Dodge	Journey	11,638	8,401	39%
Ford	Edge	11,240	12,147	-7.5%
Hyundai	Santa Fe	9,400	9,480	-0.9%
Kia	Sorento	8,915	9,317	-4.4%
Volkswagen	Atlas	5,404	N/A*	N/A*
Dodge	Durango	4,923	6,357	-23%
Nissan	Murano	3,391	5,504	-38.4%
Nissan	Pathfinder	2,741	5,712	-52.0%
Mazda	CX-9	2,138	2,134	0.2%

*New model – 2017 sales figures are not available.

 

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Subcompact Luxury Crossovers (Winner: BMW X1)

While mainstream compact crossover sales are hurting, the same can’t be said about luxury subcompact crossovers. Apart from the Infiniti QX30, which saw its sales nearly halved last month compared to April 2017, every other brand’s sales picked up. The BMW X1 came out the winner, with its sales picking up 33.6% over this point last year. The three big German manufacturers spearheaded a 1 – 2 – 3 finish here, as you might expect. However, the upstart Volvo XC40 may disrupt that balance in the coming months.

Make	Model	Apr 2018 Sales	Apr 2017 Sales	MoM change
BMW	X1	2,501	1,872	33.6%
Audi	Q3	2,018	1,510	34%
Mercedes-Benz	GLA	2,011	1,339	50.2%
Volvo	XC40	1,404	N/A*	N/A*
MINI	Countryman	1,381	955	44.6%
BMW	X2	1,069	N/A*	N/A*
Infiniti	QX30	671	1,208	-44.5%

*New model – 2017 sales figures are not available.

 

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Compact Luxury Crossovers (Winner: Mercedes-Benz GLC)

Subcompact luxury crossovers are blowing up right now thanks to their lower barrier to entry. However, compact luxury crossovers are also fairing pretty well. In fact, our April 2018 crossover sales report results show the Mercedes-Benz GLC on top. Not only that, but with 5,853 units sold last month, its sales picked up by a whopping 77.1% over this point last year. The Audi Q5 and Lexus NX round out the top three. Nearly all compact luxury crossovers gained momentum, except the aging Lincoln MKC and sl0w-selling BMW X4.

Make	Model	Apr 2018 Sales	Apr 2017 Sales	MoM change
Mercedes-Benz	GLC	5,853	3,305	77.1%
Audi	Q5	5,275	5,028	5.0%
Lexus	NX	4,508	4,320	4.4%
Acura	RDX	4,201	3,793	10.8%
BMW	X3	3,865	3,204	20.6%
Volvo	XC60	2,476	N/A*	N/A*
Porsche	Macan	2,252	1,700	32.5%
Lincoln	MKC	1,859	2,726	-31.8%
Infiniti	QX50	1,413	1,197	18.0%
Alfa Romeo	Stelvio	702	N/A*	N/A*
BMW	X4	193	291	-33.7%

*New model – 2017 sales figures are not available.

 

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Midsize Luxury Crossovers (Winner: Lexus RX)

Midsize luxury crossover sales were a bit of a mixed back. Some gained ground, while others lost. The Lexus RX held strong, only losing 1.7% compared to April 17. The BMW X5 fared well, with its sales picking up nearly 12%. Other manufacturers, like Porsche, saw their sales fall off pretty significantly this past month.

Make	Model	Apr 2018 Sales	Apr 2017 Sales	MoM change
Lexus	RX	7,705	7,839	-1.7%
Mercedes-Benz	GLE	4,110	4,468	-8.0%
BMW	X5	3,800	3,400	11.8%
Acura	MDX	3,585	4,052	-11.5%
Audi	Q7	3,083	3,022	2.0%
Infiniti	QX60	3,052	2,804	8.8%
Volvo	XC90	2,282	2,349	-2.9%
Lincoln	MKX	2,263	2,339	-3.2%
Porsche	Cayenne	884	1,257	-29.7%
BMW	X6	592	561	5.5%
Infiniti	QX70	102	506	-79.8%

 

Come back to TFLcar.com for more sales updates!