FI showroom red and grey logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Carmakers Blame Sales Declines on Bad Weather

Vehicle OEMs are hopeful for a sales rebound after winter storms pushed down sales in late January. According to Autodata, both the industry SAAR and total sales were down from a year ago.

by Staff
February 6, 2014
5 min to read


As expected, harsh weather in late January impacted sales for automakers across the board, with total light vehicle sales falling 3.1% from a year ago to 1.01 million units, according to Autodata Corp. The seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) stood at 15.24 million units, down from 15.40 million in December. The following is a breakdown of sales performance by manufacturer:

BMW: January sales for BMW’s North American operations rose 3% from a year ago to 20,796 units. Sales of BMW brand vehicles jumped 10.5 percent from a year ago to 18,253 units, while sales of MINI brand vehicles dropped 30.9% to 2,543 units. The group’s best performing vehicles included the BMW 3 ad 4 Series segments, which realized a 34.4 percent increase in sales from a year ago.

Ad Loading...

Chrysler: The domestic OEM realized its best January since 2008, scoring an 8 percent sales increase from a year ago for a total of 127,183 units sold. This was the 46th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains for the OEM. Leading the way was the Jeep brand, which realized a 38 percent sales increase from a year ago.

Ford: Sales for the domestic automaker dipped 7.5 percent from January 2013, with company officials attributing the decline to difficult weather conditions. In total, Ford sold 153,494 units. However, the Ford Mustang and Lincoln managed 8% and 43% sales increases, respectively, from a year ago.

General Motors: The domestic automaker delivered 171,486 vehicles in the United States in January, a 12% decrease from a year ago despite a slight uptick in retail deliveries. Officials blamed the drop off to winter storms that hit much of the country.

The Chevrolet Cruze was one of the OEM’s top selling vehicles for the month, with sales of the compact car increasing 16 percent from a year ago to 16,828 units. But the top seller for the month was the Silverado. Despite an 18 percent decrease from a year ago, sales of the pickup truck totaled 28,926 units.

Also moving off of dealer lots at a brisk pace were the Chevrolet Corvette, with sales more than doubling from a year ago to 2,261 units, and the Buick Encore, with sales of the small SUV growing by nearly 7% to 2,366 units.

Ad Loading...

Honda: January sales for the Japanese automaker fell 2.1% from a year ago to 91,631 units sold, with officials blaming the decline on winter storms that struck parts of the United States. Despite cold weather conditions in Honda’s Eastern and Midwestern markets, the Civic (21,824 units sold) and Accord managed to top 20,000 units in January, while the Odyssey (up 16% to 7,879 units) posted a double-digit increase. In total, the Honda Division recorded sales of 80,808 units.

The Acura Division posted a 14.1% sales increase from a year ago, with sales totaling 10,823 units in January. Leading the way were light truck sales, which increased 37.1% behind a record sales month for the MDX. Sales of the SUV rose 64%, while RDX sales increased for the 21st consecutive month by 16.6%. CR-V sales were up 2.4% from a year ago.

Hyundai: The Korean automaker reported a slight uptick in sales from a year ago, with total sales inching up 0.7% to 44,005 units sold. Despite the small increase, the OEM realized its best January in company history. Leading the way were the Accent, Elantra and Santa Fe, which posted sales increases of 21%, 26% and 12%, respectively.

Mazda: Sales for the OEM fell 11.8 percent from a year ago to 18,813 units. Despite the dip, the Mazda6 realized a 47.7% sales increase from a year ago, with sales totaling 3,172 units in January.

Mitsubishi: Mitsubishi realized a 4.5% increase from a year ago, with sales totaling 4,867 units. This marks the automaker’s best January in three years. Company officials noted that the 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage was recently named to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's prestigious "Greenest Vehicles" list.

Ad Loading...

Nissan: January sales for the Japanese automaker were robust, with the OEM reporting that sales increased 11.8% to 90,470 units sold — the company’s best ever January performance. Officials noted that sales of the all-electric Nissan LEAF realized a 92.6% sales increase from a year ago.

Toyota: The Japanese automaker reported a 7.2% decrease in January sales vs. a year ago, with sales totaling 146,365 units. Officials noted that the company was off to a solid start in January before winter storms slowed industry sales in key markets in the latter part of the month. They also noted that the company expects sales to pick up in February.

Sales for the OEM’s Toyota Division fell 9% from a year ago to 128,728 units — both on a daily selling rate and raw-volume basis. Despite the decrease, the new Corolla recorded a record monthly sales total of more than 22,700, while the RAV4 realized its best January ever with a 45% sales increase.

Lexus reported January sales of 17,637 units, an 8.8% increase from a year ago. Leading the way were the all-new Lexus IS, which posted triple-digit gains, RX, up nearly 4%, GX, up nearly 97%, and LX, up more than 7%.

Volkswagen: The German automaker reported a 19% decrease in January sales from a year ago, with sales totaling 23,494 units. The Volkswagen Routan lead the way with a 49% sales increase vs. a year ago.

Ad Loading...

The company also issued sales reports for its Porsche and Audi brands. The latter realized its 37th consecutive monthly sales record with a 0.4% increase over last January. With sales totaling 10,101 units, the brand continued its longest running monthly record streak in the premium car market.

Sales of Porsche totaled 3,096 vehicles, an 8% decrease from a year ago. Officials attributed the decline to low inventory numbers of the most popular Porsche model, the Cayenne. Porsche plans to ramp up inventory in the coming months and is hopeful of a gain in sales, officials said.

More F&I

Man holding magnifying glass over sales volume paper.
F&IMay 29, 2026

Why Your F&I PVR Is Misleading You

Here’s a handy checklist of the numbers to track in 2026 instead.

Read More →
Photo of woman typing on a laptop as she sits on a couch
F&Iby Hannah MitchellMay 29, 2026

Auto Consumer Anxiety Presents Opportunity

A survey of U.S. drivers found the majority are concerned about finances and the economy, but those fears make many ready to buy vehicle-protection products.

Read More →
Dustin Gingerich standing on stage giving a presentation
F&Iby Lauren LawrenceMay 28, 2026

Humble and Hungry: 12 Rules for an F&I Life

Dustin Gingerich, with a decade in the F&I business under his belt, shares his thoughts on leadership, building trust with customers, and the importance of learning and innovation.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of businessman's hands resting on files on a desk
F&Iby John TabarMay 27, 2026

Focus on the Opening

F&I managers must learn as much as possible about their customers, starting before they walk into their offices. The bulk of today’s consumers expect that, and good results will follow.

Read More →
Photo of a three-seat vehicle back seat
F&Iby Hannah MitchellMay 22, 2026

F&I Reaches for the Sky

The increasingly important profit center continued making gains in the first quarter, according to StoneEagle data, ancillary products proving more popular as consumers hold onto their buys longer.

Read More →
Cover image for a BOK Financial report titled “Timing the market: How avoiding volatility entirely can hurt long-term reinsurance program performance.” The image shows several road construction barricades with flashing amber warning lights lined up in a nighttime work zone. Beneath the image, red text explains that avoiding volatility can mean falling behind inflation and missing market rebounds that drive long-term surplus growth. The BOK Financial logo appears at the bottom right.
SponsoredMay 8, 2026

Timing the Market Can Hurt Long-Term Program Performance

For dealer-owned reinsurance entities, avoiding volatility entirely can mean falling behind inflation and missing market rebounds that drive long term surplus growth. Missing just a handful of strong market days can materially impact cumulative returns—an important reminder for long horizon trust and investment strategies.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Ryan Ruff, The 90/10 Rule, Automotive Training Academy, Sales Series
F&IMay 6, 2026

The 90/10 Rule

In this video, Ryan Ruff explains the rule that elite sales professionals use to turn ordinary conversations into unforgettable customer experiences.

Read More →
Photo of essential oil diffuser on desk next to laptop
F&IMay 4, 2026

Your Office Is Talking

What’s the atmosphere saying about you to your customers? You can make minor adjustments and additions that transform your space into one that creates trust with the people on the other side of the desk.

Read More →
"Effective training ensures the customer’s needs remain at the heart of everything we do. When that is the focus, both sales and profits naturally improve." by Rick McCormick with F&I and Showroom logo and picture of Rick McCormick
F&IMay 1, 2026

F&I Training Fundamentals

How can auto dealerships help F&I managers fulfill their vital role in the most effective ways? Industry expert Rick McCormick shares his insights on the best ways to train these professionals and help them maintain good habits.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of car tire and the tread mark it left in snow
F&Iby Hannah MitchellApril 29, 2026

Not Just Any Tire Will Do

More consumers and businesses are opting for all-season options for various reasons as safety, sustainability and convenience push practical change.

Read More →