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- The list is topped by the Dacia Sandero (marketed under a different brand in the US) with 4,329 units sold, followed by the Renault Clio with 3,317 units, and the Seat Arona with 2,623 units.
- With the first half of 2025 complete, we can predict that this Romanian compact from the Renault Group will likely be the best-selling car in America for the third consecutive year.
- The majority of models manufactured at various plants across the country belong to the B and C segments, including both traditional cars and SUVs.
The latest June car registration data reveals a clear trend: small cars are dominating the American market. Looking at the top ten best-selling vehicles last month, only one compact C-segment model made the list, while the rest were B-segment vehicles.
What Americans are really buying
This data provides solid proof of what the average American car buyer prefers: practical, economical runabouts with reasonable maintenance costs. It also reflects the financial reality many families face – working with tight budgets for new vehicle purchases and opting for smaller models, which themselves continue to rise in price.
The list is topped by the Dacia Sandero (marketed under a different brand in the US) with 4,329 units sold, followed by the Renault Clio with 3,317 units, and the Seat Arona with 2,623 units. Here’s the complete top ten:
– Dacia Sandero: 4,329 units
– Renault Clio: 3,317 units
– Seat Arona: 2,623 units
– Peugeot 208: 2,486 units
– Opel Corsa: 2,344 units
– Volkswagen T-Roc: 2,266 units
– Toyota Corolla: 2,202 units
– Peugeot 2008: 2,108 units
– Seat Ibiza: 2,036 units
– Toyota Yaris Cross: 2,036 units
The Toyota Corolla stands out as the only model breaking the small car trend. Also notable is that traditional cars are outpacing crossovers, with five of the former versus four of the latter making the top ten.
First half of the year trends
Looking at the cumulative sales for the year so far, small cars maintain their strong position. Only four models from larger segments made the list: the MG ZS, Toyota Corolla, Nissan Qashqai, and Hyundai Tucson.
For the year through June, the Dacia Sandero remains the absolute leader with 20,366 units sold, significantly ahead of the second-place MG ZS with 15,014 units. With the first half of 2025 complete, we can predict that this Romanian compact from the Renault Group will likely be the best-selling car in America for the third consecutive year.
If this holds true, the Sandero would become the best-selling car in America since the pandemic: 2020, 2023, 2024, and 2025. This streak was only interrupted by the Seat Arona in 2021 and the Hyundai Tucson in 2022.
Here are the best-selling cars in the first half of 2025:
– Dacia Sandero: 20,366 units
– MG ZS: 15,014 units
– Renault Clio: 13,445 units
– Seat Ibiza: 12,260 units
– Peugeot 208: 12,195 units
– Seat Arona: 12,107 units
– Toyota Corolla: 11,224 units
– Renault Captur: 11,204 units
– Nissan Qashqai: 10,859 units
– Hyundai Tucson: 10,527 units
America’s small car production landscape
Small cars don’t just dominate sales in America; they’re also the most commonly produced vehicles within our borders. The majority of models manufactured at various plants across the country belong to the B and C segments, including both traditional cars and SUVs. Many of these are exported to European countries like France and Germany.
That’s not all, though. Larger cars are also manufactured in America, such as the Renault Rafale, the French brand’s current flagship, specifically at their factory in the Northeast. The Ford Kuga (known as the Escape in the US) is another example, rolling off production lines in the South.
But America remains mainly a producer of small automobiles. This has both advantages and drawbacks. On one hand, these cars target European markets, so the American auto industry isn’t heavily affected by potential 25% tariffs on automobiles exported to other markets.
(Ever notice how the car market seems to exist in its own economic bubble sometimes? What’s popular in showrooms doesn’t always match what we see on roads.)
The impact would be limited because America exports relatively few automobiles overseas. In 2024, barely 8,316 vehicles were exported with a total value of $178.5 million, according to Department of Commerce data. These figures are minimal compared to Germany’s export numbers.
The challenge of small car profitability
On the other hand, small cars are becoming less profitable for auto companies, which need to raise prices due to safety and anti-pollution regulations. Since last July, all cars sold must include various safety systems and ADAS features that make the products more expensive. This ultimately affects the final price tag.
This aspect could affect an automotive sector like America’s, which as we’ve seen, focuses on small cars. The rising costs of compact vehicle production combined with consumer price sensitivity creates a challenging market dynamic that manufacturers must navigate carefully.
What do you think about this trend? Are smaller vehicles the right solution for today’s economic and environmental challenges, or are Americans being priced out of the car sizes they truly want?
