Which major automakers performed the best in May 2021?

With automotive factories crippled by the chip shortage and closed showrooms, it would make sense to see passenger car and SUV sales dive, but that hasn’t been the case when evaluating the May 2021 auto sales numbers. A few of the numbers aren’t what we could have expected after many months of lockdowns, but there are a lot of automakers that continue to thrive in the midst of it all. Here are a few of the top performers from May 2021.

Toyota – 233,733 (+45.55% from May 2020)

As the year goes on, Toyota continues to do better than expected. In fact, the automaker’s May numbers are slightly improved over what was seen in April at 227,519, but far exceeding what was seen last year.

Even with the chip shortage, it appears that Toyota isn’t feeling negative effects. During an earnings call, Toyota’s CFO Kenta Kon stated that the company isn’t concerned with operations being affected because of the chip shortage. June 2021 sales numbers should indicate whether this trajectory will hold.

Honda – 176,815 (+46.16% from May 2020)

Honda isn’t suffering either. In fact, during a recent statement, the company said it hit all-time monthly sales records during May. The automaker sold 176,815 vehicles during May 2021, which is a huge increase over the 156,482 vehicles sold during May 2020.

Of course, the car sales helped play a factor in this equation with 70,548 units sold, nearly 38 percent more from last year. However, the big news is the total truck sales of 106,267 units, which is more than a 52 percent increase over last year.

Hyundai – 174,043 (+66.24% from May 2020)

Hyundai has reported superior sales numbers for May 2021, compared to the 104,696 units sold during May 2020. However, what’s most notable is what’s happening with Hyundai Motor America. In a recent press release, the company reported record-setting sales.

In fact, this all-time monthly sales record occurred for the third consecutive month, showing that Hyundai is on a significant rise. What’s most interesting is the increase in fleet sales, up 95% from the previous month. These sales make up 6% of the volume reported.

Ford – 160,520 (-7.18% from May 2020)

While Ford sales are down a little from last year’s numbers of 172,928, the company is still considered a top performer for May 2021. In fact, Andrew Frick, the Vice President of Ford Sales U.S. and Canada is very optimistic about what is being seen.

He stated in a recent press release, “Ford and its dealers are working harder than ever to match the right mix of inventory to best meet the needs of our customers at the local level. We have been receiving a massive number of reservations for our all-electric F-150 Lightning over the last two weeks – totaling over 70,000 trucks. Ford brand SUVs had their best May sales in 18 years, while Lincoln SUVs posted a new May record.”

June 2021 Auto Sales Projection

It’s unclear what the future holds for this month, but it’s clear that the chip shortage has shaken the industry up. GM recently resumed production at the San Luis Potosi and Ramos Arizpe manufacturing plants and will also reopen the CAMI Assembly plant in Ontario, along with the Lansing Grand River plant in Michigan. However, Nissan will be working through some downtime as it suspends operations at three plants in Mexico. Automakers that can keep up during this time are sure to see a surge in sales and can also ask for higher prices, creating a solid platform for success.

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