Civic Outsells F-150 for First Time Ever

June 12th, 2008 by Benjamin Jones · 23 Comments

Coupled with GM’s news that the company will be closing plants and scaling back SUV production, the word that the F150 is finally not the country’s best-selling vehicle seems to put the final nail in the coffin of American gas guzzling. Sure, there are still tons of F150s selling (a lot of them to people who don’t really need them), but this change represents one of the biggest swings in the US auto market recently.

The numbers tell the whole story. Here are May’s top five selling vehicles:

Honda Civic - 53,299
Toyota Corolla - 52,826
Toyota Camry - 51,291
Honda Accord - 43,728
Ford F-150 - 42,973

Overall, most of the automakers were way down in sales, except for Nissan and Honda, with Honda posting an increase of 11%. Strong sales of traditional economy cars show that people are not just trying to save money on gas, but are buying less expensive, less powerful cars in order to cope with an economic slowdown.

So what does all this really mean? It’s hard to say. On the one hand, the Prius is the most searched for new car on cars.com, but hybrid sales are also slumping. It seems that buyers know about the fuel economy possibilities with hybrids like the Prius, but are getting scared off by the price premium and moving towards either no car or a small car like the Civic or Corolla.

The real question now is, will it stick?

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23 responses so far ↓

1 web design company // Jun 13, 2008 at 9:10 am

Yeah, who didn’t see that coming with gas the way it’s been going….
2 anon // Jun 13, 2008 at 10:47 pm

The picture is not the Civic that is referred to in the sales figures.

Irrespective, the black painted bonnet is incredibly tacky. Faux carbon fibre wannabe.
3 Evil American // Jun 13, 2008 at 10:48 pm

Yeah, we are bad people for wanting roomy cars. We should all drive around with little tiny cars and feel bad. Remember liberalism doesn’t equal equality, just even misery.
4 Chris // Jun 13, 2008 at 10:51 pm

Middle America, I suppose.

They do need a constant influx of F-150’s or else country music performers would have nothing left to sing about.
5 Paul // Jun 13, 2008 at 11:54 pm

I just bought a brand new F-150 and it works for me. I put around 300 miles on it a week and it can tow my fishing boat, which a Civic cannot.
6 James // Jun 14, 2008 at 12:23 am

That car looks so sexy.
7 acidpark // Jun 14, 2008 at 1:01 am

“Yeah, who didn’t see that coming with gas the way it’s been going….”
Ford and GM it seams - heads in the sand
8 John thomas // Jun 14, 2008 at 4:29 am

People are clearly getting fedup with high gas prices. I know I am.

JT
http://www.Ultimate-Anonymity.com
9 Jordan // Jun 14, 2008 at 9:30 am

Honda for the win!
10 Ventas de civic sobrepasan a la F-150 por primera vez « PaQueSepas // Jun 14, 2008 at 9:51 am

[...] F-150 - 42,973 De aquí Posted by Carlos Filed in Noticias, [...]
11 GregK // Jun 14, 2008 at 9:55 am

I totally would have bought a Hybrid Highlander last month but the price premium made it about a 4 year payback, so we got the gas one instead. The price difference is too high to really make it worthwile.
12 Bob Kowalski // Jun 14, 2008 at 11:36 am

My wife & I just bought a 2008 Civic. The salesman told us that he didn’t have any on the lot, but that he had traded for one from another dealership. He also told 2 associates not to tell the other salesmen that he had a Civic coming in. It was coming in that afternoon or early the next morning.

Now, I think if we hadn’t been trying to trade in our old 2005 Civic and a 2000 Corolla, we wouldn’t have had a chance at getting a new Civic.

I didn’t quite believe him a the time, but now, I think I do.

And it was a very pleasant upgrade to our old Honda.
13 Civic Outsells F-150 for First Time Ever « irrevocable stuff // Jun 14, 2008 at 1:06 pm

[...] read more | digg story [...]
14 Ross // Jun 14, 2008 at 1:51 pm

Civic sales have been low, cause everyone still has the first one they bought!!! My 99 Civic HX runs like brand new, and gets 40 MPG!! YEAH!!!!!!
15 Neil // Jun 15, 2008 at 9:40 pm

GregK: You got a Hugelander because…??
It’s this idiocy that keeps the car makers lazy.
Caring more about his ego than anything else he gets a ridiculous unnecessary SUV instead of something sane.
Why?
Greg: A Highlander gets 18mpg in the city!!
18!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And you posted this only a few days ago! With gas at $4 a gallon!!
You deserve to pay $80 to fill up.
16 Jay Gaulard Blog » Blog Archive » Saving Water, Electricity, Honda Civic, Solar and the Prius // Jun 16, 2008 at 7:48 am

[...] Civic Outsells F-150 for First Time Ever [...]
17 Civic Outsells F-150 for First Time Ever! - 8th Generation Honda Civic Forum // Jun 16, 2008 at 9:37 am

[...] Civic Outsells F-150 for First Time Ever! Civic Outsells F-150 for First Time Ever | Hypermiling, Fuel Economy, and EcoModding News - EcoModde… [...]
18 links for 2008-06-18 « Ferrar // Jun 18, 2008 at 12:37 am

[...] Civic Outsells F-150 for First Time Ever [Ecomodder] (tags: cars sustainability environment) [...]
19 It's just a Honda... - Page 3 - 8th Generation Honda Civic Forum // Jun 21, 2008 at 11:05 pm

[...] well i hate to break it to you, but it is a Honda. although i dont see that as negative in any way… mitsu as a company dreams to be even like a shadow of honda. while every other company right now is closing doors and selling assets Honda is the only company with a 11% increase. mitsue makes a cool EVO, but a joke as a car manufacturer. i can think of alot of other car makers that would be true to also. honda makes the best engines in the world… from cars to planes to generators, you name it. if its got a motor in it honda makes it (maybe not everything, but at the moment i cant think of what they dont make) there may be faster cars or better values, but non better. toyota maybe, but they dont make anything i would pay money for. Civic Outsells F-150 for First Time Ever | Hypermiling, Fuel Economy, and EcoModding News - EcoModde… [...]
20 Stock LX vs. SI Comparison..... - Page 4 - 8th Generation Honda Civic Forum // Jun 21, 2008 at 11:33 pm

[...] Originally Posted by RockALittle250 I’ll clearify myself…i’m not down-playing the unique qualities of the Si, just merely saying that the Si is just one of many performance type vehicles out there for a reasonable price. not in the price range… i see eye to eye with the guy in the vid YouTube - Roadfly.com - 2007 Honda Civic Si plus R18 or Si the civic in general in the #1 car in the world right now… Civic Outsells F-150 for First Time Ever | Hypermiling, Fuel Economy, and EcoModding News - EcoModde… [...]
21 io // Jun 21, 2008 at 11:51 pm

Boy, it’s funny to hear all the insecure truck owners whine about sales figures, making straw-man arguments against… Liberalism?

Jesus. What a country!
22 Big Surprise: Fuel efficient cars are holding their value better than other cars | Hypermiling, Fuel Economy, and EcoModding News - EcoModder.com // Aug 25, 2008 at 9:22 am

[...] It shouldn’t be surprising to anyone that buys gas that the market for fuel-efficient vehicles has exploded recently. Not only is gas expensive, but the psychological effects of paying big time at the pump has driven people toward hybrids and small cars, making many models scarce and putting the Civic up on top. [...]
23 Fuel efficient cars are holding their value better than other cars at greenhouse // Aug 27, 2008 at 2:08 am

[...] It shouldn’t be surprising to anyone that buys gas that the market for fuel-efficient vehicles has exploded recently. Not only is gas expensive, but the psychological effects of paying big time at the pump has driven people toward hybrids and small cars, making many models scarce and putting the Civic up on top. [...]