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Six-month scorecard: Which car brand lost least?

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As the automotive analysts tally up the score for the first six months of this year -- arguably one of the most challenging sales seasons in automotive history -- there really are no legitimate ‘winners.’ In fact, according to a report by Edmunds.com, the company that lost the least in sales still did not increase its sales numbers compared with a year ago. Subaru sales were down only 0.8% from the previous year, putting it in first place for least sales losses among brands sold in the U.S.

In the No. 2 spot is Kia, which was down 6.5%. That may sound bad, but when compared to the industry average of 35.1%, it’s not too surprising a win for Kia, a company with no shortage of small, inexpensive vehicles for a cash-strapped market.

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The biggest loser was equally predictable. Hummer lost a whopping 61.7% in the first six months of the year with the deadly combination of being a widely publicized orphan of GM and a product offering of large, gas-guzzling SUVs that were at best a niche market to begin with. All GM and Chrysler brands fell below the average during this time period, with the exception of Buick.(See full list of Automaker Sales after the jump).

Most surprising on the list of losers was the Toyota youth brand, Scion which scored the second-biggest loss in sales. Whether it’s their premium price position in the entry-level car market or the fact that they had such a good year last year, the brand is down 60.4% in sales compared with last year.

-- Joni Gray

Graphic: Half-time score for Automaker Sales Credit: Edmunds.com


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