Small Luxury SUV Sales and Midsize Luxury SUV Sales In America - May 2012

Whether you call the Lexus RX350 and RX450h small luxury crossovers or believe the Cadillac SRX is a midsize luxury SUV, the RX's overall dominance in the premium SUV sector can't be denied. The only so-called premium utility capable of challenging the Lexus would be the Buick Enclave... if you consider Buick to be a manufacturer of premium automobiles. In the United States, Buick sold 6709 Enclaves in May 2012.

May 2012 Midsize Luxury SUV Sales Chart
Click Either Chart For A Larger View

Setting aside the obvious notion that more buyers want their tall $40,000 wagon to wear a Lexus badge than any other logo, consider a few other notable facts from May 2012's premium SUV/CUV U.S. sales results. The $34,320 Acura RDX didn't sell like the $39,310 Lexus RX350, but the BMW X3, Audi Q5, and Mercedes-Benz GLK were unworthy RDX challengers in May. The X3, the RDX's closest non-SRX rival, was more than 800 sales back of the revamped Acura. American RDX acquisitions in May more than tripled compared with May 2011.

If you agree with the way these segments are sorted, you can conclude that 40% of May's 17,099 "small" luxury "SUVs" wore German badges. The same trio owned 49% of the market a year ago and 45% of the market in April.

Again, setting aside the Lexus RX's dominance, German luxury SUVs are also successful in the bigger (and larger) American midsize luxury SUV market. Yet the RX isn't the only crossover outselling the $47,500 BMW X5, $46,250 Audi Q7, $48,990 Mercedes-Benz M-Class, $48,850 Porsche Cayenne, and $43,375 Volkswagen Touareg. 

May 2012 Small Luxury SUV Sales Chart

Acura sold 4851 MDXs in May 2012, up 27% from May 2011. Through the first four months of 2011, MDX sales had been down 6%. Through five months, MDX sales are now better than they were last year. Acura starts the MDX at $43,030. Its lead over the Benz jumped to 1157 units by the end of May. At the end of April, the M-Class was ahead of the MDX by 386 sales.

Historical monthly and yearly sales figures for these SUVs and crossovers and every other vehicle currently on sale in North America can be accessed through the first dropdown menu at GCBC's Sales Stats home or at the top right of this page, just under the About GCBC button. GoodCarBadCar ranked America's 10 best-selling SUVs on the first day of June. America's 30 best-selling premium vehicles were featured a few days later. After the jump you'll find specific May 2012 and year-to-date U.S. luxury SUV sales data.

Small Luxury SUV	May 2012	% Change	Year To Date	YTD % Change
Acura RDX	3301	+ 217%	8183	+ 36.0%
Audi Q5	2332	+ 5.0%	10,764	+ 14.4%
BMW X3	2460	+ 4.7%	11,592	+ 12.1%
Cadillac SRX	3900	- 0.3%	21,190	- 4.8%
Infiniti EX35	298	- 32.4%	1534	- 37.9%
Land Rover LR2	218	+ 13.5%	1224	+ 25.2%
Land Rover  Range Rover Evoque	706	-----	3692	-----
Mercedes-Benz GLK	2133	- 3.7%	10,228	+ 6.7%
Volvo XC60	1751	+ 26.3%	6885	+ 12.4%

Midsize Luxury SUV	May 2012	% Change	Year To Date	YTD % Change
Acura MDX	4841	+ 26.6%	18,992	+ 0.9%
Acura ZDX	84	- 34.4%	353	- 58.3%
Audi Q7	919	+ 8.8%	3761	- 2.9%
BMW X5	3730	+ 39.0%	15,966	+ 25.3%
BMW X6	749	+ 31.4%	2187	+ 2.7%
Infiniti FX	561	- 6.0%	4086	- 6.4%
Infiniti JX35	2678	-----	5297	-----
Land Rover LR4	602	- 11.9%	3075	- 7.2%
Land Rover Range Rover Sport	1197	- 1.3%	5972	+ 4.1%
Lexus GX460	808	+ 27.2%	4080	- 19.7%
Lexus RX	10,647	+ 82.1%	35,376	+ 2.0%
Lincoln MKT	812	+ 104%	2951	+ 39.7%
Lincoln MKX	2197	+ 26.7%	10,506	+ 16.2%
Mercedes-Benz M-Class	3198	+ 65.9%	17,735	+ 59.5%
Porsche Cayenne	1174	- 6.7%	5455	- 7.0%
Volkswagen Touareg	700	+ 20.5%	3720	+ 40.9%
Volvo XC90	820	- 7.3%	4080	+ 0.8%

Source: Manufacturers & ANDC

Related From GoodCarBadCar.net
Small & Midsize Luxury SUV Sales In America - June 2012
Small & Midsize Luxury SUV Sales In America - April 2012
Small & Midsize Luxury SUV Sales In America - May 2011
Top 30 Best-Selling Luxury Vehicles In America - May 2012
U.S. Luxury Auto Brand Market Share Chart - May 2012
Large Luxury SUV Sales In America - May 2012