Become a Member: Get Ad-Free Access to All Our Content

2021 U.S Small Car Sales Figures (With Rankings)

Sales Figures & Rankings for Small Cars Sold in the United States

2021 Best Selling Small Cars In the United States (All Models Ranked)

Small car sales in the U.S. have faced challenges in recent years due to shifting consumer preferences. By 2021, many American buyers were favoring SUVs, crossovers, and trucks over traditional sedans and compact cars. A combination of factors, such as lower fuel prices, perceived benefits of higher driving positions, increased cargo space, and improvements in the fuel efficiency of larger vehicles, contributed to this shift. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic influenced buying patterns and overall auto sales, with some consumers opting for personal vehicles over public transportation or ride-sharing.

However, even with these challenges, small cars remained an important segment in the U.S. market, especially for urban dwellers, first-time car buyers, and those seeking fuel efficiency and affordability.

A perennial favorite, the Honda Civic consistently ranks high in the compact car segment due to its reliability, safety features, and engaging driving dynamics. In 2021, Honda introduced a redesigned Civic with updated styling and features. The Toyota Corolla has been a strong contender against the Civic, offering dependable performance, fuel efficiency, and a reputation for longevity.

With its recent redesign, the Hyundai Elantra stands out with its bold styling and a suite of standard features. It also offers hybrid variants for those seeking increased fuel efficiency. The Nissan Sentra, which underwent a significant redesign for the 2020 model year, offers a more upscale interior and a host of safety features.

Here Are The Most Popular Small Cars in the U.S for 2021

This data table looks at full year Small Car sales volumes in the United States by model. We compare U.S market Small Car model sales for the full year versus the full year last year.

Model Month Month LY Change YTD YTD LY YTD Change
Mazda 3 2,019 0 0.00 41,845 30,352 37.87
Fiat 500 11 5 120.00 51 674 -92.43
Fiat 500L 4 32 -87.50 188 475 -60.42
Hyundai Accent 844 1,559 -45.86 18,868 15,975 18.11
Honda Civic 20,886 21,047 -0.76 263,787 261,225 0.98
Mini Cooper 1,741 2,115 -17.68 22,970 18,684 22.94
Toyota Corolla 13,940 25,409 -45.14 223,215 237,179 -5.89
Dodge Dart 2 0 0.00 10 5 100.00
Hyundai Elantra 5,193 10,849 -52.13 127,360 105,475 20.75
Kia Forte 8,639 7,119 21.35 113,051 84,997 33.01
Volkswagen Golf 270 1,788 -84.90 6,537 22,495 -70.94
Subaru Impreza 4,156 3,970 4.69 34,791 43,628 -20.26
Volkswagen Jetta 3,082 9,709 -68.26 55,113 90,829 -39.32
Mitsubishi Mirage 1,384 1,868 -25.91 22,743 19,135 18.86
Kia Rio 2,800 2,052 36.45 31,362 23,927 31.07
Nissan Sentra 5,680 9,551 -40.53 127,862 94,645 35.10
Chevrolet Sonic 6 851 -99.29 1,581 13,007 -87.85
Kia Soul 3,987 5,446 -26.79 75,126 71,772 4.67
Chevrolet Spark 484 4,026 -87.98 24,460 33,480 -26.94
Hyundai Veloster 71 267 -73.41 1,942 6,785 -71.38
Nissan Versa 3,448 6,926 -50.22 60,913 48,272 26.19
∑ = 78,647 ∑ = 114,589 ∑ = 1,253,775 ∑ = 1,223,016

2021 New Small Car Sales Data by Month in the U.S

This sales data table looks at monthly sales performance for the Small Car segment in the United States on a month to month basis for the entire year. It includes all major SUV models sold in the U.S market and you can see that the monthly SUV sales trends clearly. Seeing the individual SUV model sales performance in this way gives you a good sense of the momentum (good or bad).