Top 15 Best-Selling Luxury Vehicles In America – January 2015

As it ended 2014, so it began 2015: the BMW 3-Series and its 4-Series offshoot formed America’s best-selling luxury auto lineup in January 2015. Outsold by 779 units was America’s top-selling luxury utility vehicle, the Lexus RX.

• U.S. Vehicle Sales Rankings By Model – January 2015

The RX achieved a 17% year-over-year improvement despite sitting alongside a newer, more affordable competitor in its own showroom. Lexus also sold 2812 copies of the NX in January. Together, the RX and NX accounted for four out of every ten Lexus sales last month.

Only two of America’s top 15 best-selling luxury nameplates reported year-over-year declines in January. Both those vehicles, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the Cadillac SRX, are in the midst of downward trending streaks. E-Class sales have tumbled in six consecutive months. The SRX’s January drop was its seventh in a row.

Mercedes-Benz was, however, America’s leading luxury auto brand in January. Lexus trailed the three-pointed star by 1488 sales.

Historical monthly and yearly sales figures for any of these top-selling luxury vehicles can always be accessed through the dropdown menu at GCBC’s Sales Stats page, and for those not viewing the mobile version of this site, near the top right of this page, as well.

January 2016 • February 2015 • December 2014 • January 2014

Rank	Premium Brand Vehicle	January 2015	January 2014	% Change	2015 YTD	2014 YTD	% Change
#1	BMW 3-Series & 4-Series *	7348	6494	13.2%	7348	6494	13.2%
#2	Lexus RX	6569	5607	17.2%	6569	5607	17.2%
#3	Mercedes-Benz C-Class	6236	5748	8.5%	6236	5748	8.5%
#4	Acura MDX	4381	4241	3.3%	4381	4241	3.3%
#5	Mercedes-Benz E-Class	4336	5266	-17.7%	4336	5266	-17.7%
#6	Lexus ES	4080	3959	3.1%	4080	3959	3.1%
#7	Acura RDX	3517	2730	28.8%	3517	2730	28.8%
#8	Cadillac SRX	3485	4446	-21.6%	3485	4446	-21.6%
#9	Lexus IS	3375	3048	10.7%	3375	3048	10.7%
#10	BMW 5-Series	3359	3269	2.8%	3359	3269	2.8%
#11	BMW X5	3214	2754	16.7%	3214	2754	16.7%
#12	Mercedes-Benz M-Class	3144	2824	11.3%	3144	2824	11.3%
#13	Infiniti Q50	2966	2949	0.6%	2966	2949	0.6%
#14	Audi Q5	2927	2774	5.5%	2927	2774	5.5%
#15	Acura TLX	2892	—	—	2892	—	—

For the purposes of the above list, premium brands include Acura, Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Infiniti, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Volvo. Brands like Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Lotus don’t report specific monthly sales data. Bentley and Maserati only report brand totals. Buick has been excluded with a bunch of other automakers that don’t sell vehicles with base prices higher than $40K.

Rank	Vehicles With Base Prices Above $45K	January 2015	January 2014	% Change	2015 YTD	2014 YTD	% Change
#1	Chevrolet Tahoe	6607	3514	88.0%	6607	3514	88.0%
#2	Mercedes-Benz E-Class	4336	5266	-17.7%	4336	5266	-17.7%
#3	Chevrolet Suburban	4130	1705	142%	4130	1705	142%
#4	BMW 5-Series	3359	3269	2.8%	3359	3269	2.8%
#5	BMW X5	3214	2754	16.7%	3214	2754	16.7%
#6	Mercedes-Benz M-Class	3144	2824	11.3%	3144	2824	11.3%
#7	Cadillac Escalade	2766	1110	149%	2766	1110	149%
	Cadillac Escalade ^	1664	704	136%	1664	704	136%
	Cadillac Escalade ESV ^	1100	381	189%	1100	381	189%
	Cadillac Escalade EXT ^	2	25	-92.0%	2	25	-92.0%
#8	GMC Yukon	2649	1287	106%	2649	1287	106%
#9	Chevrolet Corvette	2127	2261	-5.9%	2127	2261	-5.9%
#10	Mercedes-Benz GL-Class	2121	1541	37.6%	2121	1541	37.6%
#11	GMC Yukon XL	1965	865	127%	1965	865	127%
#12	Lexus GX460	1803	1443	24.9%	1803	1443	24.9%
#13	Land Rover Range Rover Sport	1752	1612	8.7%	1752	1612	8.7%
#14	Lexus GS	1679	1300	29.2%	1679	1300	29.2%
#15	Mercedes-Benz S-Class	1566	1281	22.2%	1566	1281	22.2%

Source: Automakers & ANDC
$45,000 USD (before delivery) is an arbitrary borderline, but if GCBC was to follow this system of designating only expensive vehicles as luxury vehicles, adding approximately $15,000 to the average new car transaction price seemed like a fitting place to begin. Plenty of less expensive vehicles with specific models feature prices above $45,000 – M, RS, and AMG models come to mind, specifically – but in the case of the second list, we know that none of the registrations were of cars priced at $32,750, as would be the case with the new BMW 320i, which costs less than a Honda Accord V6 Touring. The biggest problem with a $45,000 minimum price of entry? Cars like the Cadillac XTS, which starts at $44,660.
* BMW USA, not GoodCarBadCar, has chosen to combine sales of the 3-Series and 4-Series. GCBC combines sales of the Audi A4 and Audi A4 Allroad. None-Allroad sales were down 29% to 1563 in January.
Cadillac’s new CTS – 1698 January sales – starts at $45,100, but the lingering CTS Coupe is a sub-$40K car, and the wagon starts at $42,195.