Fastest-Selling New and Used Cars in May

• The Mercedes-Benz G-Class is the fastest-selling new vehicle, Chevrolet Corvette falls to #2 after four months at the top of the list
• Fastest-selling new car list is a mix of two extremes: large gas guzzlers and alternative fuel vehicles, which include the newly released Volkswagen ID.4 and Hyundai Tucson Hybrid
• Sporty and hybrid/electric vehicles dominate fastest-selling used car list
• Used car prices up 6.3 percent in May over April

Analyzing over 1.3 million new and used cars sold in May 2021, iSeeCars.com found that overall, the average new car takes 47.1 days to sell and the average used car takes 34.8 days to sell. Both new and used cars are selling faster than in April, when the average new car took 48.3 days to sell and the average used car took 37.4 days.

“The microchip shortage continues to impact new and used car sales, with new car inventory decreasing by 15.7 percent and used car inventory decreasing by 2.1 percent in May over April, intensifying the already high demand for used cars and driving up prices,” said iSeeCars Executive Analyst Karl Brauer. “For new cars, both higher priced full-size SUVs and alternative fuel vehicles continue to be in high demand, striking an interesting dichotomy between practical and not-so-practical consumers.”

Fastest-Selling New Cars

Next is the Chevrolet Corvette, which fell to the second spot after four consecutive months as the fastest-selling new vehicle. “The Corvette C8 has been in short supply since its 2020 debut due to overwhelming demand and multiple production setbacks,” said Brauer. “Production for the Corvette idled from May 10th through May 17th and again on May 24th through the end of the month due to a parts shortage, and production of the 2021 model year is being cut short to make way for the 2022 Corvettes.”

The full-size Cadillac Escalade and its extended variant, the Escalade ESV, appear on the fastest-selling list of new cars for the fourth consecutive month. “The Escalade was redesigned for 2021 to make the already supersized SUV even more luxurious and technologically advanced, leading to a 75 percent sales increase in the first quarter of 2021 over last year,” said Brauer. “Cadillac removed incentives for these vehicles for the second consecutive month in May, and production has yet to be affected as the automaker has prioritized these profitable vehicles over less popular models.”

Three additional full-size SUVs from General Motors make the list, including the Chevrolet Tahoe, the Chevrolet Suburban, and the GMC Yukon. “General Motors is one of the manufacturers most impacted by the semiconductor shortage, but production interruptions have not affected the manufacturer’s high-profit, full-size SUVs,” said Brauer. “Consumer demand remains strong for full-size SUVs despite the recent increase in gas prices.”

Five hybrid vehicles make the list, with three standard hybrid vehicles and two plug-in hybrids. “The all-new Hyundai Tucson Hybrid, which arrived at dealerships in May, makes its debut on the list and joins two other recently released hybrids debuting on the list in April: the Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid and the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid,” said Brauer. “They join the Toyota RAV4 Prime and the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, furthering the ongoing trend of Toyota struggling to produce enough hybrid vehicles to meet demand.”

An all-new electric vehicle, the Volkswagen ID.4 makes is also new to the list. “The Volkswagen ID.4 recently became the best selling electric vehicle in Europe, and it has been in high demand since it launched in the United States,” said Brauer.

The Kia Telluride midsize SUV maintains its position as a hot-seller for the fifth consecutive month, while the all-new Kia Carnival minivan makes the list for the second consecutive month. “Kia is still struggling to keep up with the demand for the Telluride two years after its launch, and dealers continue to charge above MSRP as consumers are willing to pay a premium for this vehicle,” said Brauer. “The Carnival multipurpose vehicle has the function of a minivan with sliding doors and three rows of expansive cargo space, but also takes design cues from the Telluride SUV and has been able to ride the coattails of the SUV’s smashing success.”

Three pickup trucks make the list--the Toyota Tacoma, the Toyota Tundra, and the GMC Canyon. “Toyota has halted incentives and raised prices in many parts of the country because of high demand and lowered supply for these trucks due to the microchip shortage,” said Brauer. “The plant that manufactures the GMC Canyon cut production from three shifts to two, and rebates for the Canyon stopped in May, reflecting the low inventory.” 

Fastest-Selling Used Vehicles

The Kia Telluride ranks fourth, and it is joined by a similar vehicle from the same manufacturer, the Hyundai Palisade, in seventh. “These vehicles debuted for the 2020 model year and have sustained their popularity, and while they aren’t yet widely available in the used car marketplace they had an increase in inventory in May over April,” said Brauer. “Given the markup and scarcity of new Kia Tellurides, used versions are appealing to consumers unable to locate a new model or who want to save money.”

The Tesla Model 3 makes the list for the third consecutive month, this time in second position. “The Tesla Model 3 has sustained its popularity since its high-profile debut thanks to impressive technology and performance, plus relative affordability compared to Tesla’s earlier vehicles,” said Brauer. 

Four hybrid vehicles make the list: the Honda Insight, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid, the Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid, and the Lexus UX 250h. “The Honda Clarity debuted in 2018, while the Honda Insight debuted in 2019, so used versions are just starting to enter the used car marketplace,” said Brauer. “Toyota and Lexus hybrid vehicles have been in high demand both as new and used cars, and that demand has intensified as gas prices continue to rise.”   

Fastest-Selling Cars By City 

“Car buyers who are making a new or used car purchase might have difficulty finding the most in-demand vehicles, and may end up paying a premium for them in the used car marketplace amid microchip-related inventory constraints,” said Brauer. “Vehicle inventory is expected to remain tight for the remainder of the year, so consumers who are in the market for one of these fast sellers will need to act quickly when they see their desired car for sale.”

Methodology

iSeeCars.com analyzed over 1.3 million new and used car sales (model years 2016-2020 for used cars) from May 2021. The number of days that each car was listed for sale on iSeeCars.com was aggregated at the model level, and the average days on market for each was mathematically modeled. Heavy-duty vehicles, models no longer in production prior to the 2021 model year, and low-volume models were excluded from further analysis.

About iSeeCars.com

iSeeCars.com is a car search engine that helps shoppers find the best car deals by providing key insights and valuable resources, like the iSeeCars free VIN check reports. iSeeCars.com has saved users over $294 million so far by applying big data analytics powered by over 25 billion (and growing) data points and using proprietary algorithms to objectively analyze, score and rank millions of new cars and used cars.