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).
