By now, automakers have published their sales figures for the first half of 2020. As you’d expect what with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and associated economic uncertainty, it made for grim reading. Car usage plummeted; financial insecurity made it a sub-optimal time to buy, even if you could find a place to do so — which wasn’t easy, as many physical dealerships were closed in much of the second quarter.
It’s taken a toll. Despite car companies offering unprecedented incentives to entice prospective customers, a “good” year for companies like Mazda, Kia and Volvo has effectively meant keeping year-over-year sales declines below 20 percent.
Still, there were a few cars that have actually seen sales improve year over year in 2020 — and as it turns out, they include some of our favorites. For the seven cars below, the combination of a great product and great deals seems to have been too tempting to pass up for many buyers, COVID-19 be damned.
Ford Ranger
FordThe Ranger got off to a slow sales start in 2019, but it’s safe to say the Ranger has found its stride in 2020. Ranger sales were up 51.8 percent over the first half of 2020.
