Infiniti looks set to overtake Acura in U.S. sales for the first time in 28 years on the back of burgeoning demand for the brand’s vehicles.
So far this year, Infiniti sales are up 22 per cent over 2016 and are accelerating faster than any of its immediate rivals. According to The Truth About Cars, the key driver behind these heightened sales is the availability of the Infiniti QX30. In the first six months of the year, Infiniti has shifted 9,393 units of the compact crossover.
Additionally, demand for the Infiniti Q60 is higher than ever, up 5,253 units over the same time period last year. When combined with small bumps in sales of the QX70, QX80 and Q70, a total of 79,143 new Infiniti models have found U.S. homes this year.
By comparison, sales of Acura models are down 7 per cent in 2017 to 73,781 units, largely because the RDX and MDX are the only crossovers Acura has on the market, despite the ever-increasing demand for such vehicles.
At current estimates, Acura may sell approximately 151,000 vehicles in the U.S. this year. By comparison, Infiniti could hit 168,000 vehicles.