Volkswagen of America, Inc. (VWoA) today reported sales of 30,555 units delivered in September 2018, a decrease of 4.8 percent over September 2017. With 266,228 units year-to-date in 2018, sales have now risen 5.5 percent this year to date.
September sales were impacted by delays in the certification process caused by a backlog in meeting new Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure standards. Certification delays pushed back the arrival of some model year 2019 vehicles, limiting inventory for the month.
Volkswagen’s growing SUV portfolio continued to gain momentum through September, with all-new Atlas and 2018 Tiguan sales accounting for 37 percent of the brand’s sales. The Jetta led the brand with 10,631 vehicles delivered in September, supported by the all-new 2019 model, which was recently awarded as one of Wards 10 Best User Experiences for 2018.
“SUV sales continue to expand VW’s reach with consumers,” said Derrick Hatami, executive vice president of sales, marketing and after sales for VWoA. “The all-new Tiguan and Chattanooga-built Atlas have accounted for more than 40 percent of our sales year-to-date and we see momentum building with total SUV sales up more than 42 percent in September. The reception of the 2019 Jetta and the traction we’ve gained in the SUV market remain positive. We’re encouraged by our overall growth so far this year.”
