Top 10 Sellers for 2008

Low prices and higher fuel mileage are the factors driving the new car market so far in 2008 as two Toyotas and two Hondas topped the list of most popular new cars.

"The consumers' mindset and preferences in the U.S. market have permanently changed," says Jesse Toprak, executive director of industry analysis for Edmunds Inc. "Consumers are very suspicious of gas prices."

Vehicle sales are down 10 percent from last year, and buyers who haven't put off the purchase are going the safe route, says Toprak. "That's usually seen as smaller, more gas efficient and cheaper -- $25,000 or less," he says.

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Consumers are also looking for vehicles and manufacturers with a reputation for quality, plus good resale value, he says. "Price is a huge factor."

"This is a radical change to the market," says Jack Nerad, executive market analyst, Kelley Blue Book and KBB.com. "I expect the first five to six months are pretty reflective of what we'll see the rest of the year," says Nerad. "At the same time, I'm not convinced this is the brave new world we'll be in forever and ever."

The No. 1 seller so far this year is the Toyota Camry. "It's had a fairly recent redesign and it has a great reputation," says Paul Taylor, chief economist for the National Automobile Dealers Association, or NADA. The Honda Accord, which ranks second in popularity, is "a brand new design," says Taylor.

The Honda Civic is in third place, but it broke the all-time sales record for May, just about the time gas hit $4 per gallon.

"Along with the Toyota Corolla, this car's known for gas mileage and reasonable size for typical American consumers," says Taylor.

The Corolla comes in fourth. One model, with a 1.8 liter engine, boasts 30 mpg combined, tying with the Chevrolet Cobalt XFE for best mileage of the top 10 for a gasoline-powered nonhybrid.

Still Trucking

The country's two most popular trucks, the Ford F-series (light duty) and the Chevrolet Silverado (light duty) are fifth and seventh in popularity as overall pickup truck sales dropped 22.9 percent over this time last year, according to figures from Edmunds.

"People still need pickups," says Nerad. That need, "hasn't all gone away, but it has certainly been tempered more than we've seen in a long time."

Toprak expects truck sales to pick up by November or December, coinciding with the first snow storms, year-end clearance sales, and end of the tax year for many of the small businesses that use pickups. Whether they move up or down in popularity at the end of this year, "they're still likely to be in the top 10," he says.

Coming between the trucks at No. 6, the Nissan Altima offers "a combination of space and reasonable gas mileage," says Taylor.

In eighth place, Chevrolet's Impala "has been a success," says Nerad. One likely reason: the gas mileage for the size. Six-cylinder models get 21 mpg to 23 mpg combined, according to the EPA. Eight-cylinder models get 19 mpg.

And finishing out the list at No. 9 and No. 10, the Ford Focus and the Chevrolet Cobalt "both offer strong gas mileage and reasonable space, but not copious space," says Taylor.

The Focus, which was redesigned last fall, is Ford's sole entry in the compact market, says Libby.

"The Focus has carved out a niche, along with the Cobalt," Taylor says.

Here are the top 10 sellers so far this year:

1. Toyota Camry

List price: $22,859
Sold year to date: 227,874
Estimated annual fuel: $2,466 to $2,682 gas; $1,813 hybrid
Ranking first in popularity, this midsize has a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine and gets 25 miles per gallon, or mpg, combined, while the six-cylinder, with a 3.5-liter engine, averages 23 mpg. The hybrid version gets 34 mpg. The 2009 Camry comes standard with cruise control, leather-wrapped steering wheel, MP3 compatible six-speaker CD player and a filtered, CFC-free air-conditioning system. The voice-activated navigation system is optional.

2. Honda Accord

List price: $24,147
Sold year to date: 205,862
Estimated annual fuel: $2,466 to $3,083
The Accord, which according to the EPA falls into the large-car category, was completely redesigned for the 2008 model year. The six-cylinder features variable cylinder management that can save gas by adjusting the number of cylinders the car uses in various driving conditions. It averages 20 mpg to 22 mpg combined city/highway. The four-cylinder versions average 24 mpg to 25 mpg combined.

3. Honda Civic

List price: $19,114
Sold year to date: 204,961
Estimated annual fuel: $2,127 to $2,715 gas; $1,467 hybrid; $884 natural gas
Close on the heels of the Accord -- 901 buyers separate second and third place -- this subcompact has been updated for the 2009 model year and goes on sale in August 2008. The five-speed models get 29 mpg combined (city/highway) while the six-speed averages 24 mpg. A natural gas version logs the equivalent of 28 mpg combined, while the hybrid averages 42 mpg combined.

4. Toyota Corolla

List price: $17,122
Sold year to date: 169,686
Estimated annual fuel: 4$2,043 to $2,466 (depending on the model)
This four-cylinder compact was redesigned for the 2009 model year to give it a lower, sportier shape and better aerodynamics. Models with the 1.8-liter engine average 30 mpg combined (city/highway), making it one of the two most fuel efficient gas-powered nonhybrids in the top 10. With a larger 2.4-liter engine, the Corolla gets 25 mpg combined.

5. Ford F-Series (light duty)

List price: $26,277
Sold year to date: 164,828
Estimated annual fuel: : $3,853 to $4,402
One new option for 2008 is a rearview camera system to enhance visibility behind the truck. In 2009 models, the F-Series will come standard with the Ford's capless feature, eliminating twist-on gas caps. Over the next few years, the company is also transitioning to more fuel-efficient six-speed transmissions. Available in six- and eight-cylinder versions, the F-Series averages a combined city/highway mileage of 14 mpg to 16 mpg burning gasoline and 10 mpg to 12 mpg using ethanol. It will get a complete redesign for the 2009 model year.

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6. Nissan Altima

List price: $22,798
Sold year to date: 158,006
Estimated annual fuel: $2,374 to $2,962 gas; $1,813 hybrid
New for the 2008 model year is the Altima Coupe. Classified as a subcompact (the Altima sedan is a midsize), it comes with an automatic or a six-speed manual transmission. Like the sedan, the four-cylinder coupe has a 2.5-liter engine and averages 26 mpg combined (city/highway). Six-cylinder models have a 3.5-liter engine and get 22 mpg combined. The hybrid sedan averages 34 mpg.

7. Chevrolet Silverado (light duty)

List price: $25,921
Sold year to date: 148,046
Estimated annual fuel: $3,853 to $4,112 gas; $3,311 to $3,913 ethanol; $2,935 to $3,083 hybrid
New for the 2009 model year is the Silverado 1500 hybrid, a two-mode hybrid which averages 20 mpg to 21 mpg combined city/highway. Its standard gas versions average 14 mpg to 16 mpg. Several ethanol versions get 11 mpg to 13 mpg combined. In addition, Chevrolet has added six-speed automatic transmissions to many of the Silverado models.

8. Chevrolet Impala

List price: $21,348
Sold year to date: 138,952
Estimated annual fuel: $2,682 to $3,243 (depending on model) for gas; $2,531 to $2,871 for E85
The Impala has been a big hit for Chevrolet in 2008. One major reason is the gas mileage it receives for its size. The six-cylinder 2009 versions average 21 mpg to 23 mpg combined city/highway. The eight-cylinder gets 19 mpg. The 2009 Impala is also available in an E85 version that averages 15 mpg to 17 mpg combined on 85 percent ethanol.

9. Ford Focus

List price: $15,36
Sold year to date: 123,44n
Estimated annual fuel: $2,201y
This compact is newly redesigned for 2008, with an eye toward more comfort and a better ride. One new technology option is Ford's Sync system that allows drivers to integrate music, media and phone systems. The Focus has a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine and averages 28 mpg combined (city/highway). Side-curtain air bags are standard.

10. Chevrolet Cobalt

List price: $14,217
Sold year to date: 114,250
Estimated annual fuel: $2,053 to $2,466
A brand-new version, the 2009 Cobalt XFE, which stands for extra fuel economy, was released in mid-2008. A four-cylinder with a five-speed manual that gets 30 mpg combined city/highway, it ties with the Corolla for the most fuel-efficient nonhybrid, gas-powered car on the top 10. Cobalt's two standard four-cylinder versions average either 25 mpg or 27 mpg combined. Chevrolet is redesigning the Cobalt for the 2010 model year; the redesigned model will hit lots next year.

Sources: Rankings, sales volume, and pricing information from J.D. Power & Associates. Model information from the automaker. Mileage estimates and annual fuel costs from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy through FuelEconomy.gov.