The first quarter of 2022 has been a bit tricky for the best-selling luxury car brands. For the most part, nearly every luxury automaker took a hit with the start of the year. However, InsideEVs says Tesla is hitting record sales figures and enjoying a high volume of new car registrations. How is Tesla outperforming every luxury and premium automaker in the United States? 

New Vehicle Registrations:

• Tesla: 113,882 (up 59%)
• BMW: 80,482 (down 3%)
• Lexus: 66,907 (down 17%)
• Mercedes-Benz: 60,632 (down 21%)
• Audi: 37,566 (down 37%)
• Acura: 29,260 (down 26%)
• Volvo: 23,513 (down 20%)
• Lincoln: 19,977 (down 29%)
• Land Rover: 15,581 (down 39%)
• Porsche: 13,262 (down 24%)
• Genesis: 12,549 (up 53%)
• Infiniti: 11,740 (down 43%)
• Alfa Romeo: 3,542 (down 32%)
• Jaguar: 2,610 (down 36%)
• Total: 521,343 (down 12%)

What is the best-selling luxury car brand in 2022 so far?

Tesla is the best-selling luxury and premium car brand as of the first quarter (Q1) of 2022. According to InsideEVs, The electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer’s sales are up, and the company’s new registrations top the luxury car list. Tesla is up 113,882 new car registrations. In addition to all those registrations, the number marks a staggering 59 percent increase over 2021. 

Who was the best-selling luxury car brand in 2021?

BMW was the top-selling luxury and premium automaker in the United States as of 2021. However, Tesla outperformed BMW by a large margin in Q1 2022. BMW is down a mere three percent, which, compared to Audi’s 37 percent, doesn’t seem to be much cause for concern. 

How did everyone else do?

Most luxury and premium car manufacturers dipped in new car registrations in Q1 2022. It isn’t tiny decreases, either. The average dip in the best-selling luxury car brands’ new vehicle registrations based on InsideEVs’ list is roughly 27 percent. 

However, some companies are hurting worse than others. For example, while BMW is down just three percent, Audi is down 37 percent, and Land Rover is down 39 percent. While nearly every other luxury manufacturer on the list is down, Genesis, a Hyundai company, reported a boost of 53 percent.

Luxury manufacturers aren’t the only vehicle makers to experience an upset. For the first time in quite a while, the Ford Mustang outsold its rivals. 2021 wasn’t a good year for the pony car, with the Dodge Challenger outselling it consistently. However, Q1 2022 showed a Mustang rebound, and like Tesla, it indicates that sales can change quarter to quarter for even the best-selling car brands. 

Is it a stretch to call Tesla a luxury car manufacturer?

While most consumers won’t quickly reference Tesla in the shortlist of luxury cars, it certainly belongs on the list. Premium Teslas like the Model X and Model S are spacious, comfortable, and packed with modern technology. Furthermore, with price tags like the Model S Long Range’s $101,190, shoppers are definitely spending luxury car money on the Tesla EVs.