Volkswagen '13 Sales Fall 6.9%, Beetle Rises

Volkswagen of America reported declining 2013 sales in each of its model lines except the Beetle, where it increased sales 47.9% compared to 2012.

The automaker sold 438,133 vehicles in the U.S. in 2013, a 6.9% decline from 2012. On a brighter note, Beetle sales rose 47.9%. Traditionally, few fleets add this vehicle. Only 3,226 Beetle cars were added to fleets in 2012, mostly as rental cars.

Sales of Volkswagen's top fleet cars from 2012, the Jetta compact car and Passat full-size car, both slid in 2013—3.9% and 6.4% respectively.

In its year-end sale report, the automaker touted sales of its TDI clean-diesel models, which accounted for 95,823 units and 23.5% of all sales.