Total new-vehicle sales for February 2026, including retail and non-retail transactions, are forecast to reach to reach 1,183,000, a 3.8% decrease year-over-year, according to a joint analysis from J.D. Power* and GlobalData** as the Trump Slump continues. February 2026 has 24 selling days, equal to February 2025. The industry trend of affordability continues to grow.

“The February sales pace shows a modest improvement over January, but will be down from a year ago, with retail sales projected to decline 4.6%. As in January, performance is being shaped by depressed electric vehicle (EV) retail demand. EVs are expected to account for just 6.6% of retail sales, down 1.8 percentage points from a year ago, while elevated transaction prices continue to weigh on volumes through ongoing affordability pressure,” said Thomas King, president of OEM solutions at JD Power.

“Despite the relatively slow start to the year, acceleration in the sales pace is expected over the balance of 2026, starting with March, which is traditionally a high-volume sales month with elevated promotional activity from manufacturers,” said King.