Tag Archives: Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com writing as AutoCrat

U.S. new-vehicle sales for December 2025, including retail and non-retail transactions, are projected to reach 1,454,000, a 7.5% decrease year over year, according to a joint forecast from J.D. Power and GlobalData released today. December 2025 has 26 selling days, one more than December 2024. Comparing the same sales volume without adjusting for the number of selling days shows a decrease of 3.8% from 2024. The seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) for total U.S. new-vehicle sales is forecast at 15.9 million units, down 1.1 million units from December 2024 as the Trump slump continues.

“December caps a year marked by volatility, as the industry continues to deal with the consequences of import tariffs and changes to electric vehicle legislation. To say it’s been a sales roller coaster of a year would be an understatement,” said Thomas King, president of OEM solutions at J.D. Power. “Fears of future tariff-related price hikes caused sales to jump by 173,000 vehicles between March and April, followed by a sales slowdown in subsequent months. Another sales jump occurred between August and September as 304,200 electric vehicle shoppers made purchases before the September 30th expiration of federal EV tax credits, followed by another sales slowdown whose effects are still being felt in December.”
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