Cars, not quite an endangered species yet , are diminishing in numbers as the habitat changes.
U.S. April sales were sluggish with a 4.6% increase as transaction prices and loan terms were rising to record amounts. AutoData puts the seasonally adjusted annual rate, aka SAAR, at 16.50 million units in April, slightly up from 16.05 million a year ago, but down from 17.15 million in March.
More than 1.4 million vehicles were sold during the month, 789,000 light trucks and 666,000 cars. Therefore, once again, truck and crossover models were the stars in April’s sales, besting the number of cars sold in the U.S. for the 20th month straight. FCA, General Motors and Ford Motor all increased share, almost entirely from the sales of truck and crossover vehicles. Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Kia and Volkswagen all declined.
Offshore nameplates led the market in April, with a 53.5% share, off from the 56.1% share in March and 53.9% last April. Overall, they sold 775,510 vehicles, down from 867,097 in March, but up from 750,328 sold in April 2014.
Asian automakers occupied 44.3% of the U.S. market, down from 46.7% last month and 44.9% in April 2014. Sales of 644,116 units were down from the 722,125 vehicles they sold last month, but still improved slightly compared to the 624,892 vehicles they sold last April.
European brands held 9.2%, down slightly from 9.4% last month, but up from 9% last April. Overall sales of 133,394 were down from 144,972 vehicles sold in March, but up from last April when they sold 125,436 vehicles.
Detroit Three brands finished April with 46.6% of the U.S. market, up from 43.9% in March and 46% in April 2014. They sold 677,441 vehicles, down from the 678,705 sold last month.
