International nameplates outpaced the competition in U.S. new-vehicle sales last month, accounting for 57.4% of all transactions.
by Staff
February 6, 2018
2 min to read
Sales of the new-for-2018 Toyota Camry grew 21.3% in January, making the Camry America’s most popular car and helping to propel a strong overall showing for international nameplates. Photo courtesy Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The American International Automobile Dealers Association (AIADA) released January sales figures for the international nameplate auto industry. Brands sold by America's 9,600 international nameplate franchises accounted for 57.4% of all new vehicles sold in the United States last month, up from 55.1% in December.
AutoData Corp. reports that the seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) for December was 17.12 million units versus 17.44 million units a year ago. Total industry unit deliveries, including all brands and unadjusted for business days, increased 1% compared to last January. Sales were down 28% compared to December 2017, in part, theorized analysts, due to the blistering cold that blanketed much of the country in January. International nameplate brands were up 6.4% from January 2017.
Ad Loading...
"Last month, international brands outperformed the auto market as a whole," said AIADA President Cody Lusk. "Dealers of these brands are starting the year off on a high note and anticipating strong consumer interest in the first quarter, driven in part by tax reform."
International brands were led last month by BMW (up 5% from last January), Nissan (12.1%), and Toyota (17%). Toyota had its best month ever for light truck sales and saw the redesigned Camry's sales climb 21.3% to be the most popular sedan in America. Throughout the industry, light trucks continued to drive sales demand last month, rising 8% as a segment, while cars lagged, slipping 10.8%.
International auto sales in the U.S. totaled 662,412 units in January, down from 882,393 units in December but up from 622,472 units in January 2017. Asian brands occupied 47.6% of the January auto market, up from 44.7 in December. Overall, Asian nameplate dealers sold 549,805 vehicles in January, a 6.6% increase from January 2017.
European brands sold 112,607 units in January, down from 166,496 units in December, but up 5.7% from the 106,556 units they sold in January 2017. They held 9.8% of the January U.S. auto market, down from 10.4% in December.
To read AIADA's complete coverage of January's international nameplate auto sales, click here.
Building on a previously announced $26 billion U.S. investment, Hyundai said it will grow its North American lineup and U.S.-based production and parts sourcing.
Sony-Honda venture cancels two planned models, the first of which had been pegged for a mid-2026 California delivery debut. The brand’s direct sales had been challenged by the state’s auto dealers, but the venture cites Honda’s EV retreat.
Softening prices, rising credit availability and higher tax refunds could be behind February’s sales pace rise and accompanying dip in inventory, according to Cox Automotive.
The agency sent warning letters to dozens of auto groups about what it described as illegal practices and urged them to ensure their pricing policies enable transparency with consumers.
New-vehicle sales fell year-over-year for the fifth month in a row in February, making retail deliveries the slowest they’ve been since 2023, according to a CarGurus report.
The automaker says its California skunk works is already finding efficiencies to lighten traditionally heavy electric vehicles for lower cost, plus extended range.
GM says it sells the cheapest electric vehicle in the U.S. market. It explains how it made improvements to the entry-level EV while keeping its price down.
