Annual Washington Area sales of new autos rose again last year!
Consistent with year-over-year trends, Washington area new auto sales increased again in 2015, and did so by 4.2 percent. U.S. sales, which fell farther than area sales during the Great Recession, rose 5.7 percent in 2015. From November to December, Washington area sales fell 4.5 percent and nationwide declined 4.2 percent. Compared with 2014, December was not a strong month anywhere. But the year overall logged record salesãregionally 326,516 and nationally 17.5 million. Washington area figures are from WANADAês Area Report based on R.L. Polk new-vehicle registration data and are available below. U.S. sales are from the Automotive News Data Center.
Washington, DC area sales for the 12 locality region in the Maryland suburbs and Northern Virginia totaled 79,282 for the fourth quarter. Area sales were slightly higher in October (25,612) than November (25,048). December sales were highest for the quarter, at 28,486, just not as impressive as December a year ago.
Sales of new imports in the Washington area made up 69.5 percent of overall sales, just a smidgeon more than last yearês import share of 69 percent. Imports or non-Detroit 3 new vehicles made up 79.7 percent of Washington area car sales and 60.4 percent of light trucks and SUVs. Both percentages were slightly higher than last yearês import share. Import sales are traditionally higher in the Washington area than nationwide.
Washington area new car sales were down a bit for the year, by 2.3 percent, while truck sales jumped 10.8 percent. For the fourth quarter, area car sales dropped 5.7 percent and truck sales spiked 10.8 percent. (They were up 13 percent nationally.) Those increases in light truck sales meant that they came in at 52.8 percent of overall area sales. This is a reversal of the years-long trend where light trucks made up less than half the market here. That shift is in large part a reflection of the low gas prices seen here and across the U.S.
For the complete area report on fourth quarter and total 2015 Washington area new vehicle sales, WANADA members can click here and log in with their email and password.
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