After a year of recall scandals and damaged public trust, the auto industry is rebounding in a very big way. The first half of 2015 witnessed the sale of more than 8.5 million vehicles in the United States, a brisk rise of 4.4%, according to the Autodata Corporation.
Autodata Corporation is an independent service provider that specializes in market intelligence related to the automobile industry. It delivers statistical data related to new vehicle retail deliveries, inventory and sales.
It also tracks finance and lease information, product programs and marketing promotions, among other data points that are industry related.
Information released by Autodata for the first half of 2015 shows a strong rebound in sales for most automakers versus last year.
In June 2015, for example, sales across the board rose by 3.9%, with the seasonally adjusted average rate up to 17.16 million. That number is the highest for a June since 2005.
Winners and Losers
While the industry on the whole is witnessing an upward tick in sales, the same cannot be said for all automakers.
General Motors was the only manufacturer to see sales fall in June 2015 versus the same month last year with a 3% drop in numbers.
Other automakers fared much better:
- Fiat Chrysler – 8% gain
- Ford – 2% gain
- Toyota – 4% gain
- Nissan – 13% gain
- Subaru – 7% gain
- Honda – 4% gain
- Volkswagen – 6% gain
- Audi – 8% gain
General Motors explained its losses due to sagging reductions in its rental sales. Analysts also say consumer infatuation with smaller-sized SUV may also be hampering the company’s numbers.
The sales of passenger cars were down for many auto makers, however, Autodata noted. Overall, the car division for General Motors was down 17% in June.
Other branded cars also witnesses losses, including those manufactured by Ford, Toyota and Honda.
Chrysler was the only automaker to see gains in standard cars with its sales up 15% for the month.
Sales Trend Likely to Continue
Robust sales numbers from the first half of the year are likely to continue, analysts say. With lower gas prices, promising economic signs and improving customer sentiment, all signs point to a continuing trend.
“For the rest of the year, we expect to see continued strength,” Kelley Blue Book’s Alec Gutierrez told the New York Times.
Whether passenger car sales will see a rebound, however, remains to be seen. That could signal continued bad news for General Motors. Its Chevrolet brand is expected to kick off five new or redesigned sedan models this year alone.
For the first half the year, automakers overall saw sales of SUVs and light trucks rise to almost 4.6 million, roughly a 10% increase over 2014, Autodata found. Sales of cars, however, fell by 2% to just 3.9 million.
