U.S. Car Sales Eke Out Another Full-Year Gain

New-car retail and fleet sales in the U.S. rose 1% to 17.33 million units last year, including a 2% gain to 1.64 million light vehicles in December, according to Automotive News.

Combined volume last month surged to an annualized pace of 17.7 million, the strongest for any month in 2018, AN says. Heavy sales of pickup trucks and SUV/crossovers continued to overcome shrinking demand for conventional cars.

December results were mixed among the market’s largest producers. Monthly volume fell for General Motors (-4% to 297,000 units), Toyota (-1% to 220,900) and Ford (-9% to 219,600).

Year-on-year totals climbed last month for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (+14% to 197,500 units), Honda (+4% to 155,100), Nissan (+8% to 148,700) and Hyundai-Kia (+6% to 113,100).

Full-year results were mostly down for the top-selling companies in the U.S. in spite of December’s stronger-than-expected performance.

Sales totals for 2018 declined for General Motors (-2% to 2.95 million vehicles), Ford (-4% to 2.49 million), Honda (-2% to 1.60 million), Nissan (-6% to 1.49 million) and Hyundai-Kia (-1% to 1.27 million). Toyota, at 2.43 million units, fell short of its 2017 total by 7,900 vehicles.

The notable exception last year was FCA, whose sales zoomed 9% to 2.24 million light vehicles. The company’s annual results were led by an 18% jump to 973,200 Jeep SUVs.

Among European carmakers, December sales in the U.S. fell for Volkswagen Group (-4% to 59,200 units), BMW Group (-4% to 37,200) and Daimler (-8% to 36,300). Monthly volume zoomed 24% to 14,100 units for Jaguar Land Rover.

On an annual basis, sales advanced for VW Group (+2% to 637,700 units), BMW Group (+1% to 355,800) and JLR (+7% to 122,600). Full-year volume retreated for Daimler (-5% to 355,400).