U.S. Car Sales Slipped 4% in August

Sales of cars and light trucks in the U.S. dipped to 1.51 million units last month from 1.58 million in August 2015, according to Autodata Corp.

On an annualized basis, the sales rate dipped just under 17 million. That compares with 17.8 million a year earlier, when sales surged to their highest monthly pace in a decade. Deliveries through the first eight months of 2016 totaled 11.68 million compared with 11.61 million in the same period last year.

August sales in the U.S. slowed for domestic, Asian and European brands. Combined volume for the domestic dropped 5% to 667,300 units, with declines for General Motors (-5% to 256,400 units), Ford (-9% to 213,400) and Chrysler (-2% to 194,000).

Demand for Asian marques declined 4%. The companies posting declines for the month were Toyota (-5% to 213,100 vehicles), Honda (-4% to 149,600), Nissan (-6% to 124,600), Kia (-8% to 54,200), Mazda (-13% to 26,100) and Mitsubishi (-12% to 7,300).

Hyundai’s volume was flat at 72,000 units. Subaru posted a hefty 15% gain to 60,400 cars and crossovers.

Deliveries of European brand vehicles were flat at 137,800 units. Gains were posted by Mercedes-Benz (+3% to 31,600 units), Audi (+3% to 19,300), Volvo (+31% to 7,700), Land Rover (+15% to 6,000), Porsche (+4% to 5,200) and Jaguar (+189% to 3,300).

But those increases were offset by shrinking August sales for Volkswagen (-9% to 29,400 cars), BMW (-8% to 25,500), Mini (-3% to 5,000) and Fiat (-19% to 2,700).

Trucks continue to dominate the U.S. market. Last month demand for crossovers, SUVs and minivans rose 2% to 910,500 units. Car sales sagged 13% to 601,000 units. The contrast marked the 10th consecutive month of growing demand for trucks and shrinking year-on-year sales of cars.