U.S. Consumers Bought More Vehicles Than Ever in 2016 [TABLE]
Sales topped 17.5 million, but are starting to level off a bit.
U.S. consumers bought more than 17.5 million cars and trucks in 2016, setting a new record. But most industry analysts say sales have peaked, and could drop a bit in 2017. General Motors says its total U.S. sales fell 1.3 percent last year, while Ford and Fiat Chrysler reported little change in their sales for the year. Honda and Nissan sold more cars and light trucks in 2016, while Toyota sales declined two percent. Autotrader senior analyst Michelle Krebs tells WDET’s Pat Batcheller buyers still prefer larger vehicles to small cars. Click on the audio player to hear the conversation.
Related: Auto Sales for 2016 Hit Record High
| Automaker | Dec. ’16 (% change from ’15) | Total ’16 (% change from ’15) |
| General Motors | 319,108 (+10%) | 3,042,775 (-1.3%) |
| Ford* | 237,785 (+0.1%) | 2,599,211 (-0.1%) |
| Toyota | 243,229 (+2%) | 2,449,630 (-2%) |
| Fiat Chrysler | 192,519 (-10%) | 2,244,315 (-0.4%) |
| Honda | 160,477 (+6.4%) | 1,637,942 (+3.2%) |
| Nissan | 152,743 (+9.7%) | 1,564,423 (+5.4%) |
*Ford sales do not include heavy trucks
Source: Automakers’ December 2016 statements
