The U.S. auto industry sold nearly three million cars in 2024. That year, total car and light truck sales were approximately 15.9 million in the United States. U.S. vehicle sales peaked in 2016 at roughly 17.5 million units. Pandemic impact The COVID-19 pandemic deeply impacted the U.S. automotive market, accelerating the global automotive semiconductor shortage and leading to a drop in demand during the first months of 2020. However, as demand rebounded, new vehicle supply could not keep up with the market. U.S. inventory-to-sales ratio dropped to its lowest point in February 2022, as Russia's war on Ukraine lead to gasoline price hikes. During that same period, inflation also impacted new and used car prices, pricing many U.S. consumers out of a market with increasingly lower car stocks. Focus on fuel economy The U.S. auto industry had one of its worst years in 1982 when customers were beginning to feel the effects of the 1973 oil crisis and the energy crisis of 1979. Since light trucks would often be considered less fuel-efficient, cars accounted for about 77 percent of light vehicle sales back then. Thanks to improved fuel economy for light trucks and cheaper gas prices, this picture had completely changed in 2020. That year, prices for Brent oil dropped to just over 40 U.S. dollars per barrel. The decline occurred in tandem with lower gasoline prices, which came to about 2.17 U.S. dollars per gallon in 2020 - and cars only accounted for less than one-fourth of light vehicle sales that year. Four years on, prices are dropping again, after being the highest on record since 1990 in 2022.

Worldwide car sales grew to around 78 million automobiles in 2024, up from around 75.3 million units in 2023. Throughout 2020 and 2021, the sector experienced a downward trend on the back of a slowing global economy, while COVID-19 and the Russian war on Ukraine contributed to shortages in the automotive semiconductor industry and further supply chain disruptions in 2022. Despite these challenges, 2023 and 2024 sales surpassed pre-pandemic levels and are forecast to keep rising through 2025. Covid-19 hits car demand It had been estimated pre-pandemic that international car sales were on track to reach 80 million. While 2023 sales are still far away from that goal, this was the first year were car sales exceeded pre-pandemic values. The automotive market faced various challenges in 2023, including supply shortages, automotive layoffs, and strikes in North America. However, despite these hurdles, the North American market was among the fastest-growing regions in 2024, along with Eastern Europe and Asia, as auto sales in these regions increased year-on-year. Chinese market recovers After years of double-digit growth, China's economy began to lose steam in 2022, and recovery has been slow through 2023. China was the largest automobile market based on sales with around 25.8 million units in 2023. However, monthly car sales in China were in free-fall in April 2022 partly due to shortages, fears over a looming recession, and the country grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic. By June of that same year, monthly sales in China were closer to those recorded in 2021.

Autos include all passenger cars, including station wagons. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis releases auto and truck sales data, which are used in the preparation of estimates of personal consumption expenditures.

In 2024, the auto industry in the United States sold approximately 15.9 million light vehicle units. This figure includes retail sales of about three million passenger cars and just under 12.9 million light trucks. Lower fuel consumption There are many kinds of light vehicles available in the United States. Light-duty vehicles are popular for their utility and improved fuel economy, making them an ideal choice for savvy consumers. As of Model Year 2023, the light vehicle manufacturer with the best overall miles per gallon was Kia, with one gallon of gas allowing for 30.4 miles on the road. Higher brand satisfaction When asked about light vehicle satisfaction, consumers in the United States were most satisfied with Toyota, Subaru, Tesla, and Mercedes-Benz models. Another survey conducted in 2018 and quizzing respondents on their stance regarding the leading car brands indicated that Lexus was among the most dependable brands based on the number of problems reported per 100 vehicles.

Number of units and total sales of new motor vehicles by vehicle type and origin of manufacture, monthly.

Car Registrations in Indonesia increased to 72295 Units in February from 61849 Units in January of 2025. This dataset provides - Indonesia Total Car Sales - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The Tesla Model Y was the best-selling car model in 2024, topping 1.09 million sales. It was followed closely by the Toyota Corolla. Overall global car sales grew to roughly 75.3 million units in 2023, and are estimated to have reached over 77 million in 2024. Toyota’s next top model   Car shoppers purchased more than one million Toyota Corolla models, making it the world’s second most popular car in 2024. Toyota consistently ranked among the most valuable car brands within the global automotive sector. As of June 2024, it came in second only to Tesla, beating out other competitors such as Mercedes-Benz or Honda.  Big in North America   North America was the primary international market for Toyota vehicle sales, with sales volumes just above the domestic market. The Toyota RAV4, third in the ranking worldwide, was the best-selling SUV model in the U.S. market. The Ford F-Series truck also has a history of setting records in North America, as it is also the best-selling light truck model series in the United States. However, the model is less popular outside of these two markets. Only a little small number of such vehicles were sold in other markets.

In terms of monthly light vehicle sales in the United States, Toyota was the top brand in December 2023 with Ford and Chevrolet in second and third place. Customers in the U.S. bought nearly 182,500 Toyota-badged vehicles in December 2023. What was the effect of the pandemic on sales? U.S. vehicle sales tanked in March 2020 but bounced back soon thereafter. Due to the global chip shortage, sales fell again through 2021 and 2022. U.S. auto dealers sold around 1.27 million light vehicles in December 2022, an increase of 5.39 percent year-on-year. These figures can be seen as a consequence of the dwindling supply while automakers halted manufacturing due to a lack of semiconductors for vehicle production. Raw material price inflation and the cost of living crisis recorded in 2022 had also impacted the supply and demand for new vehicles. Pre-crisis plateau Slightly under 14.5 million light vehicles were sold to U.S. auto dealers in 2020. Retail sales are estimated to have slowly recovered in 2021, falling short of the 15 million mark. New sales of light vehicles remained relatively flat between 2017 and 2019 albeit on a high level. 2019 car and light truck retail sales of just under 17 million units put the industry’s new light retail sales figures 1.4 percent lower in 2019 than in 2018. It was particularly passenger cars that did not move off the shelves easily, as light truck sales reached a peak in 2019. Passenger cars now only represented less than one-third of all light vehicle sales in the U.S. While the market recovered through 2023, passenger cars remained the less popular alternative to the larger light trucks for U.S. consumers.

Crossovers are Americans’ favorite type of passenger vehicle. This category accounts for over 45 percent of automobile sales in the United States as of June 2022. The most popular models include Honda’s CR-V, Nissan’s Rogue, and Toyota’s RAV4. In the first quarter of 2022, U.S. auto buyers bought just under 101,200 units of Toyota’s RAV4 model, making it the best-selling vehicle in this category.

Toyota is the market leader  

The RAV4 was one of the very first specimens of its kind, as production of this model began in 1994. Toyota was the second most valuable automotive manufacturer worldwide in 2022, with a brand value of just over 33.1 billion dollars. It followed Tesla, which was first in the ranking with a gap of over 42 billion dollars compared to the runner-up. Toyota’s net revenue rose to 31.4 trillion Japanese yen in 2022 (around 257 billion U.S. dollars as of March 2022 exchange rates), a visible growth of over 15 percent compared to 2021, despite the manufacturer being impacted by the global automotive chip shortage.

 Crossovers benefit from the shift away from sedans   Crossover SUVs (sport utility vehicles) combine the fuel efficiency levels of compact and midsized cars and the higher seating positions of light trucks. They gained in popularity when fuel prices were low and, consequently, automakers increased production volumes and model additions of this vehicle type. Between 2014 and 2021, U.S. car sales fell from over 7.7 million to around 3.34 million units. Concurrently, light truck sales increased from 8.7 million units in 2014 to close to 11.6 million units in 2021. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on vehicle demand led to a 9.6 percent drop in light truck sales in 2020. This drop in vehicle sales impacted countries across the globe. In 2020, Germany recorded a loss of over 140,000 sales of SUVs compared to 2019, whereas China’s new SUV registrations remained stable between the two years.

Total Vehicle Sales in Thailand increased to 49313 Units in February from 48092 Units in January of 2025. This dataset provides - Thailand Total Vehicle Sales- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Total Vehicle Sales in Australia increased to 94993 Units in February from 86804 Units in January of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Australia New Car Sales - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Germany Auto Industry: Vehicle Sales data was reported at 457,659.000 EUR mn in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 407,954.000 EUR mn for 2022. Germany Auto Industry: Vehicle Sales data is updated yearly, averaging 281,685.000 EUR mn from Dec 2002 (Median) to 2023, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 457,659.000 EUR mn in 2023 and a record low of 140,566.000 EUR mn in 2002. Germany Auto Industry: Vehicle Sales data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistisches Bundesamt. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Germany – Table DE.RA001: Auto Industry Statistics.

In 2018, about 511,500 cars were sold in Florida, making it the second best performing state in terms of car sales. Car sales are losing popularity in the United States with more motorists preferring other segments such as small trucks, SUVs, and minivans. Overall, some 1.3 million light vehicles were sold to customers in Florida in 2018. California dominates traditional and electric car sales California is not only the largest market for cars but also for plug-in electric vehicles. The state is known for progressive state legislation that promotes the manufacturing and sale of electric vehicles. It is also the home to the Tesla headquarters. The company is behind much of the growth of electric vehicles in the United States. Over 4.7 percent of California’s new vehicle sales in 2018 were electric vehicles. The Californian electric vehicle fleet is expected to surpass three million vehicles by 2030. With so many electric vehicles on the road, heavy investments must be made into electric vehicle infrastructure. An extensive network of charging stations has been set up along highways between Mexico and Canada. The ‘West Coast Green Highway’ consists of hundreds of fast chargers in California, Oregon, and Washington. Pacific Coast states accounted for over half of all U.S. electric vehicle sales in 2018.

Car Registrations in India decreased to 377689 Units in February from 399386 Units in January of 2025. This dataset provides - India Car Sales - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Total Vehicle Sales in Spain increased to 105346 Units in December from 83339 Units in November of 2024. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Spain New Car Sales - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

United States Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Sales: Year to Date: Toyota data was reported at 245.000 Unit in Dec 2024. This records a decrease from the previous number of 318.000 Unit for Sep 2024. United States Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Sales: Year to Date: Toyota data is updated quarterly, averaging 715.000 Unit from Jun 2022 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 11 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,776.000 Unit in Sep 2023 and a record low of 172.000 Unit in Mar 2024. United States Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Sales: Year to Date: Toyota data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Cox Automotive. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.RA008: Electric Vehicle Sales: by Brand and Model: ytd.

Between January and December 2024, General Motors was the leading automotive manufacturer based on sales in the United States. The Detroit company sold nearly 2.7 million passenger cars and light trucks in the U.S., which was around 10,000 more vehicles compared with the same time period one year earlier. Most other manufacturers also recorded an increase in sales in 2024 as they rebounded from the impact of the semiconductor shortage. Tesla, in contrast, reported a year-over-year decrease in sales volume. Electric sales continue growth In 2023, electric vehicles have fared better than conventional vehicles so far. Tesla’s vehicle sales are indicative of this trend on a global level, despite a slight decrease in U.S. sales. Tesla's worldwide deliveries broke records in 2023. However, competition is beginning to gain momentum, and manufacturers such as General Motors are continuing to add new electric vehicle models into their range of vehicles offered. Newcomers such as the Lucid Group and Karma Automotive are also gaining speed, with the Lucid Air Dream Edition Range being the electric vehicle from Model Year 2023 with the longest range. Vehicle market trends stabilize Annual retail sales of new light vehicles in the United States peaked in 2016, when the industry sold over three million units more than in 2020. The declining trend took place during a period of stagnation in the global automotive market, which saw light vehicle sales decline by around 14.4 percent between 2019 and 2020. Though 2023 recorded an uptick in light vehicle sales, this volume remained below pre-pandemic levels. During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, transport modes that minimize contact with other people have become more attractive. U.S. vehicle sales have been relatively stable across 2022, and had started to grow in 2023.

United States Electric Vehicle Sales: Mercedes: Mercedes EQE data was reported at 972.000 Unit in Dec 2024. This records a decrease from the previous number of 3,822.000 Unit for Sep 2024. United States Electric Vehicle Sales: Mercedes: Mercedes EQE data is updated quarterly, averaging 4,457.000 Unit from Dec 2022 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 9 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5,754.000 Unit in Dec 2023 and a record low of 384.000 Unit in Dec 2022. United States Electric Vehicle Sales: Mercedes: Mercedes EQE data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Cox Automotive. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.RA007: Electric Vehicle Sales: by Brand and Model.

Key information about United States Motor Vehicle Sales: Passenger Cars

• United States Motor Vehicle Sales: Passenger Cars was reported at 3,116,647.000 Unit in Dec 2023.
• This records an increase from the previous number of 2,858,575.000 Unit for Dec 2022.
• US Motor Vehicle Sales: Passenger Cars data is updated yearly, averaging 6,089,403.000 Unit from Dec 2005 to 2023, with 19 observations.
• The data reached an all-time high of 7,761,592.000 Unit in 2006 and a record low of 2,858,575.000 Unit in 2022.
• US Motor Vehicle Sales: Passenger Cars data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers.
• The data is categorized under World Trend Plus’s Association: Automobile Sector – Table RA.OICA.MVS: Motor Vehicle Sales: by Country and Type: Passenger Car (PC).

Light vehicle sales are projected to increase by about 1.8 percent in 2024 year-on-year. Projections for 2025 are equally optimistic. It is expected that in 2025, light vehicle sales will grow by 2.5 percent year-on-year. Global market recovery Car sales slumped during the second quarter of 2020 due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in key markets. However, there were strong signs of improvement from the next quarter onwards. Worldwide, Ford Motor's vehicle wholesales were higher in 2020's third quarter than in the first quarter of that same year. November 2020 showed the highest level of monthly automobile sales in China in 12 months. In 2022, global sales contracted by 0.6 percent year-on-year. The electric vehicle opportunity In 2023, the EU's share of new passenger electric vehicles accounted for over 22 percent, a significant year-on-year increase. How the transition from conventional cars to electric vehicles will affect sales is open to question. That said, investments in charging infrastructure and the extension of current and new governmental subsidy programs for purchasing electric vehicles could facilitate even higher numbers soon.