agent Entrepreneur logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

U.S. Auto Sales Demand Begins to Thaw in March

U.S. consumer demand for new vehicles began to thaw in March, especially for luxury cars and big trucks, but not every carmaker participated in the uptick, reported Reuters. New-vehicle sales rose 0.6 percent from a year ago, to 1,545,802 vehicles, industry consultant Autodata Corp said. Automakers had one fewer day and one fewer weekend in ... Read More »

April 6, 2015
2 min to read


U.S. consumer demand for new vehicles began to thaw in March, especially for luxury cars and big trucks, but not every carmaker participated in the uptick, reported Reuters.

New-vehicle sales rose 0.6 percent from a year ago, to 1,545,802 vehicles, industry consultant Autodata Corp said. Automakers had one fewer day and one fewer weekend in which to sell than during the year-ago month.

Ad Loading...

Among the strong performers were Toyota Motor Corp, Hyundai Motor Co, Kia Motors Corp and Audi.

While dealership traffic began to pick up last month, “the second quarter looks to be even more favorable” because of pent-up demand after a harsh winter, according to Eric Lyman, vice president of industry insights for research firm TrueCar Inc.

The annualized sales rate rebounded sharply in March, to 17.15 million vehicles, from 16.2 million in February.

Last month’s sales were driven in part by German and Japanese luxury brands, as well as by a strong appetite for big trucks and SUVs from Detroit manufacturers.

Results varied by company, with only three of the top six automakers beating analysts’ expectations and only two exceeding their year-earlier sales.

Ad Loading...

Only Toyota managed to do both. Its sales rose 4.9 percent, to 225,959 vehicles. Analysts had expected 223,280.

March was a strong month, said Bob Carter, senior vice president of automotive operations at Toyota’s U.S. sales arm. Demand for trucks and SUVs is driving the market, he said. “Every one of our light trucks … is supply-restricted.”

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said sales were up 1.7 percent, to 197,261, in line with expectations.

Ford Motor Co and Nissan Motor Co beat expectations, but their sales fell from a year ago. Ford was down 3.4 percent, to 235,929, while Nissan dropped 2.7 percent to 145,085.

General Motors Co and Honda Motor Co missed expectations, as sales dipped at both companies. GM was down 2.4 percent, to 249,875, and Honda fell 5.3 percent to 126,293.

Ad Loading...

Domestic luxury vehicle sales were soft in March, with the notable exception of the full-size Lincoln Navigator and Cadillac Escalade sport utility vehicles.

Most foreign luxury brands saw year-to-year gains of 1 to 20 percent in March.

Ford and Chevrolet amped up the stakes in full-size pickups, with dealers offering discounts of up to $9,000 on 2015 models and $12,000 or more on leftover 2014 models.

Despite the hefty price rollbacks, sales of Ford’s best-selling F-Series pickup dropped nearly 5 percent in March. At GM, Chevrolet Silverado sales were up 7 percent.

Analysts said rising consumer sentiment in March was reflected in higher vehicle transaction prices. TrueCar estimated the average price of a new vehicle in March rose to $32,201, up 2.1 percent from a year earlier.

More Industry

Photo of two men in suit jackets shaking hands next to new car inside of a dealership
IndustryApril 23, 2026

A New Consumer Culture in the Auto Dealership

Dealers should aim to build a positive work environment, helping employees execute an efficient experience, from their online research to the final delivery of the vehicle.

Read More →
Closeup of the side of an Audi car
Industryby Hannah MitchellApril 23, 2026

New-Vehicle Sales Down

A cloudy April forecast was expected due to last April’s sales surge in anticipation of U.S. trade tariff-inflated prices. Meanwhile, automakers pumped up incentives to address today’s consumer wallet woes.

Read More →
Photo of Cadillac Lyriq SUV on road with partly cloudy sky in background
Industryby Hannah MitchellApril 16, 2026

Used Autos Selling for More

A recent price spike due to several larger market forces, though it hasn’t dulled demand, is pushing more consumers to efficient models to squeeze in buys.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of facade of Waldorf Toyota car dealership
Industryby Hannah MitchellApril 16, 2026

Maryland Auto Group Sells

A group out West picked up the major D.C.-area collection, putting it in the upper tiers of private automotive groups in the U.S.

Read More →
Line graphic showing Cox Automotive's March Credit Availability Index status
Industryby Hannah MitchellApril 13, 2026

Auto Lending Opens Up in March

Lenders loosened access for subprime borrowers, and consumers with negative equity reached a record high, Cox Automotive reported.

Read More →
electric vehicle next to an urban charging station. EV Demand Diverges. F&I and Showroom logo
Industryby Lauren LawrenceApril 10, 2026

EV Interest Varies Regionally

U.S. consumer interest in electric vehicles lags behind other countries despite the rising gas prices caused by the ongoing war in the Middle East.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of the rear of a Mercedes GLC 400 electric SUV with a skyline in the background
Industryby Hannah MitchellApril 10, 2026

Brands Weighed on Projected Recalls

Research reveals the brands and models most likely to have higher recall rates over their lifetimes. While some brands rank high, addressing safety issues can be a selling point.

Read More →
Photo of white 2026 Ford Bronco on a sandy beach
Industryby Hannah MitchellApril 10, 2026

March New-Vehicle Sales Don’t Reflect War

Cox Automotive data shows Americans doubled down on big-is-better despite price increases. Slightly higher incentives helped fuel the demand.

Read More →
Photo of several cars on lifts in a service center
Industryby Hannah MitchellApril 9, 2026

Franchised Dealers Stand to Gain Service Business

Cox Automotive research shows both the opportunities and the challenges in turning consumers’ growing affordability needs into increased fixed-operations revenue.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of office desk with open laptop on it and an empty chair next to it
IndustryApril 9, 2026

What Matters Most in Building Your Agency

The partner you choose for growth and expansion is key, because better is the ultimate goal instead of growth for growth’s sake.

Read More →