NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA CONTACT:
Sara Panza
Greater Cleveland Automobile Dealers’ Association
440.746.1500 

Local New Vehicle Sales Grow in May

Cleveland, OH (June 6, 2017) –  New vehicle dealers across Northern Ohio enjoyed strong sales in the month of May, according to the latest figures released today by the Greater Cleveland Automobile Dealers’ Association (GCADA).

Franchised new vehicle dealers in our area sold 21,388 new vehicles last month compared to 20,562 new vehicles in May of 2016, an increase of just over four percent. In a continuing trend that started last year, trucks and SUVs buoyed new vehicle sales growth, with dealers selling 29.7 percent more new truck and SUVs in May of 2017 when compared to May of 2016.

“With most industry analysts predicting a softer new vehicle market this year, once again the Northern Ohio market is on the rise, besting last years’ sales results,” says Louis A. Vitantonio, president of the GCADA. “We’re cautiously optimistic that this trend will continue, while preparing for a plateau sometime this year.”

While truck and SUV sales are up significantly, new car sales are off. For the month of May, new car sales were off 10 percent. For the year to date, new car sales are off 12 percent, while new truck and SUV sales are up over 36 percent so far this year. However, new vehicle dealers sold 11,979 cars last month compared to 9,409 new trucks and SUVs.

“So cars still make up the larger share of the market,” adds Vitantonio, “but the gap between the two market segments is narrowing.”

Chevrolet bumped Ford from its spot as the number one vehicle brand in Northern Ohio, selling 3,144 new vehicles to the Blue Oval’s 3,106 new unit mark for the month. Honda easily outdistanced Toyota for third, selling 1,928 new vehicles to 1,663 sold by its offshore rival in the month.

While dealers saw steady growth in new vehicle sales, sales of used vehicles also fared well, registering an increase of over eight percent when comparing May of 2017 with May of 2016.

19 Brands Up in May (‘17 v. ‘16)
The following brands posted sales increases in May of 2017 versus May of 2016: Acura, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Dodge, GMC, Hyundai, Jaguar, Jeep, Kia, Lexus, Lincoln, Maserati, Mazda, Ram, Smart, Subaru and Volkswagen.

21 Brands Up for the Year (’17 v. ’16)
The following brands posted sales increases for the year to date in 2017: BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, GMC, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Jaguar, Jeep, Kia, Maserati, Mazda, Mini, Porsche, Ram, Subaru, Volkswagen and Volvo.

New-car and truck sales in Northern Ohio
May ’17 / May ’16 & YTD

Retail sales figures are based on vehicle registration reports from the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles.  Vehicle sales data includes the counties of: Ashland, Ashtabula, Carroll, Columbiana, Coshocton, Cuyahoga, Erie, Geauga, Holmes, Huron, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Richland, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas and Wayne.

About the GCADA
The Greater Cleveland Automobile Dealers' Association (GCADA) has served the retail-automobile industry and community with integrity and distinction since 1915. Today, located in Brecksville, Ohio, GCADA represents over 250 franchised motor vehicle dealers, which include new-car, truck, motorcycle and RV dealers in a 21-county region of Northern Ohio along the Lake Erie shore and beyond.  More information on the GCADA can be found at www.gcada.org. Contact us at 440-746-1500.

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