The annual sale of cars in the U.S. falls for the first time since the crisis

The annual sale of cars in the U.S. falls for the first time since the crisis

Industry anticipates that moderation in demand will continue in 2018 for the second-hand market and rising interest rates

Slight change of trend in the automotive sector after seven years of growth. The annual sale of cars fell in the United States for the first time of the Great Recession mainly by a decrease in the demand of small utilitarian. The 2017 exercise was closed, despite moderation, with a solid rate of 17.2 million units sold in the year thanks to vehicles of great displacement.

Sales are close to 2% below when purchased with registration in 2016. It is, in any case, the fourth best year of history and moderation does not threaten in principle the profitability of the companies because the models SUV, of crossovers and the pickups have a higher profit margin. This is where the presentations of new models are being concentrated, as seen in the Salon de Los Angeles.

The big car manufacturers already saved a year ago the record of 2015, for very little. The unexpected increase in sales recorded in December 2016 was enough then to chain seven years in a row of increments. But the sector has already taken for granted that there had been a ceiling on the demand to buy new vehicles, which began to moderate that summer despite the incentives to give out the inventory.

General Motors recorded a 1.3% drop in sales at 2017. The decrease in December was 3.3% compared to the same month of 2016. In the case of Ford Motor fell also 1.1% in the year, despite improving a 1.3% in December. Fiat Chrysler fired the drill with an 8% crash, which accelerated to 11% in December. Toyota's annual descent was 0.6%. Volkswagen improved them a 5.2% and a 1.9% Nissan, while Honda closed flat.

Car sales in the U.S. hit the bottom in 2009, when they slightly exceeded 10 million units. From there they climbed to settle in the 17.6 million of annual units in December 2017. The projection of the industry itself is to moderate slightly over 2017 to close the year slightly below that last annual maximum.

It is to be seen now if this fall is accelerated, partly because more used cars are bought and because the interest rate hike restricts the credit. The National automobile dealers Association, the group representing dealers, projects that car sales fall to 16.7 million vehicles in 2018. It's a very similar projection to the one that Edmunds and AutoTrade drive.