Sales of new and used cars up 7.3 percent this year in Valley

Staff report

youngstown

Sales of new and used vehicles in the Mahoning Valley were up by 7.3 percent through the first eight months of the year compared with the same period in 2012, according to data released Tuesday by Automobile Dealers Association of Eastern Ohio.

Sales soared to pre- recession levels across the country in August, and the Valley’s automotive market has been strong all year. A total of 48,441 new and used vehicles were sold from January through August this year, while 45,135 were sold during the same time last year.

In August alone, sales were up 4.5 percent when 6,317 vehicles were sold, versus the 6,041 sold at area dealerships last year.

Chevrolet led the Valley’s top-40 new makes in August. The brand sold 802 models, up from 628 last year.

The Chevrolet Cruze, which saw its sales drop slightly nationwide last month, was the Valley’s top-selling new model with 175 sold in August versus 101 a year earlier. The Chevrolet Silverado and Chevrolet Malibu were the second and third best models, selling 154 and 131 units, respectively.

The Ford F-150 pickup truck and the Honda Civic had a marginal improvement in sales, selling 75 and 64 units, respectively, last month. They were the fifth and sixth top-selling new models in August. The fourth-best seller was the Chevrolet Equinox, which sold 131 units last month.