January US auto sales fall slightly due to storm

DETROIT (AP) — U.S. auto sales fell slightly in January because of the East Coast snowstorm, but analysts say demand remains strong and buyers will likely head back into dealerships this month.

Sales fell less than 1 percent to 1.1 million, according to Autodata Corp. The mid-January storm, which buried New York and Washington D.C. under more than 2 feet of snow, cost automakers around 15,000 vehicle sales, said John Humphrey, J.D. Power's senior vice president of automotive. But automakers said sales volumes returned to normal levels in the last weekend of the month.

Ford, Toyota, Honda and Volkswagen all saw sales decline from last January. General Motors' sales were flat. Fiat Chrysler, Nissan and Hyundai posted sales increases.

Even with the lackluster results, analysts still expect another record year for U.S. vehicle sales. Low gas prices, low interest rates and an enticing lineup of new vehicles – particularly small SUVs like the Nissan Rogue and the Ford Edge – are continuing to draw shoppers.

U.S. buyers bought a record 17.5 million cars and trucks in 2015. Analysts expect sales to continue to grow this year, though at a slower pace as demand starts to plateau. That will likely mean an increase in cash-back offers and other incentives from automakers as they try to keep posting gains.