US auto sales fall in August

Associated Press

DETROIT

U.S. sales of new cars and trucks fell in August, ending summer on a low note for the auto industry and making it less likely that this year’s auto sales will match the record set in 2015.

General Motors’ sales dropped 5 percent from last August, while Ford’s sales were down 8 percent. Toyota’s sales were down 5 percent, Honda’s fell 4 percent and Nissan’s dropped 6.5 percent. Volkswagen’s sales dropped 9 percent. Hyundai’s sales were flat.

Fiat Chrysler bucked the trend with a 3 percent increase in sales, while Subaru’s were up 15 percent. Both companies benefited from consumers’ increasing preference for SUVs. Sales of Fiat Chrysler’s Jeep brand rose 12 percent.

Overall, industry sales dropped 4 percent to 1.5 million vehicles, according to Autodata Corp. Total sales through August are up less than 1 percent over last year.

This isn’t unexpected. After six straight years of growth – and record sales of 17.5 million new vehicles last year – the industry has been bracing for a plateau as consumer demand wanes.