CADA report: Vehicle sales down 11 percent in March

Monthly automotive sales fell for the first time this year in March by 11 percent, but year-to-date sales are still 15 percent higher than the same period last year.

The Commonwealth Auto Dealers Association’s latest data released yesterday said that March sales totaled 42 new cars, vans, trucks and sports utility vehicles, an 11-percent increase from the 47 units they sold during the same month last year.

Douglas Brennan, CADA secretary, said they expect overall sales to be higher this year than last year, notwithstanding any major disaster.

The year was off to a good start with a 43-percent sales increase in January, but Brennan said that that was because of “pent up” demand following the impact on production of the March 2011 tsunami in Japan. February sales also rose by 14 percent, before dipping by 11 percent in March.

Brennan said the actual number of units sold in March, which was 42, was within the expected monthly range of 40 to 45 this year. CADA sales totaled 454 new units in 2011, or an average of 37 to 38 a month.

Microl Corp., the authorized dealer of Toyota and Chevrolet, sold 20 new vehicles in March. This brings its year-to-date sales to 71, or 34 percent higher than last year’s.

Triple “J” Motors sold 12 new vehicles, a 140-percent increase from the five it sold in March last year. Triple “J” Motors, the authorized dealer of Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Isuzu, Suzuki, and Mazda, posted a year-to-date sales of 43 or a 39-percent increase from the same period last year.

Joeten Motors sold 10 new units, a 55-percent drop from the same month last year. This brings to 36 its year-to-date sales, a 23-percent drop from the same period in 2011. Joeten Motors is the authorized distributor of Nissan, Ford, Honda and Kia.

More SUVs than cars sold

SUVs were the vehicle of choice in March, topping the sales chart with 19 new units sold, followed by cars with 14, trucks with six, and vans with three.

Hyundai Tucson was the most saleable SUV in March with six units sold, followed by Ford Escape with four, and Toyota RAV4, three. Other SUVs sold were two Nissan Rogue, and one each of Kia Sportage, Mazda CX7, Mazda CX5, and Toyota Highlander.

Among sedans, Toyota Yaris sold the most in March with four units. Other sold were two each of Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Corolla and Toyota Prius, along with one each of Honda Civic, Mazda2, Mazda3 and Toyota Camry.

Of the six trucks sold in March, all were Toyota Tacoma.

The three vans sold last month were one each of Honda Odyssey, Kia Sedona, and Toyota Sienna.

CADA also sold 21 used or secondhand vehicles in March, bringing to 64 the total sold since January.