Despite Rising Gas Prices, February Auto Sales Strong at Estimated 15.5 Million SAAR

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--February 21, 2013: Edmunds.com, forecasts that 1,198,538 new cars and trucks will be sold in the U.S. in February for an estimated Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR) this month of 15.5 million light vehicles. The projected sales will be a 14.9 percent increase from January 2013, and a 4.3 percent increase from February 2012.

“Car sales are persevering despite economic factors on people's minds like rising gas prices and the implementation of the payroll tax”

"Car sales are persevering despite economic factors on people's minds like rising gas prices and the implementation of the payroll tax," says Edmunds.com Senior Analyst Jessica Caldwell. "Pent-up demand and widespread access to credit are keeping up car sales momentum."

Edmunds.com estimates that retail SAAR will come in at 12.4 million vehicles in February, with fleet transactions accounting for 20.3 percent of total sales. An estimated 3.35 million used cars will be sold in February, for a SAAR of 37.2 million (compared to 3.12 million --or a SAAR of 38.7 million --used car sales in January).