International Nameplate Automobile Dealers Announce Monthly Sales Sales Rebound in March

Alexandria, VA--April 2, 2014: The American International Automobile Dealers Association (AIADA) today released March 2014 sales figures for the international nameplate automobile industry. AIADA represents America’s approximately 10,000 international nameplate franchises whose brands accounted for 55.1 percent of all vehicles sold in the United States last month, up from 53.2 percent in February.

AutoData Corp. estimates the seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) at 16.4 million, the highest rate of 2014. The SAAR stood at 15.34 million last month and 15.24 million in January. March’s SAAR is also an improvement over last March’s SAAR of 15.3 million units. Sales for all brands, unadjusted for business days, were up 5.7 percent over March 2013 and 28.8 percent over last month.

“In March, we saw customers return to dealerships ready to buy, resulting in a positive month for the industry,” said AIADA President Cody Lusk. “March’s sales figures show that international nameplate dealers have reason to be optimistic, and I’m confident that the industry will continue to make a strong showing as we progress through 2014."

As many parts of the country began to thaw from a long winter, buyers returned to dealerships, resulting in a successful month for many international nameplate brands. Kia (up 11.5 percent), Mazda (up 9 percent), Nissan (up 7.9 percent), Subaru (up 21.2 percent), and Toyota (up 2.5 percent) saw sales improve over March 2013. Luxury brands, including Acura (up 10.5 percent), Audi (up 7.5 percent), BMW (up 18.6 percent), Lexus (up 23.3 percent), and Mercedes-Benz (up 12 percent) also fared well in March. Sales decreased for some international automakers, including Honda (down 3.4 percent), Hyundai (down 1.9 percent), and Volkswagen (down 2.6 percent).

In March, international brands sold 847,047 units, up from 635,418 last month. Asian nameplates occupied 46.1 percent of the U.S. market, an improvement over the 44.4 percent share they held in February. European nameplates occupied 9 percent of the market, up from 8.8 percent last month. Domestic brands held a 44.9 percent market share, down from 46.8 percent last month.

Read AIADA’s complete coverage of March’s international nameplate auto sales here: Sales Rebound in March