July 2016 U.S. LV Sales Thread: Strong Monthly Sales Push SAAR to 11-Year High

WardsAuto tracks light-vehicle (LV) deliveries throughout sales reporting day. Monthly year-over-year change represents the change in daily sales rate (DSR).  July had 26 selling days this year compared with 26 days in 2015, meaning DSR % change will equal straight volume %change for year-over-year comparisons this month.

Related Table 

U.S. Light Vehicle Sales Summary table

FINAL: July 4th weekend sales gave the month a strong start and the momentum continued through the end, as U.S. light vehicle sales surpassed expectations. Automakers sold 1.51 million LVs in July, a 0.3% improvement from same-month year-ago.

The 17.77 million SAAR was the highest for the month since 2005, and the highest of any month this year.

General Motors sales were down versus year-ago, but strong incentive activity lifted market share to 17.7% of LV sales, up from the 16.7% for first half of this year. Ford took a steeper fall, resulting in a 13.9% share compared to year-ago's 14.5%.

Toyota followed with a 14.1% take, slightly less than year-ago, while FCA finished in the No.4 spot with an 11.8% take, just below prior-year's 11.9%.

Honda finished in the No.5 spot ahead of Nissan, accounting for 10.1% of LV sales for the month.

Industry LV sales through the first seven months of 2016 were 10.11 million, 1.1% higher than same-period 2015.

UPDATE 1:59 PM ET:

Hyundai-Kia also came in above expectations. Hyundai reported 75,003 sales, up 5.6% while sister South Korean brand Kia was up 6.5% on 59,969 deliveries.

The remaining two big German automakers had mixed results. BMW posted 30,551 sales, 5.0% below July 2015. Daimler sold 32,298 LVs, 7.1% ahead of last year.

UPDATE 12:52 PM ET:

Toyota's sales came in just above the forecast at 214,233 LVs, a 1.4% dip in DSR, that brings the company's YTD sales to 1.41 million, a 2.5% decline from same-period 2015.

Subaru jumped 3.1% versus year-ago, with the company delivering 52,093 LVs. Subaru sales for the year are up 2.7%. 

Volkswagen performed better than expected with 28,758 units, 8.1% below year-ago.

UPDATE 11:13 AM ET:

Honda was up 4.4% to 152,799 deliveries in July. YTD, the automaker has performed 5.1% better than prior-year.

General Motors came in 1.9% below last year with 267,258 LVs, following expectations. The 7-month total was 1,706,173 units, 4.0% less than same-period 2015.

UPDATE 10:53 AM ET:

Nissan sold 132,475 vehicles,  up 1.2%  compared with same-month year-ago. Nissan's sales since January are up 7.3%.

Ford delivered 210,827 light vehicles in July, slipping 3.2% from year-ago. Ford's YTD sales are at 1.92 million units, up 4.9%. YTD, the automaker is 3.0% ahead of last year with 1,526,810 units.

FCA sold 179,333 LVs last month, flat with like-2015. The automaker's year-to-date total has been revised to fit their new tracking methodology. The 1,316,353 units is 4.3% above year-ago.