North American Light Vehicle Production Down Slightly in April

North American automakers produced 1,413,887 light vehicles in April, down 0.8% from 2013’s 11-year high point for the month.

The downturn centered on car production, which saw the lowest share of light-vehicle production since October 2005 at 40.2%. Output dropped 11.2% from last year to 568,282 units.

Light-truck production surged 7.7%, with 845,605 built in April. Growing demand for this vehicle type was reflected in a 7.4% increase in sales, compared with a 4.4% decline for cars, over the first four months of this year.

The Detroit Three built 753,169 LVs, resulting in a 0.9% drop from April 2013, according to WardsAuto estimates. Ford posted a significant decline, falling 16.3% to 229,255 units.

Despite double-digit year-over-year increases of domestically produced inventories at the end of March, Nissan and Toyota continued heavy output in April.

Nissan recorded its best-ever April, building 138,806 LVs. Gaining 14.0% on last year, it was the most improved of the major automakers.

Toyota’s production totaled 169,143 units, up 2.5% from last year and resulting in recordt output for April and the second-best tally of any month. 

Monthly production in Mexico showed a fourth consecutive year-over-year gain, up 3.6% to 245,800 units. Year-to-date, LV builds totaled 1,016,292, a 5.5% increase from like-2013.

In Canada, output declined 8.0% from year-ago, to 192,388 units. Year-to-date output of 755,645 units was 3.8% below prior-year.

U.S. plants made 975,699 LVs last month, down 0.3%. January-April production totaled 3,825,329, 4.1% above same-period 2013.

North American light-vehicle production through April was 5,597,266 units, up 3.2% from year-ago.

[email protected]