New Vehicle Sales See Little Growth as Consumers Seek Affordability
In spite of discounts and lower prices, new vehicle sales in the U.S. saw minimal growth in the second quarter, reports the Associated Press.
Sales were up 0.1% from a year ago, with prices still not falling enough to meet consumer needs. The recent cyberattack on dealer software also contributed to sales slowing down at the end of June, impacting automakers such as General Motors, which now estimates some of its deliveries to be pushed to the third quarter.
Bigger pickups and SUVs are spending the most time sitting on dealership lots, with automakers having a focus on producing higher-profit vehicles. But consumers are more interested in lower-cost vehicles like compact sedans, which have been in shorter supply.
“You’re seeing people search more and more for affordable vehicles. You’re seeing people searching for under $30K,” said Kevin Roberts, director of analytics at CarGurus.