According to calculations based on actual monthly sales reported by the manufacturers, the first reports of November auto sales are in.
Statistics show that Hyundai, Nissan and Toyota set the pace in November. Gains among major players fell within a narrow range of 0.3 percent at Ford Motor Co. to 3.8 percent at Nissan Motor Co. Hyundai’s 12 percent increase stood out in percentage terms. Hyundai generated sales of 60,007 vehicles, up 12 percent, for its best-ever November. Only American Honda and Volkswagen Group posted a decline in volume.
Overall U.S. sales, without results from Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz and Smart brands, rose 1.6 percent to 1.284 million last month. The strong November results will help push the industry closer to topping the U.S. sales peak of 17.4 million, set in 2000.
Many automakers, like other retailers, launched year-end holiday deals in November. For several months now, because of weak car demand, some of the best deals have been available on midsize and large sedans, and hybrids.