Cars.com Projects Highest December SAAR Since 2006

Low gas prices propel SUV and full-size truck sales to close 2014

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Dec 29, 2014, 08:00 ET

CHICAGO, Dec. 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Cars.com forecasts December light, new-vehicle sales will hit 1,510,500 units, up 11.3 percent from December 2013 and 16 percent from last month. This marks the highest December unit sales count since December 2006. A SAAR of 16.86 million is expected for the month.

"New-car sales are finishing the year on a high note, with total industry sales expected to exceed 16.5 million units in 2014," said Jesse Toprak, chief analyst at Cars.com. "Bolstered by low gas prices, SUV and full-size truck sales have been particularly strong this month – even beyond normal seasonality."

Retail sales remain steady and are projected to make up 85.5 percent of total sales in December, up 0.5 percent from the previous month.

Looking forward to the new year, Toprak added, "We expect sales to continue on a very positive trajectory, with the industry set to hit 17.1 million units in 2015."

Unit Sales
Manufacturer	December 2014 Sales Forecast	YoY	MoM
FCA (Fiat-Chrysler)	198,200	23.1%	16.0%
Ford	224,800	3.8%	20.6%
GM	253,100	10.0%	12.1%
Honda	146,400	8.2%	20.2%
Hyundai/Kia	106,500	10.2%	8.0%
Nissan	116,100	5.8%	12.5%
Toyota	213,700	12.0%	16.6%
Volkswagen Group*	58,200	7.2%	9.7%
Total	1,510,500	11.3%	16.0%
^{*Includes Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche}

Market Share
Manufacturer	December 2014 Sales Forecast	Nov-14	Dec-13
FCA (Fiat-Chrysler)	11.9%	13.1%	11.9%
Ford	16.0%	14.3%	16.0%
GM	17.0%	17.3%	17.0%
Honda	10.0%	9.4%	10.0%
Hyundai/Kia	7.1%	7.6%	7.1%
Nissan	8.1%	7.9%	8.1%
Toyota	14.1%	14.1%	14.1%
Volkswagen Group*	4.0%	4.1%	4.0%
^{*Includes Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche}

About Cars.com
Launched in 1998, Cars.com is a leading independent research site for car shoppers with approximately 30 million visits per month. The Chicago-based company provides shoppers with credible and easy-to-understand information from consumers and experts. Leveraging its growing audience, Cars.com informs digital marketing strategies through consumer insights and innovative products, helping automotive dealers and manufacturers more effectively reach in-market car shoppers. Cars.com is owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI). For more information, visit www.dealers.cars.com.

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SOURCE Cars.com