May U.S. auto sales reach 16.2M SAAR

May U.S. auto sales topped forecasts, with American Honda leading the way at a nearly double-digit annual growth rate. Sales ran at a seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) of roughly 16.1 million to 16.2 million vehicles, according to a June 2 Cox Automotive release. The pace was up from 15.6 million a year earlier and 15.9 million in April, though actual sales volume was largely flat year over year . Industry participants are monitoring second-half sales trends after the first half of the year had a lower year-over-year performance due to the 2025 tariff-related order pull ahead . Betty Jotanovic , president of auto relationships at Santander Consumer USA , told Auto Finance News she is "a little bit bullish on the second half of the year" at this week’s 2026 Non-Prime Auto Financing Conference. The YoY sales comparisons may be affected by demand that was pulled forward in 2025 amid concerns about tariffs, Jotanovic said, adding that sales were also “very strong” from January through May this year. Sales for May landed at about 1.5 million units, up from roughly 1.4 million in April and slightly above May 2025 levels, according to a June 4 Deutsche Bank research note. The firm said May sales exceeded its forecast and maintained its full-year 2026 U.S. auto sales estimate of 15.9 million vehicles. Honda leads OEM growth American Honda led the way for monthly growth with a 9.9% YoY increase in unit sales, according to the company’s June 2 monthly sales figure release. Strong sales of the Accord, Civic and CR-V, combined with steady demand for its refreshed lineup, form a strong value proposition and a product mix aligned with current consumer demand, Lance Woelfer , vice president of auto sales at American Honda Motor Co., told Auto Finance News. “Accord and Civic have combined for more than 40,000 sales for two straight months, CR-V remains one of the best-selling retail vehicles in the country and steady contributions from HR-V, Passport, Pilot and Odyssey reinforce broad-based demand,” he said. “Acura continues to show strong momentum, with Integra and ADX leading their segments in retail sales and MDX benefiting from improved supply.” “The market is playing to the Honda strengths that we’re known for: a sterling reputation for quality combined with exceptional fuel economy… so we are experiencing tremendous demand for our products,” Woelfer added. “Honda is outperforming expectations across a balanced lineup of passenger cars, light trucks, gas models and hybrids.” May 2026 OEM sales [caption id="attachment_58362031" align="aligncenter" width="916"] (Courtesy/Automakers' sales reports)[/caption] Affordability remains a key market consideration as vehicle prices and interest rates remain elevated, according to Cox Auto. The company also noted incentive spending is running near 7% of the average transaction price compared to about 10% in the last few years following the pandemic. Electrified vehicle sales Meanwhile, electrified vehicle results varied among automakers in May, with Toyota Motor North America 's electrified vehicle sales up 15.3% YoY to 137,031 units, representing 57.4% of total sales volume, according to the OEM’s June 2 report. Toyota Division's electrified vehicle sales rose 15.6% YoY to 123,672 units, while Lexus ’ electrified vehicle sales increased 12.6% YoY to 13,359 units, according to the release. Toyota reported gains across several electrified models, including the RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid, 4Runner Hybrid and bZ EV. Ford Motor Co. 's electrified vehicle sales fell 22.2% YoY to 22,912 units, according to the OEM’s June 3 sales release. Traditional EV sales declined 43.9% YoY to 3,769 units, while hybrid sales landed at 19,143 units, down 15.7% YoY.

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May U.S. auto sales reach 16.2M SAAR

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