February 2016 U.S. LV Sales Thread: LV Sales Continue Ahead of Year-Ago

WardsAuto tracks light-vehicle (LV) deliveries throughout sales reporting day. Monthly year-over-year change represents the change in daily sales rate (DSR).  February had 24 selling days this year and in 2015, meaning DSR % change will be equal to straight volume %change for year-over-year comparisons this month.

Related Table 

U.S. Light Vehicle Sales Summary table

Overview:  U.S. automakers sold 1,335,704 light vehicles in February, equating to a daily sales rate (24 days) of 55,654, a 6.7% improvement over same-month year-ago. The seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of LV sales for the month was 17.43 million units, the highest February SAAR since 2001. 

General Motors sales were down versus year-ago, as the top selling automaker ceded more than a point of market share to the rest of the industry, finishing with 17.1% of LV sales compared to 18.5% last year.

Ford vaulted in the opposite direction, with a 15.8% share compared to year-ago's 14%. Toyota followed with a 14.1% take, slightly higher than year-ago, while FCA finished in the No.4 spot with a 13.6% take, compared with year-ago's 13% share.

Nissan easily finished in the No.5 spot ahead of Honda, accounting for 9.8% of LV sales for the month.

Industry LV sales through the first two months of 2016 were 2.48 million, 3.2% over same-period 2015.

Today's sales report thread appears below. See related articles for additional details.

UPDATE 1:59 PM ET: Hyundai sales were up 1% over same-month year-ago, and YTS as well, on 53,009 February deliveries. Sister company Kia, meanwhile, reported 49,737 unit sales for the month, a 13% improvement that brings the automaker's YTD tally to just over 88,000 LVs, up 6.9% over like-2015.

BMW sold 25,337 BMW and Mini-brand vehicles in February, a 12.4% decline in daily sales. The German automaker is down 8.7% YTD. Chief rival Daimler's February sales were 0.5% off year-ago's mark, leaving the company just 0.4% ahead of year-ago YTD.

UPDATE 12:59 PM ET: Toyota sales were directly in line with WardsAuto expectations, finishing at just under 188,000 units. Toyota's daily sales rate (DSR) climbed 4.1% from same-month year-ago, brining YTD sales almost exactly in line with year-ago.

Subaru sales were up 1.6% in February, compared to the car company's 1.1% improvement over year-ago YTD through two months. 

UPDATE 11:58 AM ET: Honda daily sales were up nearly 13% over year-ago in February, on the strength of just under 119,000 deliveries. The automaker's YTD sales are up 5.7%.

Volkswagen brand sales, meanwhile, continue to decline. February sales were down 13.2% from like-2015, while the company's YTD sales are down 13.8%.

UPDATE 10:30 AM ET: GM sales came in just under forecast levels, falling 1.5% below year-ago on just under 228,000 LV sales.  GM's 431,570 YTD LV sales are 0.6% below year-ago.

Audi sales were up 2.3% in February, at 11,718 units, putting YTD sales 2.5% ahead of like-2015.

Mazda delivered 21,544 units in February, 16% its year-ago pace. The monthly result leaves Mazda sales trailing year-ago YTD by 10.2%.

UPDATE 9:45 AM ET: Ford LV sales for February were up a whopping 19.9% over an admittedly lackluster year-ago. The automaker delivered nearly 211,000 LVs in the month, bringing its two-month total to nearly 379,000 units - for an 8.3% year-over-year gain.

FCA outpaced WardsAuto's forecast by 3%, delivering over 181,000 light vehicles in February, an 11.3% increase in daily sales compared to year-ago. FCA sales for the first two months of 2016 are up 9.3% over year-ago YTD.

Nissan beat expectations slightly, as well, with 130,911 February LV deliveries - a 10.5% improvement over same-month year-ago, that leaves the Japanese automaker up 6.3% for the year so far.