Total sales of light vehicles declined 1.9% during April (+0.6% y/y) to 17.15 million units (SAAR), following a 2.4% March rise, according to the Autodata Corporation. The decline placed sales 7.6% below the 18.57 million unit high reached last September. April sales have declined 4.0% since December, following a 1.7% twelve-month shortfall during 2017.

Leading last month's decline was a 3.4% drop (-16.4% y/y) in passenger car sales to 5.42 million units. Sales of domestically made autos eased 5.0% (-17.5% y/y) to 3.90 million units, the lowest level since November 2010. Sales of imported passenger cars improved 0.9% (-13.3% y/y) to 1.53 million units.

Sales of light trucks declined 1.2% (+11.0% y/y) to 11.72 million units. Domestic light truck sales eased 3.8% (+6.9% y/y) to 9.28 million units. Sales of imported light trucks increased 9.9% (30.1% y/y) to 2.45 million units.

Trucks' share of the U.S. vehicle market rose to 68.4% in April, up from 63.2% during all of last year and 48.8% during all of 2008.

Imports' share of the U.S. vehicle market surged to 23.2% last month, up from 19.9% in 2015. Imports' share of the passenger car market increased to 28.2% from 27.7% last year. Imports share of the light truck market surged to 20.9% versus 12.7% low during 2014.

U.S. vehicle sales figures can be found in Haver's USECON database.