(July 3, 2019) U.S. auto sales fell the first half of 2019 and analysts don't think the rest of the year will get any easier. June sales continued the slide with only a handful of companies showing increases over last year including Hyundai and Fiat Chrysler. General Motors, Toyota, Honda and Nissan fell as the industry appeared headed to its sixth straight monthly decline. Ford does not report June sales until today.

General Motors Co. on Tuesday reported that U.S. sales fell 4.2% through the first half of the year. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles sales through the first six months of the year were down 2% despite its best June in more than a decade. And Toyota Motor North America sales were down 3.1% through the end of June.

Hyundai stretched its streak of winning months to 11 with a 1.5 percent increase. FCA, boosted single-handedly by Ram trucks, inched up 1.9 percent.  Subaru, Kia, Mitsubishi and Volkswagen were other winners among smaller brands. Toyota, which ended a six- month skid in May, was back in the deficit column with a 3.5 percent decline.

After the June results are tallied today, when Ford is scheduled to report results, total U.S. light-vehicle sales are forecast to drop for the sixth time this year as sales to individual customers and demand for cars continue to weaken across the industry. Sales were off 2.2 percent in June without Ford's final tally.

Still, the seasonally adjusted annual sales rate for the first half of the year was projected Tuesday by GM to come in at about 17 million.  At the start of the year, most analysts were projecting sales for the year to come in below that level after four years above, including a 2016 record. 

GM reported sales slid 1.5% in the second quarter of 2019 as the automaker phases out sedans from its lineup. Chevrolet sedans and compact cars in some cases had double-digit sales declines,  and sales of nearly all its truck models fell, too. The GMC Canyon midsize truck did post record second-quarter sales of 18,863 units.

GM's SUVs and crossovers from Buick, Chevrolet and GMC posted mostly positive sales figures, but not enough to boost the bottom line. Average transaction prices in the second quarter hit a record $37,126.

The Buick, Cadillac and Chevrolet brands all had sales declines through the first half of the year. GMC sales were up 2.9% through June.

Fiat Chrysler sold 206,083 vehicles in June, up 2% from a year ago, due largely to Ram pickups, which had the highest monthly sales since the truck brand was severed from Dodge in 2009. However, Jeep sales slowed both for the month and the first half of the year, down 12% in June and 8% year-to-date.

Despite that, Jeep sales accounted for nearly half of FCA's overall sales through the first six months of 2019. The automaker has sold 1.1 million vehicles so far this year; Jeep sales clocked in a 456,281 through June. Ram sales were up 28% through June, and were FCA's only brand that had increased sales in the first half of the year.

Fiat Chrysler moved 206,083 vehicles in June, up 2% from a year ago, due largely to Ram pickups, which had the highest monthly sales since the truck brand was severed from Dodge in 2009. However, Jeep sales slowed both for the month and the first half of the year, down 12% in June and 8% year-to-date.

Despite that, Jeep sales accounted for nearly half of FCA's overall sales through the first six months of 2019. The automaker has sold 1.1 million vehicles so far this year; Jeep sales clocked in a 456,281 through June. Ram sales were up 28% through June, and were FCA's only brand that had increased sales in the first half of the year.

Honda sales dropped 7.3 percent, with volume down 6.3 percent at Honda and 16 percent at Acura. There were bright spots, however, with another month of sales near 30,000 for Civic, which maintained its grip on the compact car segment.

The CR-V crossover also reached nearly 30,000 units and the Pilot posted a strong month on sales of 11,579 units, Ridgeline gained 5% on sales of 2,761 units, 3,385 Passports were delivered, and Odyssey led all minivans with sales of 9,202.
   
"With about 25 percent retail market share, the Honda Civic continues to be the benchmark vehicle in the compact segment," said Henio Arcangeli, Jr. senior vice president of Automobile Sales at American Honda Motor Co. "For Acura, RDX continues to deliver solid results, remaining the retail sales leader in the most competitive segment in the luxury market."

Sources: Automotive News, manufacturers