February 16,2016-
Light trucks were up 19.4 percent in 2015
The California new light vehicle market had a banner year in 2015 says the California New Car Dealers Association. New light vehicle registrations in the state increased for the sixth consecutive year, with the total exceeding 2 million units. The market was up a sizable 11.1 percent from 2014, easily eclipsing the 5.2 percent increase in the Nation. At this point, it seems unlikely that this rate of improvement will continue in 2016. There are some indications that new vehicle sales are approaching a cyclical peak and the economic outlook is becoming cloudier. But the combination of very low fuel prices, high demand for light trucks, and strong consumer affordability should help the market increase this year, with registrations remaining above the 2 million unit mark.
Among the top 15 selling brands, Jeep, Subaru, Mazda, Kia, Chevrolet, and Hyundai had the biggest percentage increases during 2015 .
New passenger car registrations in the state increased 5.8 percent last year, while light trucks were up 19.4 percent.
Gains in the new vehicle market were stronger than in the used market. Used vehicle registrations in the state were up by just 2.9 in 2015.