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Vehicle sales in June up by 8.6 percent
After reporting a whopping 117-percent upsurge in May, vehicle sales settled for a more modest 8.6 percent increase in June.
The Commonwealth Auto Dealers Association said Tuesday it sold 38 new cars, vans, trucks, and sports utility vehicles in June, only a three-unit difference from the same month last year.
“The ‘modest’ increase is in reality a bit of a disappointment,” CADA secretary Douglas Brennan told Saipan Tribune.
He said in June 2011, “inventory levels were still very low as a result of the series of disasters in Japan.” Brennan was referring to the March 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disasters in Japan.
“I personally expected a larger increase for June 2012. A better July? I sure hope so,” Brennan added. Brennan is also president of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce and general manager of Microl Corp.
Despite the modest increase in June, CADA’s year-to-date sales are still promising, with a 31-percent increase compared to the first half of last year.
Microl Corp. sold 15 new vehicles, up from only eight last year. This brings its year-to-date sales to 148 or a 64-percent increase. Microl is the dealer of Toyota and Chevrolet.
Joeten Motors sold 15 new vehicles in June, only one unit up from last year during the same month. Its year-to-date sales posted a 2.5-percent increase compared to last year’s. Joeten Motors is the local dealer of Nissan, Ford, Honda, and Kia.
Triple “J” Motors, meanwhile, sold only eight new vehicles in June, compared to last year’s 13. But its year-to-date sales still posted a 21-percent increase from last year’s.
Of the 38 new vehicles sold in June, 16 were cars, 15 were SUVs, five were vans, and two were trucks.
Toyota Yaris was the top car of choice with five units sold in June, followed by Hyundai Accent, Kia Soul, and Toyota Corolla, each with two units sold. Also sold were one each of Honda Fit, Hyundai Elantra, Hyundai Genesis Cp, Kia Forte, and Toyota Camry.
Among SUVs, the most saleable in June was Kia Sportage with four units sold, followed by Hyundai Tucson with three, and Toyota 4 Runner, two. Other SUVs sold were one each of Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Mazda CX5, Nissan Pathfinder, Nissan Xterra, and Toyota Highlander.
Of the five vans sold last month, four were Toyota Sienna and one was Ford E-Van.
The two trucks sold in June were one each of Ford F-150 and Nissan Frontier.
CADA also sold 21 used vehicles last month, bringing to 127 the total sold during the first half of 2012.
By Haidee V. Eugenio
Reporter
