Light-vehicle sales return to pre-pandemic range in September

Sales of light vehicles totaled 16.3 million at an annual rate in September, continuing a rebound from the 8.7 million pace in April. The pace of sales in April was the lowest on record since this data series began in 1976 and follows a run of 72 months in the $16 million to 18 million range from March 2014 through February 2020. Unit vehicle sales fell significantly below the range as the 2008-2009 recession began, hitting a low of just 9 million in February 2009. Sales began a slow recovery and returned to the 16-18 million range in March 2014, about five years after hitting the low.

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