US Auto Sales Rose 4% in October as Toyota, Kia and Hyundai Set Records — and Hybrids Took Nearly a Fifth of the Market

US new-vehicle sales rose about 4 percent in October to roughly 1.3 million units, according to preliminary estimates released November 4 by GlobalData, with retail sales up 3.1 percent to about 1.1 million and the seasonally adjusted annual rate at 15.6 million. Cox Automotive put the month slightly higher, at 1.38 million units and a 16.1 million annual rate, so the exact total depends on the forecaster — but every estimate agrees the market grew.

Toyota had the month’s headline result. Toyota Motor North America sold 221,507 vehicles, up 6.5 percent, with the Toyota division at 188,392, up 5.7 percent for the company’s best October ever, and Lexus up 12 percent. Combined Toyota and Lexus electrified sales rose 35 percent to 126,054, or 57 percent of total volume, and the RAV4, Grand Highlander and Sienna all had strong months. Kia set a new sales record for a sixth straight month at 80,008 units, up 16 percent, outselling its larger corporate sibling Hyundai — 73,452, up 4.8 percent and also an October record — for the third month this year.

The rest of the monthly reporters mostly beat the market too. American Honda sold 119,952 vehicles, up 8 percent, with the CR-V up 9.8 percent and the Accord and HR-V both up 11 percent. Mazda jumped 25 percent to 31,446, its second-best October, and Subaru rose 6 percent to 54,090. Ford was the exception, slipping 0.5 percent to 173,442, though its F-Series pickup rose 8.2 percent to 73,482.

The powertrain split is the real story. Hybrids accounted for 18.6 percent of the market in October, up from 14.6 percent a year earlier, while fleets grew 9 percent to a 17 percent share of sales. Pure electric vehicles, by contrast, remain stuck near 6 percent of retail sales after the federal tax credits expired. October’s winners are the brands selling hybrids at scale — and the losers are the ones still waiting for EV demand to come back.