Statewide new car sales up nearly 4 percent in first quarter

Statewide new car sales in this year’s first quarter totaled 502,736, up 3.8 percent from 484,322 in the opening quarter of 2015, according to a report released Wednesday by the Sacramento-based California New Car Dealers Association.

At the current rate, the CNCDA projected new light-vehicle registrations of 2.11 million for all of 2016. That would approach the record of 2.15 million set in 2005.

Statewide sales totaled 2.05 million in 2015.

Registrations for new light trucks – a sector that includes pickups, sport-utility vehicles and vans – continue to increase by double digit percentages: 218,210 unit sales in the first quarter, up more than 12 percent from 194,010 last year.

This story was originally published May 18, 2016 at 2:17 PM with the headline "Statewide new car sales up nearly 4 percent in first quarter."