Iowans bought a lot of new vehicles last year, but sales were down compared to 2015. Bruce Anderson, president of the Iowa Automobile Dealers Association, says there were 138,001 new cars, trucks, and SUVs sold in Iowa in 2016. “Which was a dip of about 4,000 total units, but the sales are at a really high level. It’s the first dip that we’ve experienced since 2009,” Anderson says. The decline in new vehicle sales may be an indicator of an economic slowdown, but Anderson says there are other factors.

“Some of the dip is attributable to supply issues,” Anderson says. “Late in the year, some of the plants close down and getting just exactly the right car or truck ordered and delivered is sometimes difficult.” Anderson’s group keeps track of the top-selling vehicles by manufacturer.

“The number one selling brand in Iowa last year was Chevrolet at 29,605. Ford came in right behind that at 24,638,” Anderson says. The third most popular new vehicle manufacturer in Iowa, behind Chevy and Ford, is Toyota. The Iowa Automobile Dealers Association does not track sales in terms of specific models, but Anderson says Chevy and Ford pickups are clearly the top sellers across the state.

“The Silverado and the F-150 are consistently the top selling units in Iowa. Iowans love their pickup trucks,” Anderson says. Nearly half of the new vehicles being driven in Iowa are trucks, according to Anderson. Nationally, the percentage of trucks on the road is close to 20-percent. The Iowa Automobile Dealers Association includes SUVs as part of truck sales.

(Radio Iowa)