The seasonally adjusted annualized rate for new-vehicle sales stood at 13.1 million, according to Motor Intelligence, a far cry from the 18 million-plus pace set in the spring.
Many automakers and dealers were confident earlier in the year that the global chip shortage would blow over quickly. But all but two of the seven automakers that disclosed August sales reported a year-over-year decline.
Toyota Motor North America, which previously had been able to navigate tight supplies, saw sales dip 2 percent last month. The Toyota division suffered its first monthly sales decline this year, with deliveries down 2.4 percent.
Ford Motor Co.’s August sales fell 33 percent, American Honda’s skidded 16 percent, and Subaru of America’s dropped 15 percent.
Hyundai-Kia dipped 1.3 percent, reflecting a 5.3 percent decline by Kia and a 2.4 percent gain by Hyundai Motor America.
In a spot of good news, Mazda North America sales climbed 4.6 percent in August, while Volvo Car USA sales rose 3 percent for the Swedish automaker’s 15th consecutive monthly advance.
Analyst Jonas estimated that market share for the Detroit 3 in August dropped to 38.1 percent, a decline of 6.7 percentage points from the same period last year.
Asian automakers accounted for 52 percent of the U.S. market, while European automakers took a 10 percent share.
