Oxford, UK – World car registrations in January 2021 were up 2.3% compared with the same month in 2020 at 8.33 m units, according to LMC Automotive. It suggested that sales could have been higher, but the resurgence of coronavirus in several key markets continues to subdue global automotive activity.
Global car sales on rise in January 2021
Although vaccine rollouts are well underway in several countries, there is still significant uncertainty regarding timing, LMC said. This is making businesses and consumers lack confidence.
In the US, sales were 6.4% higher in January at 1.62 m units. In the same month in 2020, US dealers sold 1.52m units.
Meanwhile, sales in China hit 2.8 m units, up 5.8% on the previous month. In the same month in 2020, Chinese dealers sold 2.7m units.
In Western Europe, sales were 1.3m units in the month, 3.7% lower than the amount sold in January 2020.
Sales in Brazil and Argentina fell to 253,000 units in the month. This compares with 273 ,000 units in the same month in 2020.
