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SEARCHAuctions are seeing a drop in off-lease and off-rental vehicles, but overall sales for the first half of the year are still pacing ahead of 2024 levels.
As a collective, car sales fell most in June, dropping a combined 14.7% year-over-year, followed by a 14% decline in sales of vans.
Graphic: AuctionNet
Wholesale auction sales reached 540,200 vehicles in June, down 1.9% from last June (selling day adjusted), marking the first year-over-year decline in auction sales since December 2022, according to sales figures released by AuctionNet on July 10.
Monthly, sales fell more than 10% compared to May.
However, AuctionNet sales reached 3.59 million units over the year's first six months, up 5.7% versus 2024 (selling day adjusted).
Last month’s drop in sales was due in part to a 25% decline in sales of 3-year-old vehicles, which are comprised of many off-lease units.
Historically, dealers scoop up large quantities of clean, late-model off-lease vehicles before they can make their way to auction because they are highly desirable substitutes for more expensive new vehicles, such as OEM CPO programs.
Dealer demand for these types of units is only becoming stronger due to tariff concerns over new vehicle production and prices. This will exacerbate an already thin supply of off-lease units at auction given that supply in general is trending lower because the market saw fewer new lease originations a few years ago.
Sales of 4- and 5-year-old vehicles were also down versus last June, dropping 12.2%.
Four of the top 5 selling 3-year-old luxury vehicles in June were electric.
Graphic: AuctionNet
Conversely, sales of units up to 2-years-old rose 12.7%.
That said, the group’s growth rate was substantially below the 28.4% rise averaged over the prior three months, likely due to fewer off-rental vehicles going through the lanes (given that the group is comprised mainly of former rental units).
Through June, dealer sales are up just over 5% compared to last year's period, while commercial sales are up 7.4%. Both figures mark a decline from the 8.5% and 11% year-to-date increases posted in April. The sales gap between 2024 and 2025 is narrowing.
As a collective, car sales fell most in June, dropping a combined 14.7% year-over-year, followed by a 14% decline in sales of vans. Even utilities experienced a pullback in activity last month, with sales falling by an average of 2.6%.
AuctionNet auctions reported more than 12,630 electric vehicle sales last month, +26.7% versus last June but down more than 6% compared to May. Year-to-date, more than 75,400 EV transactions have been reported by AuctionNet auctions, +48.1% versus 2024 (selling day adjusted).
Monthly AuctionNet data is derived from 265 National Auto Auction Association member auctions that use AuctionNet, and is considered the most comprehensive source of wholesale auto auction sales data in the U.S.
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