Automotive Fleet
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Commercial Fleet Sales Increase 12.3% in May

Commercial fleet sales continued their torrid spring, increasing 12.3% in May after increasing 11.2% in April. Year-to-date sales are now 7.8% ahead of the first five months of 2018, according to Automotive Fleet data.

June 4, 2019
Commercial Fleet Sales Increase 12.3% in May

Commercial fleet sales increase 12.3% in May, following an 11.2% increase in April.

Photos courtesy of Ford, GM, FCA, and Nissan.

2 min to read


Commercial fleet sales continued their torrid spring, increasing 12.3% in May after increasing 11.2% in April. Year-to-date sales are now 7.8% ahead of the first five months of 2018, according to Automotive Fleet data.

Ad Loading...

Sales of vehicles from nine manufactures reached 76,670 in May compared to a year ago. So far, the manufacturers have sold 345,261 in 2019.

Ad Loading...

In May, sales of trucks, vans, and SUVs increased 11.7% to 68,076, while sales of passenger cars increased 17% to 8,594. For the year so far, truck-based sales have increased 9.8% to 307,263, while car sales have declined 5.9% to 37,998.

May sales to government fleets from four manufacturers declined 6.3% to 26,788. Truck-based sales increased 1.4% to 22,974 and car sales fell 35.6% to 3,814. For the year, government sales have increased 1.1% to 111,900. Truck sales have increased 4.7% to 94,985 and car sales have declined 15.2% to 16,915.

Daily rental sales from nine manufacturers declined 13.6% to 207,850 units. Truck-based sales increased 19.3% to 133,098 units, while car sales declined 4.7% to 74,752 units. Year-to-date sales have increased 5.4% to 901,063 vehicles with a 4.5% decline in car sales to 332,128 and a 12.1% increase in truck-based sales to 568,935 units.

For all three segments, fleet sales in May increased 11.2% from a year ago to 311,308 units with a 14.8% gain in truck sales to 224,148 and a 3% increase in car sales to 87,160. For the year so far, sales into the three fleet segments have increased 5.6% to 1.35 million. While truck-based sales have increased 10.6% to 971,183, car sales have fallen 5.2% to 387,041.

More Vehicle Research

A green 2027 subaru outback drives in the mountains
Vehicle Research•by News/Media Release•October 28, 2026

2027 Subaru Outback Adds Base Trim, Lowers Pricing Across Lineup

The 2027 Outback starts at $32,995, with price reductions on several trims and expanded availability of hands-free driver-assistance technology.

Read More →
A blue Toyota Camry drives on a road
Vehicle Research•by News/Media Release•October 16, 2026

2027 Toyota Camry Offers Hybrid Powertrain Across Five Grades

The 2027 Toyota Camry is a carryover with new pricing.

Read More →
new Chevy Trax and Trailblazer
Vehicle Research•by News/Media Release•October 16, 2026

Chevrolet Updates 2027 Trax and Trailblazer with More Standard Safety Features

Chevrolet is updating two of its smallest SUVs with added driver-assistance technology, redesigned interiors, and revised trim options. The changes could add more safety equipment as standard for commercial fleets, while a new Trailblazer configuration adds another all-wheel-drive option.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
commercial fleet sales jan thru sept year over year
Vehicle Research•by Chris Brown•October 7, 2026

Commercial Fleet Sales Rise 5.8% Through September 2026

September commercial fleet sales were essentially unchanged from a year earlier, slowing year-to-date growth while keeping volume ahead of 2025.

Read More →
Automotive Fleet Hall of Fame graphic honoring John Dmochowsky, retired senior global fleet manager for Mondelēz International.
Vehicle Research•by Faith Howell•October 2, 2026

Hall of Fame Inductee: John Dmochowsky

The longtime Mondelēz International fleet executive joins the Automotive Fleet Hall of Fame.

Read More →
Automotive Fleet Hall of Fame graphic honoring Lee Miller, retired director of fleet services for Boehringer Ingelheim.
Vehicle Research•by Faith Howell•October 2, 2026

Hall of Fame Inductee: Lee Miller

After more than four decades at Boehringer Ingelheim, Lee Miller leaves a legacy built on fleet expertise.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Automotive Fleet Hall of Fame graphic honoring Mark F. Petersen, whose four-decade fleet career spanned corporate and supplier leadership roles.
Vehicle Research•by Faith Howell•October 1, 2026

Hall of Fame Inductee: Mark F. Petersen

From managing fleets of thousands of vehicles to advancing safety and mentoring fellow professionals, Mark F. Petersen made his mark across both the corporate and supplier sides of fleet.

Read More →
A ChargerHelp thumbnail representing the 2026 reliability report with a dark blue background.
Vehicle Research•by News/Media Release•September 24, 2026

When Charger Downtime Becomes a Fleet Availability Problem

As EV deployments move beyond pilot programs, charger reliability can directly affect vehicle readiness, driver productivity and route scheduling.

Read More →
A grey Nissan drives on a road at sunset
Vehicle Research•by News/Media Release•September 23, 2026

2027 Nissan Rogue Hybrid Adds e-POWER, Standard AWD

The new Rogue Hybrid uses Nissan’s e-POWER system with dual electric motors, offers an estimated 40 mpg and starts at $35,490.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A 2026 BLue FOrester hybrid driving down a dirt road from the rear view
Vehicle Research•by News/Media Release•September 21, 2026

2027 Subaru Forester Adds First Wilderness Hybrid

The 2027 Forester lineup starts at $29,995 and adds a Wilderness Hybrid with 194 combined horsepower and 9.3 inches of ground clearance.

Read More →