It Takes 80+ Days For Dealers To Sell This Car Brand

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New-vehicle sales volume rose by only 0.1% in the second quarter compared to the same period a year ago, according to AP reporting Motorintelligence.com recent tallies. Interestingly, the stagnant sales came despite discounts and slightly lower prices, but prices remain significantly elevated compared to before the pandemic.

While new car prices are indeed about 2% lower than the peak in December 2022, according to Kelley Blue Book , they are still 17% higher than three year ago. Analysts expect car prices to continue to decline as demand stalls. One reason could be that some buyers plan to wait for further interest rate cuts that would make car loans more affordable.

While continued elevated prices are partly the reason for the nearly flat sales, another is in the 3% decline in sales in June, specifically in the last two weeks of the month, per Cox Automotive . The cause for the decline is partly due to a cyberattack on CDK Global, which provides the software many dealerships use. Whether or not prices continue to decline and new car sales recover from the slump remains to be seen. But as is always the case, as well as in this environment, some cars tend to sell faster and some slower.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed iSeeCars.com's Fastest Selling Cars study, which analyzed 463,000 new and used car sales between October 2023 and  March 2024. We listed here the 21 slowest-selling new car brands. Cars from these brands sit on the dealership lot until sold more time than the industry average of 54 days. We also added first half sales volume and change from last year from GoodCarBadCar .

The results of the study mirror sales results as new cars sit on the dealership lots 21.6% longer, at the above-mentioned 54 days on average. Electric vehicles sell the slowest, at 70.6 days, while hybrids sell the fastest, at 49.5 days. (Also see: See the 10 Most American Cars Today .)

While Toyota, Alfa Romeo, and Cadillac sell the fastest, at 39.6, 41.8, and 43.4 days, the slowest-selling brands are Buick, Infiniti, and Lincoln, averaging about double the time at 79, 79.8, and 82.6 days.

Some of the fast-selling brands, say analysts at iSeeCars, tend to be "mainstream," with consumers in these market conditions seeking the best value. Also among the fast sellers are some low-volume luxury brands, reflecting limited supply and high demand from affluent buyers.

Most of the slowest-selling are also luxury brands, but also among the slowest-selling cars are brands whose best-sellers tend to be trucks, likely reflecting declines in truck sales.

Why this matters

Knowing market conditions when going to buy a new car is important. Cars that tend to sit longest on dealership lots also have the potential for deepest discounts. Knowing which brands slow to move can help in zeroing in on car and encourage further negotiations.

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