U.S. sales rise 2.2% in December – Automotive News. U.S. auto sales rose 2.2 percent in December, capping a year that saw overall volume rise 0.6 percent even as automakers endeavored to counter slumping car demand with record light-truck deliveries.

December — with sales of 1.639 million — turned in the second-best month of the year on a volume basis. And the seasonally adjusted, annualized rate of sales in December — 17.72 million — was a high for the year, providing automakers with some momentum and optimism heading into 2019.