Which Regional New-Car Markets Are Growing Fastest?

Edmunds.com poured over R.L. Polk & Co. data to find which U.S. market is the hottest for new-vehicle buyers.

What did the site find? Turns out, the metropolitan area with 24 percent more new-retail registrations during the first half of this year compared to the same span last year is Atlanta.

Edmunds.com discovered Phoenix was next on the list, recording a 23-percent increase in new-vehicle registrations year-over-year.

Analysts indicated Sacramento, Calif., Salt Lake City and Birmingham, Ala., each with a 22-percent increase, round out the top five new-vehicle hot spots.

Nationally, new-retail registrations have climbed 14 percent this year, according to Edmunds.com.

The site’s analysis also showed Atlanta’s registration figures are consistent with online shopping activity by visitors to Edmunds.com.

The number of online users in Atlanta considering a new-vehicle on Edmunds.com has climbed 14 percent year-to-date over the same period last year.

Edmunds.com also analyzed the slowest-growing new-vehicle markets. While none of the top 50 U.S. markets have regressed this year, the site found Detroit has shown the least growth compared to 2010 at just 2 percent.

New York (up 3 percent), Boston (up 4 percent), Miami (up 5 percent) and Providence, R.I., (up 7 percent) rounded out the bottom five.

In a newly published update of her 2011 automotive sales forecast, Edmunds.com chief economist Lacey Plache says that early-year momentum in new-vehicle sales nationwide was slowed by disruptions triggered by the Japanese earthquake and other economic headwinds that have hurt consumer confidence.

“Some consumers who deferred purchases earlier this summer are responding to improving vehicle supply and more competitive prices,” Plache surmised.

“But declining economic conditions are keeping other consumers away from dealer lots and will continue to do so at least through the end of the year,” she added.