CARY, N.C. -

ALG, the analytics subsidiary of TrueCar, is calling for a 6% year-over-year rise in used-vehicle sales for January, forecasting a monthly sum of 3,329,070 units sold.

That would also be a 12% month-over-month hike.

It’s a strong start to the year that industry analysts are projecting to show steadiness or slight declines in used-car sales.

Cox Automotive is forecasting 39.4 million total used-vehicle sales this year, down from an estimated 39.6 million in 2019, the company said in an analysis earlier this month. That sum includes both used-vehicle sales by dealers as well as those between private parties.

Retail used-vehicle sales, which Cox Automotive defines as those made by franchised or independent dealers, are expected to rise from an estimated 20.0 million in 2019 to 20.3 million in 2020.

The National Automobile Dealers Association is calling for 39.5 million used-car sales this year, which would be flat year-over-year.

NADA said in an analysis earlier this month that affordability issues on the new-car side, along with robust used-car inventory levels, have some consumers moving from new to used.

“As affordability remains a challenge, more consumers chose used vehicles in 2019,” NADA chief economist Patrick Manzi said in the analysis. “New cars are getting too expensive for many consumers. Even consumers with great credit or the ability to buy new are instead choosing a used vehicle.” 

And many are going with certified pre-owned.

With 2.8 million CPO vehicles sold, 2019 was the ninth straight year of best-ever certified sales, according to a CAMIO report from Cox Automotive.

It was also a 4% hike from the prior year.

But will 2020 make it 10 straight years of record certified sales?

Potentially.

Cox Automotive is forecasting 2.80 million CPO sales, which would be even with 2019.

Edmunds, however, said in its 2020 Automotive Industry Trends Report that it is forecasting 2.81 million certified sales. That would beat what Edmunds said were 2.78 million CPO sales in 2019 and represent a new best-ever sum.