CARY, N.C. -

Though the buying “frenzy” slowed last month, certified pre-owned sales in the first half of 2021 beat year-ago figures by 18% and bested first half-half figures from 2019 — a record year — by 4.3%.

That’s according to a Cox Automotive analysis of Motor Intelligence data included in a Data Point report this week.

Specifically, there were 1,463,571 CPO sales in the first half of the year, Cox Automotive said. That beats the record pace of 1,403,285 from the first half of 2019.

It’s also more than 220,000 units higher than first-half certified sales from 2020, the company said.

And helping the industry to close the first half of the year, a separate Cox Automotive analysis detailed how credit availability expanded for CPO deliveries.

Still, there has been some slowdown recently.

There were 239,049 certified sales last month, which was a 9% decrease from June 2020 and an 11% drop from May.

“Certified pre-owned (CPO) sales had a frenzied spring, just like the broader used-vehicle retail market,” Cox said in the analysis. “However, like the market, the frenzy cooled down as spring ended and transitioned into summer.”

Cox Automotive chalked that up to the petering out of stimulus programs, record used-car prices and challenging comps to June 2020 — the month where much of the U.S. ended lockdowns, resulting in a used-car sales “surge.”

The company said weighing June 2021 against June 2019 — a “more normal period” — is more apt. In that comparison, June CPO sales were down just 0.7% from two years ago.

Cox also shared a couple more positive signs for certified sales going forward: high new-car prices and “favorable” conditions for financing CPO vehicles.

“Record-high prices are likely to impact demand this summer, but as used vehicle prices begin to reflect depreciation again, consumers will be more encouraged to buy,” the company said. “In the new market, record low inventory, record-high prices, and record low incentives will also keep certified pre-owned units as very attractive alternatives.

“Credit conditions also remain favorable, as it is now easier to get a CPO loan than it was a year ago, and lower average interest rates on CPO loans are helping to mute the effect of higher prices,” they added.

In their sales reports, several automakers also shared how their CPO sales are faring.

Starting with Mazda North American Operations, its June CPO sales were down 17% year-over-year at 5,947.

Mercedes-Benz had 38,884 certified sales in the second quarter (up 35.7% year-over-year) and 73,879 in the first half (up 21.6%).

BMW had 32,363 CPO sales for the quarter (up 21.1%) and 60,515 in the first half (up 11.5%). MINI had 3,384 certified sales in the quarter (up 57.2%) and 12,801 certified sales in the first half (up 18.1%).

Volvo had 3,732 certified sales last month. In the first half, it moved 20,843 CPO vehicles. Second quarter CPO sales reached 11,333.