AuctionNet wholesale auction sales reached 604,761 units in January, up 11% on a prior year basis, according to monthly AuctionNet figures released Feb. 11. 

January’s result was the highest total for the month since January 2020 when sales reached 745,500 units. 

As is usually the case given the time of year, sales rose substantially compared to December, jumping by 23%.

Dealer auction sales were flat for the full year in 2024, but growth improved during Q4, rising by an average of 6% compared to the prior year. Dealer sales improved again in January, with sales increasing nearly 13% compared to January 2024. 

Commercial vehicle auction sales finished the month up 12% on a prior year basis, down modestly from Q4 2024’s 14.7% year-over-year average growth rate.

Sales of Used Vehicle Groups

Across vehicle age groups, auction sales of vehicles up to 2 years old, which include a heavy mix of rental cars, increased more than 15% year over year last month, while sales of 3-year-old vehicles were 20% higher than in January 2024. 

Notably, Chrysler and Dodge were the primary drivers behind the month’s jump in 3-year-old vehicle sales. Together, sales for the two brands were about five times higher this January than last year (3-year-old sales were up a lesser 9% when removing Chrysler and Dodge from the mix). 

Sales of 4-to-5-year-old vehicles fell 1.2% year-over-year last month.

As for segments, mainstream car volume remained depressed last month, falling more than 5% compared to last January. Reflecting their new sales dominance, mainstream crossover and SUV sales were up double digits yet again last month (+15.6%), while pickup truck sales were nearly 10% higher. Van sales jumped more than 42% due to a large increase in 2022 Chrysler Pacifica sales. 

Sales of fully electric vehicles up to 5 years old grew sharply, rising 64.4% versus January 2024 to reach 8,331 units. Note that EV sales of all ages approached 10,830 vehicles last month, the highest tally recorded for any month-to-date. Hybrid vehicle sales, including plug-in hybrids, were 35% higher in January than in the prior year.

Looking ahead, auction sales growth should moderate as the year progresses, said Larry Dixon, vice president of auction data solutions for AuctionNet. This is largely due to an anticipated decline in off-lease sales and as disruptive winter weather, which can cause periodic volatility in sales performance, subsides, he said.

Monthly AuctionNet data is derived from 265 NAAA member auctions that use AuctionNet, and is considered the most comprehensive source of wholesale auto auction sales data in the U.S.