New vehicle sales in Hamilton County sped up in May over a sluggish April as buyers seized on incentives and low interest rates amid the coronavirus crisis.
But even with May’s 12.4% gain over April, the sale of new trucks and cars were still off 24% compared to the same month in 2019, the Hamilton County Clerk’s Office reported.
For the first five months of the year, the number of new vehicles titled is down 8.5% to 4,836 compared to 2019, according to the Clerk’s Office.
Brian Johnson, sales manager at Village Volkswagen of Chattanooga, said sales picked up in May with a strong SUV market.
“The SUV is king right now,” he said, adding that manufacturers have “stepped up to the plate” with incentives.