Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Used Vehicle Sales Increase 1.6% to 39.2M

The used-vehicle industry reached a record-breaking 39.2 million in sales in 2017, representing a 1.6% year-over-year increase, according to the latest Used Car Report from Edmunds.

by Staff
March 21, 2018
Used Vehicle Sales Increase 1.6% to 39.2M

Photo via Laitr Keiows/Wikipedia.

2 min to read


Photo via Laitr Keiows/Wikipedia.

The used-vehicle industry reached a record-breaking 39.2 million in sales in 2017, representing a 1.6% year-over-year increase, according to the latest Used Car Report from Edmunds.

A number of factors led to this growth, such as the hurricanes that destroyed hundreds of thousands of vehicles in parts of Florida and Texas and the continued growth of off-lease vehicles entering the used market.

Ad Loading...

And, it’s not just volume that is growing in the used space; prices are also on the rise. In 2017, used vehicle prices rose 1.4%, compared to the 3.6% growth averaged between 2012 and 2016.

“Consumer demand for SUVs — which were limited in supply — is really what helped fuel the modest price growth that the used market eked out in 2017,” said Ivan Drury, senior manager of industry analysis at Edmunds. “Shoppers looking for better deals on new used vehicles will likely find them on 2- to 3-year-old passenger cars, since their residual values were hit so hard by this trend.”

Looking at rental agencies, the number of vehicles leased to these agencies dropped to 5.9 million in 2017, compared to 6.2 million in 2016. One major factor affecting this decline is the growing popularity of ride-hailing services and peer-to-peer car sharing among rental customers.

“As automakers search for ways to protect residual values yet keep sales volumes high in a shrinking market, Edmunds analysts noted several converging dynamics in the fleet segment. Since trucks and SUVs with a reasonable number of options tend to hold their value, rental car customers might be pleasantly surprised to find lots stocked with larger vehicles,” noted the Edmunds report.

Originally posted on Automotive Fleet

More Remarketing

A temple scene from Okinawa, Japan.

Surprice Opens Two Rental Branches In Japan

The launch highlights the global car rental operation’s growing presence in Asia.

Read More →
Blue bar graphs showing a rise in used vehicle categories across the board.
Remarketingby News/Media ReleaseMarch 6, 2026

Wholesale Used Vehicle Prices Up In February

Solid demand at Manheim auctions with higher sales conversion rates indicate an appetite from dealers to buy.

Read More →
Green and black bar graphs showing YOY shifts in February fleet sales.
Fleet Acquisitionby Martin RomjueMarch 5, 2026

Rental Fleet Sales Slow In February Ending A Strong Streak

Commercial fleets posted the most gains, sustaining increases in monthly and year-to-date fleet sales

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Rental cars lined up in front of an Avis-Budget storefront outlet.
Rental Operationsby News/Media ReleaseFebruary 20, 2026

Avis Budget Group Reports Near $1 Billion Loss Tied To 2025 EV Fleet Write-Down

Following Hertz, the company is the second global car rental conglomerate to sustain sizable losses due to lower customer demand and usage of electric rental cars.

Read More →
An orange and purple bar graph shows average rental car prices and mileage levels from October 2024 to October 2025.
RemarketingJanuary 16, 2026

2025 Rental Vehicle Remarketing Summary And Outlook

The year brought modest and flatter results across wholesale values, total off-rental supply, and rental risk units.

Read More →
AuctionNet summary table of Dec. 25 auction vehicle sales with three columns.
Fleet Acquisitionby News/Media ReleaseJanuary 13, 2026

Auctions Record Highest Vehicle Sales Since 2019

2025 figures show a steady recovery in wholesale vehicle activity this decade.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A black CUV tilted downward on stacks of descending gold coins.
Rental Operationsby News/Media ReleaseDecember 29, 2025

DriveItAway Holdings, Free2move Launch Operations In Nine Cities

The co-branded program with Stellantis’ mobility division scales up leasing and financing options nationwide with more cities to come online in 2026.

Read More →
An import duties stamp and stamper superimposed on a flat American flag.
Remarketingby Martin RomjueDecember 26, 2025

Tariffs, Digital Tech, Industry Stats Among Top 10 Remarketing Topics for 2025

The annual look at most-consumed vehicle remarketing content shows what audiences think mattered the most in the mid-decade year.

Read More →
A multicolored row of vertical bar graphs showing the U.S. car rental industry's total revenue, fleet vehicle purchases, and rental cars in service 2015-2025.
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueDecember 22, 2025

U.S. Car Rental Revenue Crosses $40 Billion

A modest rise in rental car usage and an increase in fleet purchases kept the industry on a steady upward path at mid-decade.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Summary list of U.S. wholesale vehicle auction activity for November 2025.
Remarketingby News/Media ReleaseDecember 10, 2025

Commercial Vehicles Drive November Wholesale Auction Sales

Much of the increase came from rental fleets remarketing large amounts of 2-year-old cars.

Read More →
Ad Loading...