New-Vehicle August Sales Rate On Track For 16.4 Million; Year-Ago Dynamics Skew Annual Comparisons

August new-vehicle retail sales on track for 6.9% decrease year over year, though annual comparisons are skewed by EV tax credit pull-ahead in 2025. Hybrid market share expected to increase 4.8 percentage points to 18.2%, representing 35.5% year-over-year growth. Average monthly payments expected to rise 3.7% to an August record $812, while interest rates projected to drop 6 basis points to 6.55%, the lowest August level since 2022.