U.S. new vehicle sales are expected to decline for major automakers in 2022 due to inventory shortages, which weighed on Asian brands more than the Detroit giants such as General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co.
Full-year U.S. auto sales are forecast to be about 13.9 million units, down 8 percent from 2021 and 20 percent from the peak in 2016, according to industry consultant Cox Automotive.
Inventory shortages, caused by surging material costs and persistent chip shortage, spilled into 2022, hobbling production at many automakers. Tight supplies kept car and truck prices elevated, even as auto inventory improved in the second half of the year….