For both domestic and import brand programs alike, records and landmark years in the certified pre-owned business were abundant in 2014.

Statistics and analysis shared by Autodata Corp. indicates that 17 brands/programs posted best-ever years in the CPO market, and three closed out 2014 with their strongest certified sales month in history.

The firm lists the following as having posted best-ever annual sales: Audi, Chrysler, Fiat, Ford Motor Co., Hyundai, Infiniti, Kia, Land Rover, Lexus, Mazda, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Nissan, Nissan, Porsche and Subaru.

Meanwhile, achieving their strongest CPO sales months of all time as 2014 drew to a close were Kia, Land Rover and Lexus.

All told, domestics sold 829,514 certified vehicles in 2014, which beat year-ago numbers by 16.3 percent. And while not included in the best-ever list above, General Motors hit a six-year high for  sales of GM Certified Pre-Owned vehicles, which includes Buick, Chevrolet, GMC, Pontiac and Saturn models. There were 389,107 combined sales of those brands, a 13-percent increase.

Next, European automakers sold 416,265 CPO cars last year for a 17.4-percent gain. Asian brands increased their sales by 4.8 percent, moving. 1.09 million CPO units.

Room to Grow in 2015? 

So how far will the industry climb? That was something addressed by Manheim chief economist Tom Webb in a Manheim Used Vehicle Index quarterly conference call last week. After four straight years of record CPO sales — a run that includes last year's 10.8-percent growth — can the industry make a drive for five and gain another 10 percent or more in sales?

“It’s always depending on how much marketing efforts the manufacturers want to put behind them,” Webb said. “You would anticipate a fifth consecutive record to occur, but a double-digit increase would probably be overly optimistic.”

Editor's Note: Staff Writer Nick Zulovich contributed to this report.