As evidenced by the August new-vehicle sales performance at AutoNation stores, import badges helped in pushing the highest sales level in five years.

In fact, the American International Automobile Dealers Association highlighted that foreign brands accounted for 54.7 percent of all vehicles sold in the United States last month — the highest since 2007.

Furthermore, AIADA noted Autodata Corp. figures that estimated the seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) even beat what the association called “2009’s Cash for Clunkers-inflated numbers.” The August SAAR came in at 14.52 million units versus 12.46 million units a year ago.

Autodata indicated sales for all brands, unadjusted for business days, were up 20 percent from August of last year and 11 percent higher than July.

Small cars were big winners in August. Driven by rising gas prices, the small-vehicle segment grew 47.4 percent from last August, according to analysts.

The association highlighted Japanese automakers continued their resurgence from a year ago with Honda improving 57.9 percent and Toyota up 47.5 percent. Lexus topped the luxury segment with 24,237 vehicles sold, and Volkswagen had its best August since 1973 with 41,011 units sold.

“August marked a turning point in the industry’s recovery,” said AIADA chairman Ray Mungenast.

“Consumer confidence is up, and shoppers are eager to take advantage of the tremendous available selection to replace older, less fuel efficient vehicles,” Mungenast continued.

In August, AIADA said international brands accounted for 703,611 units sold, up from 656,584 in July.

Asian nameplates occupied 45.6 percent of the U.S. market, down from 46.9 percent in July. European nameplates dropped from 10 percent in July to 9.1 percent in August.

Domestic brands finished the month with a 45.3 percent share of the market, up from 43.1 percent in July.

The fueling of August sales by foreign nameplates played out significantly at AutoNation stores.

Company officials indicated their August sales totaled 23,213 units, an increase of 28 percent as compared to last August.

Making up the majority of that figure were sales from import brands, which totaled 12,530 units, a figure 42 percent higher than the same month a year ago.

AutoNation also noted that it turned 6,961 units from domestic brands last month, 20 percent higher year-over-year.

And the group’s premium luxury division recorded 3,722 sales, a 6-percent uptick from a year ago.

On a daily selling rate basis, AutoNation calculated that its retail new-vehicle unit sales increased 23 percent. There were 27 selling days in August compared to 26 selling days in August of last year.

AutoNation expects to report September retail new-vehicle unit sales on Oct. 3.