Edmunds.com is projecting that seasonally adjusted annual rate for new-vehicle sales this month will increase thanks to the favorable financing conditions that still are in place.

Site analysts forecasted that 1,547,771 new cars and trucks will be sold in the U.S. in May for an estimated SAAR of 16.2 million. The projected sales will be an 11.5 percent increase from April 2014 and a 7.3 percent increase from May of last year.

 “Credit conditions are making it easier to buy or lease a new car,” Edmunds.com senior analyst Jessica Caldwell said. “Shoppers are opting for longer terms at lower interest rates. In other words, they’re able to afford more expensive cars by keeping their monthly payments at or near what they’re used to paying.”

Edmunds.com’s finance data shows that the average new-vehicle loan term during the first four months of this year was at an all-time high of 66 months. And the average interest rate for new loans (4.4 percent) so far this year is only slightly higher than the all-time historic lows that have been well publicized within the last two years.

Edmunds.com also points to loans secured with lower credit scores and all-time high lease penetration (27.9 percent year to date, through April) as sure signs that credit continues to loosen.

The site added that that the retail SAAR will come in at 13.2 million vehicles in May, with fleet transactions accounting for 18.3 percent of total sales.

Edmunds.com said an estimated 3.05 million used vehicles will be sold this month for a SAAR of 36.4 million, compared to 3.10 million or a SAAR of 35.9 million used sales in April.