CARY, N.C. –

After falling more than 6% last year, look for the used-vehicle market to climb to 41 million sales this year. 
 
That’s according to a forecast shared by Edmunds, which also detailed how pre-owned sales have fared over the last six years. 
 
In 2019, used-car sales approached 40.9 million units, before falling to 38.3 million in the pandemic-challenged 2020. 
 
But a 7.0% rise is expected this year, based on the Edmunds data, which can be found below:
 
Used-car sales by year
2015: 38,818,556
2016: 39,404,448
2017: 40,242,871
2018: 40,310,100
2019: 40,867,357
2020: 38,309,590
2021 (forecast): 41,000,000
 
Interestingly enough, such a strong used-car sales year is happening when supply remains tight. 
 
In the Cox Automotive Dealer Sentiment Index for the second quarter, the report's index score for used-vehicle supply among dealers was 21, tied for the record low reached in the third quarter of last year. 
 
That said, the used-car sales index was at a record level of 62 for Q2. This particular score had never been above 60, Cox said. 
 
"Franchised dealers are more positive about current used-vehicle sales than independent dealers, although, with an index score of 55, independent dealers have never been more positive about current sales," the company said in the report.