Auction sales continue to peak, with commercial consignment dominant

In March, auction sales reached their strongest point since July 2020.

Last month was even stronger.

According to AuctionNet data from the National Auto Auction Association, wholesale auction sales climbed 2% month-over-month in April, following March’s near-six-year high.

Led by off-rental units, there was a 20% year-over-year hike in wholesale sales for commercial consignors in April, whose volumes were also up more than 4% month-over-month, NAAA said.

While commercial sales climbed double digits, there was an 8.3% decline in dealer sales compared to April 2025 and a 0.2% uptick from March.

Dealers’ share of wholesale sales has fallen from 53% to 48% in the last year. Commercial consignors now command 52% of the market, up from 47% in April 2025.

Sales of 1-year-old vehicles (an off-rental-heavy contingent) soared 70% higher year-over-year, while sales for 3-year-old vehicles jumped 30% — a good sign for dealers looking to secure inventory for certified pre-owned programs and offer more affordable late-model options.

Driven by repo activity, sales of vehicles 10 years and up also climbed 30%, NAAA said.

Breaking down the data by segment, compact crossover/SUV volume showed the most year-over-year growth (11.8%) with 107,440 units sold.

Midsize crossover/SUV wholesale sales (up 9.3% at 112,098 units) also showed major gains, as did midsize luxury crossovers/SUVs (up 8.6% at 26,018), the data shows.

Three segments in NAAA’s data set showed decreased volumes: compact cars (down 3.2% at 59,195 sales), luxury cars (down 4.4% at 33,949) and midsize cars (down 2.8% at 66,992)

NAAA spotted a 17.5% year-over-year increase in electric vehicle sales, which reached 18,363 in April.

Note: This is part of a monthly series in which Auto Remarketing shares AuctionNet data and commentary provided by the National Auto Auction Association.

As noted by the organization, more than 260 NAAA member auctions power AuctionNet, making it the most comprehensive source of wholesale auto auction sales data in the U.S. Unless otherwise noted, auction sales figures are based on total reporting auctions, the number and composition of which may vary over time.  Data below courtesy of AuctionNet/NAAA.