Automobile dealers in the Mahoning Valley began 2021 the same way they ended 2020, with lagging sales.

The latest data from the Greater Cleveland Automobile Dealers’ Association shows new and used car sales in January were off 17.6 percent from the prior year. There were 4,373 deliveries compared to 5,308 in January 2020.

The dealers’ association also reported new car sales were down 10.6 percent to 2,548, and used car sales were off 25.3 percent to 1,758 from last year.

Across the 23 northern Ohio counties in the dealers’ association, new car sales were down 7.6 percent to 20,699 sales, according to the association. That’s a change from December, when new car sales were up 1.7 percent.

“January sales from 2021 were pitted against a very strong sales pace from 2020,” Louis A. Vitantonio, dealers’ association president, said. “Our current sales decline is in line with the rest of the country, see an up and down economic recovery. We anticipate similar sales results in February even with low interest rates and favorable credit terms.”

Dealerships in Mahoning County with the most sales in January to local buyers were Greenwood Chevrolet, the top-selling dealer for the month in the Mahoning Valley, 239; Sweeney Chevrolet, 230; and Toyota of Boardman, 199.

The top new vehicle sellers for the month were Sweeney Chevrolet, 167; Greenwood Chevrolet, 153; and Toyota of Boardman, 136.The top used vehicle sellers for the month were Greenwood Chevrolet, 86; and Fred Martin Ford and Sweeney Buick GMC, 72.