YOUNGSTOWN — Automobile sales in Trumbull and Mahoning counties slid 11.3 percent in July, bringing an end to a five-month run of growth over figures last year.

Still, dealers so far in 2021 remain 17.8 percent ahead of the pace they set last year, when much of the industry suffered because of the pandemic.

The latest data from the Greater Cleveland Automobile Dealers’ Association, which tracks sales from member dealerships in 23 northern Ohio counties, shows 5,147 new and used vehicles were sold in the Mahoning Valley in July, down from 5,801 in July last year.

For the year, there have been 36,870 vehicles sold, up 5,586 from the same seven months in 2020.

The association also reports neither the new nor used car segments in the three-county region performed well last month year-over-year.

New vehicle sales were down 16 percent, from 2,948 to 2,477, and used vehicle sales were down 5.7 percent, from 2,774 to 2,616. They remain, though, ahead of last year with new vehicle sales up 22.7 percent to 19,752 and used vehicle sales up 13.2 percent to 16,506.

Dealerships in Mahoning County with the most sales to local buyers in July were Taylor Kia of Boardman, 269, the overall top-selling dealer in the Mahoning Valley; Sweeney Chevrolet, 226; and Boardman Subaru, 224.

The top new vehicle sellers were Taylor Kia of Boardman, 159; Sweeney Chevrolet, 139; and Boardman Subaru, 114. Topping the used vehicle list was Fred Martin Ford, 128, followed by Greenwood Chevrolet, 115, and Taylor Kia of Boardman, 110.

In the dealers’ association region, sales fell 9 percent for the month compared with July 2020. Dealers sold 20,406 new vehicles last month.

“Low vehicle availability is now starting to show its effect on the northern Ohio market, where new and used vehicle sales have slowed,” said Louis A. Vitantonio, dealers’ association president. “Consumer demand is outpacing availability, and we expect that trend to continue until the end of the year.” Sales for the year are up 18.4 percent.

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