New vehicle sales in Puerto Rico fall 12.65% through September 2026
GUIA reported 71,749 units sold from January to September, down from 82,136 a year earlier, amid inflation, high interest rates and higher vehicle costs.
The short version
- El Nuevo Día and NotiCel reported that September sales totaled 7,620 units, a 0.69% decline from 7,673 in September 2025
- Retail sales accounted for 97.4% of September transactions while fleet sales fell 42%, according to GUIA data cited by both outlets
- SUV sales rose 7.38% in September but pickup sales dropped 17.83%, NotiCel reported
- Electrified vehicles grew 46% in the first nine months with hybrids up 58%, both sources said
Year-to-date decline widens
New vehicle sales in Puerto Rico dropped 12.65% during the first nine months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, El Nuevo Día reported. The Grupo Unido de Importadores de Automóviles (GUIA) said 71,749 units were sold between January and September 2026 versus 82,136 units a year earlier, a reduction of 10,387 vehicles.
The decline is steeper than the 9.6% contraction GUIA had projected in August for the full year. In September alone, 7,620 new vehicles were sold, down 0.69% from 7,673 units in the same month of 2025, according to both El Nuevo Día and NotiCel.
What the sources posted
Posts and statements below are the sources' own words, quoted as published. They are not independently verified.
Los resultados de septiembre confirman la tendencia de contracción que atraviesa la industria automotriz en Puerto Rico. [...] Estas presiones reducen el poder adquisitivo de los hogares y propician una mayor cautela al momento de considerar la compra de un vehículo
Our translation: The September results confirm the contraction trend affecting the automotive industry in Puerto Rico. [...] These pressures reduce the purchasing power of households and encourage greater caution when considering the purchase of a vehicle
The source's own statement, as quoted by NotiCel. Not verified by PuertoRico.com.
Segment performance and electrified vehicles
Retail sales represented 97.4% of September transactions while fleet and wholesale sales accounted for 2.6% and contracted 42% year over year, NotiCel reported. SUV sales grew 7.38% in September while pickup sales fell 17.83%, the outlet added.
Despite the overall contraction, sales of electrified vehicles — hybrids, plug-in hybrids and fully electric — rose 46% in the first nine months of 2026. Hybrid sales led the segment with a 58% increase, El Nuevo Día reported.
Industry reaction
GUIA president Rosángela Guerra attributed the contraction to inflation, high interest rates, higher vehicle costs linked to tariffs and geopolitical uncertainty. “These pressures reduce the purchasing power of households and encourage greater caution when considering the purchase of a vehicle,” she said in a written statement cited by both outlets.
Guerra added that the industry is seeking alternatives to ease the economic burden on consumers and strengthen the sector, which she said generates more than 36,000 jobs on the island. NotiCel reported that GUIA was founded in 2006 as a nonprofit to address automotive industry and broader economic issues in Puerto Rico.
Where the sources differ
El Nuevo Día and NotiCel agree on all core figures: 71,749 units sold January-September 2026 versus 82,136 in 2025 for a 12.65% drop, 7,620 units in September for a 0.69% decline, 97.4% retail and 2.6% fleet sales with a 42% fleet drop, SUV sales up 7.38% and pickups down 17.83%, and 46% growth for electrified vehicles with hybrids at 58%. NotiCel includes additional context on tariffs, geopolitical uncertainty and the sector's 36,000 jobs, while El Nuevo Día notes the figure exceeds the 9.6% full-year projection made in August. Both quote the same statements from Rosángela Guerra.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not provide full-year sales projections updated for the wider nine-month decline, the absolute number of electrified vehicles sold, the performance of specific brands or models, or any concrete alternatives the industry is pursuing to support consumers. No government response or policy proposals were mentioned.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Official Cae un 12% la venta de autos nuevos en Puerto Rico en lo que va de año
- Reporting Cae un 12% la venta de autos nuevos en Puerto Rico en lo que va de año
- Reporting Leve reducción mes a mes en la venta de autos nuevos y la caída en el 2026 es de 12.65%
How we checked this
Both El Nuevo Día and NotiCel based their coverage on data and statements released by GUIA. The employment figure of more than 36,000 jobs appears only in NotiCel. All other statistics and the remarks by GUIA president Rosángela Guerra are consistent across the two outlets.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.