Hottest Selling Vehicles of August: Did Your Car Make The Cut?

The 2014 Jeep Cherokee, Ford Fusion, and Toyota RAV4 were among the most popular vehicles sold during the month of August, according to auto sales confirmed this week.

Nissan and Chrysler recorded double-digit sales increases during the month.

Showrooms were crowded by interested car buyers recently, mainly because of Labor Day and clearance sales.

"The industry had its best August in over a decade with sales topping 1.5 million vehicles," said Bill Fay, Toyota division group vice president and general manager, in a statement, according to Edmunds.

Fay added that its RAV4 recorded a "record-shattering month." Toyota sales increased 6.3 percent compared to last August.

Response to the 2015 GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado pickup trucks was "off the charts," according to GM.

"Not only did the (Chevrolet) Silverado and (GMC) Sierra have a solid August, but early response to our new midsize trucks is off the charts," GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson wrote to Edmunds. "Chevy dealers requested 28,000 Colorado orders in August, about seven times expectations. Canyon orders were way above expectation as well, at 14,000."

Colorado and Canyon production started this week. The vehicles are scheduled to reach dealerships sometime this fall.

August sales dropped 1 percent for GM, but the company said truck sales jumped 18 percent. Sales of GMC and Chevrolet large SUVs were up 38 percent last month.

Gas prices were also at their  lowest since 2010, said Jessica Caldwell, an Edmunds senior analyst.

"Stable gas prices go a long way toward making trucks and SUVs more attractive to shoppers," Caldwell said. "And if history is any indication, shoppers can expect gas prices to fall even more through the end of the year.

"This is very fortunate timing for General Motors, which just recently rolled out new lineups of large SUVs such as Tahoe, Suburban and Yukon. Expect big months for these vehicles in the final quarter of 2014."

Around 13 percent of all dealer loans were financed at zero percent AP in July and August.

"Low finance offers have proven to be a critical factor for the auto industry's success in recent months," she said. "With easy credit like this, shoppers who might otherwise consider a two-or three-year-old used car can see the value in buying new."

Ford had a decent month, selling 222,174 vehicles in August, up just 0.4 percent from 2013. Fusion and Ford Escape vehicles posted their best August ever however.