January's seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) is expected to touch 17.1 million, up from 16.7 million in the same month last year. The SAAR is a widely used measurement of how many new cars would be sold over a 12-month period, adjusted for both seasonal factors and recent past sales performance. January's sales are expected to be lower than sales in the same month last year, but the SAAR will be slightly higher.
