The latest figures make for two straight years of retail car industry growth in the region, according to the GCADA.
For *individual* dealerships, it's a mixed bag, though. Rob Gillingham is general manager of Bob Gillingham Ford in Parma. He says last year was decent, but the year prior was much better.
"Our 2011 increase was 27 percent," says Gillingham. "It was a very good year and so 2012 was mediocre compared to that year, let's put it that way. Hopefully we get back to a nice increase in 2013."
Gillingham says the goal for Ford and his dealership is to effectively market the new 2013 models, namely the Escape and the Fusion, which both feature new eco-boost engines.
According to the dealers association, Ford was among 20 brands with increased sales across the region.
The data is based on vehicle registration reports from the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, and is gathered from 21 counties in northern Ohio.