Investors interested in Auto-Tires-Trucks stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. China Automotive Systems (CAAS) is a stock that can certainly grab the attention of many investors, but do its recent returns compare favorably to the sector as a whole? A quick glance at the company's year-to-date performance in comparison to the rest of the Auto-Tires-Trucks sector should help us answer this question.China Automotive Systems is one of 129 individual stocks in the Auto-Tires-Trucks sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #10 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank considers 16 different groups, measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the sector to gauge the strength of each group.The Zacks Rank emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find stocks with improving earnings outlooks. This system has a long record of success, and these stocks tend to be on track to beat the market over the next one to three months. China Automotive Systems is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for CAAS' full-year earnings has moved 700% higher. This shows that analyst sentiment has improved and the company's earnings outlook is stronger.Our latest available data shows that CAAS has returned about 55.2% since the start of the calendar year. In comparison, Auto-Tires-Trucks companies have returned an average of -26.7%. This means that China Automotive Systems is performing better than its sector in terms of year-to-date returns.Modine (MOD) is another Auto-Tires-Trucks stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year. Since the beginning of the year, the stock has returned 48.1%.Over the past three months, Modine's consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 2.7%. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).Looking more specifically, China Automotive Systems belongs to the Automotive - Original Equipment industry, which includes 63 individual stocks and currently sits at #156 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, this group has lost an average of 32.8% so far this year, meaning that CAAS is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns. Modine is also part of the same industry.China Automotive Systems and Modine could continue their solid performance, so investors interested in Auto-Tires-Trucks stocks should continue to pay close attention to these stocks. Special Report: The Top 5 IPOs for Your Portfolio Today, you have a chance to get in on the ground floor of one of the best investment opportunities of the year. As the world continues to benefit from an ever-evolving internet, a handful of innovative tech companies are on the brink of reaping immense rewards - and you can put yourself in a position to cash in. One is set to disrupt the online communication industry. Brilliantly designed for creating online communities, this stock is poised to explode when made public. With the strength of our economy and record amounts of cash flooding into IPOs, you don’t want to miss this opportunity.>>See Zacks’ Hottest IPOs NowWant the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report China Automotive Systems, Inc. (CAAS): Free Stock Analysis Report Modine Manufacturing Company (MOD): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research