We tend to think of the past as black and white, while the present shines in living color. When it comes to cars, though, that trend is heading in the opposite direction. Grayscale colors (white, black, gray and silver) are not only by far the most popular hues for cars, that popularity continues to grow, […] [Read More]

It’s been 10 years since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued its first recall of airbags manufactured by the Takata Corporation. But that doesn’t mean they’re all gone. According to data from CARFAX, more than 6.4 million vehicles equipped with those potentially deadly airbags are still on the road. And according to CARFAX’s vehicle […] [Read More]

The road to broader consumer acceptance of vehicle electrification is fraught with slowdowns, challenges and bumps in the road. Still, wider-spread acceptance of EVs is on the horizon and dealers — both franchise and independent — with support from automakers and/or industry partners such as Cox Automotive, are critical in helping that journey go more smoothly. That’s according to Cox Automotive executives, who highlighted key findings in the company’s “2024 Cox Automotive Path to EV Adoption Study ” during a panel discussion here, May 9. “We’re on this electrification journey.” ... [Read More]

During a May 9 forum with industry media in Detroit, Cox Automotive held a panel discussion on how it is using artificial intelligence to assist its wholesale customers with more accurate vehicle inspections and condition reports and marketing opportunities. Participating in Cox Automotive’s AI panel discussion was Marianne Johnson, chief product officer at Cox Automotive, who said machine learning has been around for 20 years and predictive algorithms based on historical data is not new, either. But over the last two or three years, technology has evolved into ... [Read More]

When that shopper is waffling over whether the timing is right to buy a used car, here’s a selling point a dealer can pass along to that indecisive consumer, courtesy of CARFAX. “It’s time to get off the fence if that’s where you’ve been sitting and waiting for the right moment to act,” CARFAX editor […] [Read More]

Wholesale vehicle prices fell nearly 12% year-over-year in April and have continued modest month-over-month declines in May, according to the latest Kontos Kommentary report from ADESA chief economist Tom Kontos. Overall wholesale values last month came in at $14,559, down 11.7% from the April 2023 average of $16,468, according to the report. Prices were down […] [Read More]

How important is a good photo on a vehicle display page? Automotive photo, video and data collection company Redline decided to find out, and its recent survey showed consumers believe it’s very important. The survey of 372 adults — including respondents who indicated they had shopped online for a vehicle in the past three years […] [Read More]

In recent years, several automakers have expanded the age eligibility limits for vehicles in their respective certified pre-owned programs. And although there’s room for improvement, dealers are improving the customer experience in the service department. Both are good signs, given what S&P Global Mobility discovered about the average age of vehicles on the road. At 12.6 […] [Read More]

Used-car retail sales in April were ahead of prior-year figures, but the market was challenged, given the end of tax season and the hurdles of low supply, affordability and high interest rates. And that’s to be expected, says Cox Automotive. The company said in a Data Point report last week that independent and franchised dealers […] [Read More]

AccuTrade has hit the accelerator. Cars Commerce’s “instant appraisal engine” took a leap forward in the first quarter of 2024, CEO Alex Vetter said during the company’s recent earnings call, growing to just under 1,000 accounts and generating more than 622,000 appraisals in that span. And that growth was a key piece in Cars Commerce’s successful Q1, which ended March 31. Overall, the company reported ... [Read More]