Programs, products, finance context and operational facts for frontline automotive salespeople.
EIA's September 15 release shows a sharp nationwide increase in transportation-fuel prices, adding new cost and affordability questions for dealership operations without establishing how local vehicle demand will change.
Federal price data show modest monthly increases for new and used vehicles, while the maintenance-and-repair index rose faster and stood 5.2% above August 2025.
Cox's third-quarter survey put current-market sentiment at 41, while separate Manheim data showed older, lower-priced vehicles resisting depreciation as used retail supply tightened.
Hybrids represented approximately 15.7% of August new-vehicle sales while battery-electric share was approximately 6.2%, although NADA's accompanying chart lists each figure one-tenth of a point lower.
Estimated volume fell 5.8% from a year earlier, but calendar-adjusted demand produced the strongest annualized sales pace of the year and a sixth straight month above 16 million.
Ratified agreements cover more than 4,600 workers and commit over C$1 billion across Ontario operations, but the product plans remain future allocations rather than near-term U.S. dealer inventory.
Second-quarter finance data shows hybrids gaining share and carrying lower average payments than gasoline and electric vehicles, while loan balances and delinquencies continued to edge higher.
The automaker's 2030 plan pairs a larger regional product cadence with more hybrids, a U.S.-produced Santa Fe EREV and greater local parts content.
RV Industry Association data shows 19,948 units shipped to dealers in July, with a sharp monthly motorhome decline but materially different year-to-date trends by segment.
J.D. Power and GlobalData project a 16.4 million annualized sales pace, but rising payments, longer terms and weaker trade equity show where affordability is constraining the showroom.
Cox Automotive estimates new EV sales rose modestly from June but remained far below July 2025, while used EV sales, supply and prices all finished above year-ago levels.
The new quarterly tracker says 82% of dealers use AI, while only 29% have started adapting to AI-powered search and about one-third lack a clear way to measure results.
J.D. Power says ease, approval speed and lender relationships collectively account for 70% of the reasons dealers choose a lender, while 74% of respondents want more self-service capability.
Ford’s first Universal EV Platform vehicle puts a full-featured midsize electric pickup near Maverick pricing while testing a new factory architecture, LFP battery strategy, software stack and post-sale revenue model.
The NACS-equipped electric crossover returns in XLE and Limited grades, but Toyota's release gives two different range estimates for Limited AWD.
The CRM-native Service-to-Sales Agent analyzes customer, vehicle and service information before initiating trade conversations, putting consent, targeting and handoff quality at the center of the dealership decision.
Tekion says its scheduler is now certified through Volkswagen’s U.S. Dealer Digital Program, adding another OEM-approved path for managing appointments, advisor capacity and customer booking.
Certain 2019–2026 Ram 1500 pickups need an inspection because two rear-seat buckle anchors may not be properly attached to the body structure.
The planned system makes navigation, charging routing and vehicle data part of the native experience rather than a phone-only projection.
Toyota’s full-size truck and SUV gain Trailhunter packages, updated multimedia and TSS 4.0—but pricing and full specifications remain pending.
Edmunds found 29.6% of new-vehicle trade-ins were underwater in the second quarter, with an average deficit of $6,884.
The returning V-8, longer warranty coverage and aggressive July offers gave Ram dealers a materially different objection-handling story.
NADA reported 1.21 million hybrid sales and a 15.4% share, while battery-electric volume and share declined.
A strong June did not erase the softer six-month comparison, a distinction that matters for inventory, staffing and floorplan decisions.
The estimate arrived alongside $3,217 in average incentive spending and a 13.6% share of financed transactions at 84 months or longer.
Experian's first-quarter report put average terms at 69.48 months for new vehicles and 67.73 months for used vehicles.
The 81,893-vehicle campaign covers selected Toyota and Lexus models whose 12.3-inch display may fail to show required warnings.
A December forecast put negative equity on 26.9% of trade-ins and average incentives at $3,433, with substantially larger discounts on EVs.
The redesigned interface brought Mazda’s largest touchscreen to date and standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
The 320,065-vehicle campaign told owners to park outside and avoid charging affected Wrangler and Grand Cherokee plug-in hybrids until repaired.
CDK’s survey highlighted access, recall outreach, mobile service and loyalty, but did not expose its full instrument publicly.
A software fault can prevent the rearview image from appearing or cause it to freeze; Toyota said dealers would update the Parking Assist ECU at no charge.
Eligible MINI EV and plug-in-hybrid owners could earn incentives, but vehicle, utility territory and participation terms control eligibility.
A branded offer report can make adjustments easier to explain, but participation cost, inspection changes and dealer execution still determine the channel's value.
