Market Insights and Outlook - Cox Automotive Inc.

Commentary & Voices Our team of analysts and experts share their reactions, insights and unique perspectives on the behaviors, data and industry moves that are affecting the broader automotive business.

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This Week in Car Buying 04/03/2020 Kelley Blue Book’s Senior Managing Editor Matt DeLorenzo writes This Week in Car Buying, a weekly column on KBB.com. In this week’s news, Matt reports that shelter-in-place rules and cutbacks in dealer operations hit the industry hard at the end of the first quarter as manufacturers report a sales decline of more than 13 percent. While 2020 sales were softer than last year, sales estimates of 16.8… Read Article

Market Insights Commentary & Voices

Cox Automotive Commentary: March 2020 U.S. Auto Sales 04/01/2020 A few automakers have reported U.S. sales for Q1 and more numbers are expected tomorrow and into the early part of next week. As expected, the numbers are historically low. As Cox Automotive data shows, sales activity in markets hard hit by COVID-19 all but came to a standstill in the past two weeks. March auto sales were initially healthy and then, no surprise, completely collapsed.… Read Article

Market Insights Commentary & Voices

March Madness Shifts the Landscape for Vehicle Incentive Strategies 03/27/2020 March madness typically springs buyers back into the market as many consumers benefit from the extra cash of a tax return. This March, however, saw most shoppers sent home amid COVID-19 concerns to guard against infection, severely impacting our economy and teaching us new terms like “social distancing.” The entire distribution chain for new and used vehicles has nearly idled, with major slowdowns from manufacturing to… Read Article

Market Insights Commentary & Voices

Cox Automotive Dealer Sentiment Index – First Quarter 2020 03/09/2020 Derived from a quarterly survey that Cox Automotive issues to a representative sample of franchised and independent auto dealers from around the country, the Cox Automotive Dealer Sentiment Index (CADSI) measures dealer perceptions of current retail auto sales and sales expectations for the next three months as “strong,” “average” or “weak.” The survey also asks dealers to rate new-car sales and used-car sales separately along with… Read Article

Cox Automotive Dealer Sentiment Index CADSI Market Insights Commentary & Voices

Cox Automotive Commentary: February Auto Sales, COVID-19 and a Surprise Rate Cut. Oh, My! 03/03/2020 UPDATE, March 4, 2020 – February vehicle sales show the automotive market hasn’t caught coronavirus yet. Sales for the month rose nearly 8% over last year, slightly above our forecast of a 6% increase. The SAAR finished at 16.8 million rate which is above our 16.6 million expectation. Clearly this is a good signal for the vehicle market in that all the concerns surrounding the economy and virus… Read Article

Market Insights Commentary & Voices

Incentives Are Helping Keep CPO Strong 02/28/2020 Thanks in part to a strong supply of off-lease vehicles returning to the market, certified pre-owned (CPO) sales continue to be a bright spot for the auto industry. CPO sales in January were healthy, and there’s nothing that makes us believe anything will be different in February. In fact, with tax return season on the horizon, CPO/loaner/used-vehicle sales will likely be strong for the foreseeable future.… Read Article

Market Insights Commentary & Voices

Q4 2019 Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch Report: BMW Remains No. 1, But Its Grip Is Slipping 02/25/2020 BMW has been the most-shopped luxury vehicle brand for more than a year, but its once-tight grip on the No. 1 spot is slipping, according to Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch™ Report for Q4 2019. The recent decline is attributed to fading interest in cars and other luxury vehicle brands, including Audi and Tesla, gaining on the German brand. The Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch Report… Read Article

Market Insights Commentary & Voices

Auto Shows Are More Important Than Ever 02/20/2020 Earlier this month, Cadillac pulled a planeload of media into Los Angeles for the world debut of the 2021 Cadillac Escalade. By all accounts, it was a grand event, on point with a boutique hotel in Beverly Hills and replete with drinks and delicate food, product displays and Cadillac cues. The media coverage was solid, timed to the advertising kick-off. The 112th annual Chicago Auto Show… Read Article

Market Insights Commentary & Voices

NADA Show 2020 Press Conference Replay 02/19/2020 At the Cox Automotive press conference at NADA Show 2020, President Sandy Schwartz presented the Cox Automotive Leader in Sustainability Award to Planet Subaru. Following the award presentation, Schwartz and members of his leadership team – including Marianne Johnson, chief product officer, Cox Automotive; Grace Huang, president, Manheim; Keith Jezek, president, Cox Automotive Retail Solutions Group; and Joe George, president, Cox Automotive Mobility Solutions Group – offered remarks on… Read Article

Market Insights Commentary & Voices

Q4 2019 Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch Report: Ram Scores Big in Shopping Consideration, Consumer Perception 02/13/2020 Fiat Chrysler’s Ram brand soared in shopping consideration and consumer perception as well as sales in the final quarter last year, according to the Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch™ Report for Q4 2019. The Brand Watch Report is a consumer perception survey that also weaves in consumer shopping behavior to determine how a brand or model stacks up with its segment competitors on a dozen factors… Read Article

Market Insights Commentary & Voices

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