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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Cox Automotive Commentary: First-Half 2020 U.S. Auto Sales 07/01/2020 The U.S. auto industry is closing the books on the first half of 2020 today, and many in the industry are likely saying, "Good riddance." It was a tough half for auto sales – to say the least. The Cox Automotive Industry Insights team has been tracking the industry's progress throughout the ups-and-down of 2020 – remember, sales were up in January – and is sharing the following content and commentary for… Read Article

Market Insights Commentary & Voices

2020 Mid-Year Review Replay Available 06/26/2020 At the 2020 Mid-Year review held on June 25, the Cox Automotive Industry Insights team presented their view of the first half of the year. This 90-minute webinar was kicked off by Cox Automotive President and CEO Sandy Schwartz who provided an industry overview and highlight The Way Forward, a collection of new and updated strategies to help the auto industry thrive post-pandemic. Led by Chief Economist Jonathan… Read Article

Market Insights Smoke on Cars Commentary & Voices

Finding the Way Forward 06/08/2020 Our global auto industry sits idle at an interesting intersection. The signs of a recovery are clear and plentiful, but the return to normal is anything but an easy path forward. This is particularly true in the U.S., where May auto sales for both new and used vehicles were well above April numbers but still well below historic norms. In late April and early May, the… Read Article

Market Insights Commentary & Voices

Cox Automotive Dealer Sentiment Index – Second Quarter 2020 06/08/2020 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

How COVID-19 is Changing the Automobile Business 05/28/2020 As the U.S. economy and auto industry begin to take the first cautious steps toward a recovery from the global pandemic, the team of analysts at Cox Automotive set out to measure how COVID-19 reshaped auto retail in the U.S. Certainly, the immediate impact on auto sales was obvious and severe, with new-vehicle sales off near 70% in highly impacted markets. As the inevitable sales rebound… Read Article

Market Insights Commentary & Voices

Dealer Forward: The Service Experience and Social Distancing  05/26/2020 Welcome to Dealer Forward: Reimagining Automotive Retail, a weekly panel discussion that focuses on building resilience in three key auto retail areas – marketing, dealership performance and fixed operations. The latest panel discussion The Service Experience and Social Distancing inspects what servicing tactics are working for dealerships and how they are implementing them. This week’s episode is hosted by Lori Wittman, senior vice president of dealer software… Read Article

Market Insights Commentary & Voices

Q1 2020 Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch Report: No. 1 BMW Widens Lead; Luxury SUV Shopping Stays at Peak Levels 05/21/2020 BMW widened the gap with its competitors, continuing its reign as No. 1 most considered luxury brand by consumers, a position it has held for the past three years, despite some close calls, according to the Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch Report for Q1 2020. The Brand Watch Report is a consumer perception survey that also weaves in consumer shopping behavior to determine how a brand… Read Article

Market Insights Commentary & Voices

What Auto Shoppers Can Expect This Memorial Day Weekend 05/20/2020 If there’s good news in the auto industry right now, it’s this: Online vehicle shopping has been strong recently. Our colleagues at both Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book note that leads – signs of interest in buying – were up more than 30% year over year in the early part of May. That’s an indication a lot of consumers are considering adding or replacing a personal… Read Article

Market Insights Commentary & Voices

Final Step of Vehicle Purchase Going Digital for Good 05/13/2020 Traditionally registration and titling have been complex parts of the vehicle purchase process. This complexity has been amplified with the COVID-19 pandemic in which dealerships have had to rethink how they sell cars while adhering to social distancing and more than 40 states have ordered significant changes to department of motor vehicles (DMV) standard operating procedures. The good news is that there has been no significant… Read Article

Market Insights Commentary & Voices

Dealer Forward: Re-Engaging the Workforce 05/11/2020 Welcome to Dealer Forward: Reimagining Automotive Retail, a weekly panel discussion that focuses on building resilience in three key auto retail areas – marketing, dealership performance and fixed operations. The latest panel discussion Re-engaging the Workforce focuses on tactics for re-engaging your workforce and continuing to drive business forward in the new normal. This week’s episode features Lori Wittman, senior vice president of dealer software for Cox… Read Article

Market Insights Commentary & Voices

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