Record numbers of new and used vehicle buyers committed to a monthly payment of $1,000 or more in the fourth quarter, but interest rates ticked down for both groups. +
Automotive News reports Nissan has revamped its stair-step incentive strategy for 2026, eliminating a $1,200 per vehicle bonus for U.S. dealers who reach 110% of their quarterly sales goals. +
Tesla sold 418,227 new EVs in Q4, down 15% year-over-year, finishing 2025 with sales of 1.6 million new units, an 8.1% decrease from 2024 and less than half the global tally of China’s BYD. +
Dealertrack’s Credit Availability index climbed to 99.1 in November, a new high for 2025 and its best level since October 2022, buoyed by higher approval rates and down payments. +
Experian Automotive’s Q3 auto finance report finds EVs were leased at a significantly higher rate than a year ago, setting the stage for a future disruption to the used car market. +
Cox Automotive’s Q4 Automotive Dealer Sentiment Index finds dwindling optimism among retailers as escalating costs, prices and uncertainty affect profits and consumer confidence. +
U.S. dealers enjoyed gains in F&I profit per vehicle retailed, products per deal and monthly F&I income in the third quarter, offsetting losses in average front end gross and total gross per vehicle. +
CDK analysts report U.S. dealers earned a 66% “Easy to Purchase” score last month, down from 85% in October and the single lowest score in the survey’s history. +
Hudson Automotive Group has acquired all 15 Baton Rouge, La.-area All Star Automotive dealerships, which collectively account for 17% of the market’s new vehicle sales. +
Protective’s Rick Kurtz urges dealers and agents to maximize F&I product sales by treating every presentation as an opportunity to help customers manage affordability and mitigate risk. +
