Blog Post Archives | vAuto

Get Early Access to What’s Next in vAuto

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Get Early Access to What’s Next in vAuto

Summary: vAuto Test Drive gives dealers early access to emerging inventory management technologies so they can explore new capabilities, decide what fits their dealership, and help shape future product development through direct feedback. Available through a dedicated Test Drive tab within vAuto, the program offers a flexible, opt-in way to evaluate new ideas before they’re […]

Let's get you more ROI with our Appraisal Experience

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How Better Appraisals Lead to Stronger ROI for Used Car Dealers

An appraisal is more than a number. It is one of the first decisions that shapes the potential ROI of a vehicle. From acquisition cost to recon to pricing, the quality of your appraisal inputs directly influences how a deal performs over time. If the information behind that decision is incomplete or inconsistent, the impact shows up […]

What High‑Performing Dealers Do to Find More Used Inventory

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What High‑Performing Dealers Do to Find More Used Inventory

Use the service lane to spot, value, and act on inventory opportunities earlier.

Reduce Missed Trades With Transparent Appraisals

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How a Transparent Appraisal Offers Minimize Missed Trades

Among the things that cause heartburn for dealers, missed trades ranks near the top of the list. That’s because missed trades often represent missed opportunity: You had a customer effectively in hand, then you didn’t. Something fell apart. Cox Automotive recently asked dealers why missed trades occur. Dealers shared two primary reasons: For this blog, we’re going […]

Car Buyer Shifts New-Car Teams Need to Act On Now

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Car Buyer Shifts New-Car Teams Need to Act On Now

For more than 15 years, Cox Automotive has tracked how buyer expectations evolve. The 2025 Cox Automotive Car Buyer Journey Study shows a clear pattern for new‑car dealers: satisfaction is rising, but shoppers are moving faster, comparing more options, and expecting clarity earlier in the process. Those findings are visualized in the From Shopper Insight to Inventory Action: How Market-Driven Decisions Drive the Modern […]

How vAuto’s AI is Better: It Starts with Data

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How vAuto’s AI is Better: It Starts with Data

Derek Hansen, SVP, Dealer, Lender, and Inventory Management Solutions at Cox Automotive, explains why trusted inputs matter before AI can deliver trusted outputs.

Under Pressure: Car Buyer Journey Study Insights

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Under Pressure: Car Buyer Journey Study Insights

Summary: Affordability is tightening and price scrutiny is up. According to the 2025 Cox Automotive Car Buyer Journey Study, buyers are more cautious, more analytical, and more focused on price fairness than ever before. For used car dealers, this raises the stakes. When acquisition or pricing decisions miss the mark, risk compounds quickly. These findings show how […]

A Smarter Way for Independent Dealers to Buy and Manage Inventory

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A Smarter Way for Independent Dealers to Buy and Manage Inventory

Every vehicle you bring in sets off a chain reaction. Acquisition costs shape reconditioning spend, which directly affects time to lot. Time to lot limits pricing flexibility. And pricing pressure shows up fast when inventory starts to age. For independent dealers, your margin for error is thin. One wrong decision can take weeks to undo. At auction, those […]

Line chart showing the growing share of EV appraisals at dealerships, with EV trade-ins increasing from about 1.6 percent in early 2025 to nearly 1.8 percent by early 2026.

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An Early View of the Emerging Used EV Opportunity

Last fall, when the federal tax credits for EVs expired and EV demand dropped off, our industry faced a question: Did this moment effectively mark the beginning of the end of the EV market? Looking back, this question was more about the drama of the moment than a true reflection of how the EV market would perform in the months ahead. After all, […]

Put Spring Demand to Work. Five Moves Dealers Can Make this Tax Season.

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Put Spring Demand to Work. Five Moves Dealers Can Make this Tax Season.

Summary The spring market is waking up. Tax refunds are already flowing, with more than $100 billion returned to consumers so far this season. That cash tends to hit the auto market fast, and early signals suggest it already has. In his latest Auto Market Weekly Summary, Cox Automotive’s Chief Economist, Jeremy Robb, points to a familiar pattern. Refunds are supporting near‑term demand, wholesale […]