The Auto Market Brief

Consumer Spending Slows Again, Tariff Uncertainty Looms, and Manufacturers Rethink Production

What happens when consumer spending slows, trade policy remains uncertain, and automakers begin reassessing where vehicles are built? In this episode of The Auto Market

Shoppers Want It All, Including Affordability

How does the market adapt when shoppers expect one vehicle to deliver utility, efficiency, technology, comfort, and affordability all at once? In this bonus episode of T

Consumers Pull Back, Wage Growth Trails Inflation, and Automakers Adapt

What happens when consumer spending slows, purchasing power comes under pressure, and automakers adjust their strategies to match a changing market? In this episode of T

Freight Pressures, Rising Costs, and Why Uptime Matters More Than Ever

Why is uptime becoming one of the most important metrics in transportation, and what do freight markets reveal about the state of the economy? In this episode of The Aut

A New Automotive Market: Tariffs Persist, Chinese Competition Grows, and Profitability Shifts

How are tariffs, global competition, and shifting profit models changing the rules of automotive? In this episode of The Auto Market Brief, Erin Keating and Cox Automoti

Why AI Is Only as Good as Your Data

What opportunities become possible when dealers can connect their data, understand their customers more completely, and put AI to work in meaningful ways? In this bonus

Credit Availability Hits a New High, Inflation Eases, and Inventory Holds Steady

With improved access to credit, cooler inflation readings, and stable inventory, what is the outlook for the road ahead? In this episode of The Auto Market Brief, host E

The Negative Equity Story: How We Got Here and Why It Matters

How did negative equity become one of the automotive industry's biggest affordability challenges, and what does it mean for consumers and dealers? In this episode of The

Consumer Spending Caveats, USMCA Non-Renewal, and the EV Lease Residual Gap

Consumers are still spending, unemployment remains low, and auto sales continue to outperform expectations. But a closer look at the data reveals a more complicated story

The EV Head Fake: How Regulatory Push and Wasted Capital Transform the Industry

How did the industry's push toward EVs reshape product development, and what are the long-term consequences? In this special episode of The Auto Market Brief, host Erin

Gas Prices Are Falling. But Are Car Buyers Really Getting Relief?

Gas prices are finally coming down, but how much does that actually improve the total cost of buying and owning a vehicle? In this episode of The Auto Market Brief, Erin

Rethinking Mobility and the Future of Transportation

How should we really think about mobility, and what does it mean for the future of transportation, ownership, and the automotive industry? In this episode of The Auto Ma

May Sales, Hybrid Momentum, and Strained Affordability

What do newly-released May sales numbers, rising hybrid demand, and shifting consumer behavior reveal about today’s auto market? In this episode of The Auto Market Brief

Reading the Signals: Sales Momentum, Rates, and What Comes Next

What are today’s economic signals really telling us about where the auto market is headed next? In this episode of The Auto Market Brief, Cox Automotive Executive Analys

How Are Gas Prices Changing Car Buying Decisions?

How are rising gas prices influencing what consumers want, and what they’re willing to buy next? In this bonus episode of The Auto Market Brief, Erin Keating is joined b

Pricing Pressures and EV Momentum in a Tight Used Market

Pricing pressures are building across the auto market while inflation remains elevated, labor signals are mixed, and demand continues to adjust rather than retreat. In t

Service Revenue Is Up. Why Are Dealers Losing Share?

Service departments are no longer just another revenue stream for dealers, they’re a critical inventory funnel, customer relationship engine, and profit driver. In this

Strong Spending and Auto Sales: Here’s What’s Behind It

Consumer spending remains unexpectedly strong as the auto market moves through the heart of the spring selling season. In this episode of The Auto Market Brief, Erin Kea

Why Chaos Isn't Breaking the Auto Market

New inflation readings, geopolitical uncertainty, and lingering tariff pressure continue to cloud the economic outlook, but the auto market is proving more resilient than

How Creator Content Is Changing Car Research

Car shoppers aren’t following a linear path to purchase anymore. Instead, they’re validating information across platforms, formats, and voices, reshaping how automotive c