TOGETHER WITH :
Have you seen the NADA full-year report for 2025?
It offers a clear snapshot of dealer health.
Revenue rose 4.5% year over year across new, used, and fixed ops, with growth in every department.
New-vehicle sales reached their highest level since 2019 as inventory normalized. Fixed ops topped $164 billion and continues to provide stability.
This points to a more balanced model than we have seen in recent years. If inventory trends hold, performance should remain strong.
Keep Pushing Back,
- Chris with Paul, Kyle & Kristi
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What’s changing and how to respond
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The auto business is shifting in ways that are showing up directly in shopper behavior. Dealer groups are gaining share, brands are adjusting product strategy, and customers are putting more weight on cost, efficiency, and convenience.
The opportunity is to meet that shift with clear, useful communication.
Consolidation grows, even as rooftops shrink
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The Top 150 dealership groups now account for 27% of U.S. vehicle sales, representing more than 4.14 million units in 2025.
Key shifts:
Penske moved to No. 2, behind Lithia
Public groups now represent 34.3% of Top 150 sales
Total dealership count declined slightly, even as sales share grew
More volume is moving through fewer stores. This is not just growth. It is concentration and efficiency.
Where Impact Meets Action
There’s a part of this industry that shows up in quiet ways, long after the deal is done.
Vehicles for Change brings that into focus.
For more than two decades, they’ve helped people move forward through access to reliable transportation and hands-on training that opens the door to real careers. A single vehicle can change how someone gets to work, takes care of their family, and builds something steady over time.
It’s a reminder of the role dealers already play in their communities, and how much further that impact can go.
While you’re at ASOTU CON, take a moment to connect with Vehicles for Change and see how you can be part of it.
Product strategy is shifting toward what shoppers will actually buy
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Several OEM updates point in the same direction: practical electrification with less risk in the pitch.
What brands are doing
Nissan
→ Next-gen Rogue launches hybrid-first, targeting 40 MPG and majority hybrid mixSubaru
→ Outback redesign tied to ~43% sales drop, showing risk of changing a core identityKia
→ EV5 focuses on family usability and everyday practicality, not just techSlate Auto
→ ~$25K EV truck with 160K reservations, pushing affordability to the front
Different strategies, same goal: meet shoppers where they are.
Pricing pressure and gas prices are shaping behavior fast
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EV prices are trending down to $54,508, driven by incentives averaging 14.6%. This narrows the gap with gas vehicles but adds pressure to margins.
Rising gas prices are also reshaping behavior:
More research happens before the visit
Store visits are fewer, but higher intent
Fuel cost and efficiency are moving up the priority list
Convenience and proximity carry more weight
Shoppers are showing up ready to decide.
Read more on this at daily.asotu.com
Where rubber meets the road:
Shoppers are starting earlier and doing more online. Many begin with simple questions like “what cars get the best gas mileage” before considering a dealership visit.
That creates an opening. Dealers who show up in those searches earn a place in the decision.
Use this as a starting point:
Gas prices are rising, and many drivers are looking for ways to lower their monthly costs. Here are a few vehicles on our lot that can help:
[MODEL] – [XX MPG]
[MODEL] – [XX MPG]
[MODEL] – [XX MPG]
If you want to compare options or see what your current vehicle is worth, start here: [LINK]
Simple, useful content like this helps you show up earlier and connect before the shopper ever walks in.
May 12: AutoIndustry.AI Summit
May 13-15: ASOTU CON 2026—get ready for the Year of the Human
1865 – U.S. President Abraham Lincoln is shot in Ford's Theatre by John Wilkes Booth; Lincoln dies the following day.
1912 – A Renault sinks aboard the Titanic.
1927 – The first Volvo leaves the assembly line.
Thanks for reading, Friend!
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