Customers may return to the lots sooner than expected after Hurricane Sandy.

In fact, according to a report released by Dataium late last week, auto shopping is already showing signs of recovery from the storm.

“The report reveals that while online auto shopping declined in the days preceding the storm, the trend started to reverse course on Oct. 29, the day the storm made landfall,” officials shared.

Eric Brown, Dataium chief executive officer stated, "The pre-hurricane data speaks to the power of uncertainty to impact consumer behavior. The post-hurricane data speaks to the heart and soul of the American consumer to rise above tragedy and persevere."

That said, the damage caused by the hurricane has still prevented some Northeast consumers from continuing their vehicle searches.

Effect of Hurricane Sandy on Auto Websites

Interestingly, after dropping in the days leading up to the storm, lead submissions on dealership websites increased 12 percent the day the hurricane made landfall, Dataium shared.

Conecticut and Virginia saw the biggest jumps during this period — up 55 percent and 25 percent, respectively, from the previous day.

On the other hand, some of the states most impacted by the storm had less encouraging results.

Maine and New Jersey were the only states impacted by the storm to show declines on Oct. 29, down 39 percent and 16 percent respectively.

Now, post-hurricane lead submissions “have demonstrated gradual daily increases, but are down 13 percent as compared to last month.”

And are some brands faring better than others?

According to the report, imports are seeing slightly better numbers than domestic counterparts, “experiencing a small, but speedier resurgence from the considerable declines on the days that preceded the storm.

"Despite the prevalence of large incentives and special pricing currently being offered by almost all auto manufacturers, only a few brands, like Nissan for instance, have exhibited consistent growth in lead submissions post-hurricane," officials concluded.