Models like the Toyota Camry, Honda Civic and Nissan Altima ruled the used-car market in July for dealerships in California, while Texas — not surprisingly — leaned on a trio of pickups from the Big 3. The Ford F-Series was the top-selling used vehicle at Florida dealerships in July, but passenger cars had a big […] [Read More]

Toyota Canada recently announced it has come to an agreement to settle economic loss litigation in Canada related to Toyota recalls in 2009 and 2010 regarding unintended acceleration. The company said “turning the page on this legacy legal issue is in the best interests of the company, employees, dealers and, most of all, customers.” According […] [Read More]

A few members of the National Automobile Dealers Association’s leadership met with the board of directors and management staff of General Motors last week, the first time that NADA has ever been asked to address an automaker’s board, the association said Friday. Calling GM’s board “receptive” to the concerns of dealers, NADA chairman David Westcott […] [Read More]

Late last week, Autobytel named its Dealer of the Month for July. The honoree for this past month is Kenny Jakel, general sales manager of Lee Johnson Kia in Kirkland, Wash. The award program introduced earlier this year honors  Autobytel dealers who “employ the highest standards in customer service, Internet automotive retail sales and lead […] [Read More]

When a customer comes on to a dealer’s lot looking for a new car, more often than not his or her top concern is finding the best deal possible. For some customers, leasing might fit better into their budget, while others may not settle for less than a flat out new-car purchase. Either way, TrueCar.com […] [Read More]

Dealerships and aftermarket shops are expanding their service departments and offerings, and it seems customers are taking note. In its 2013 Canadian Customer Commitment Index Study, J.D. Power and Associates reported that customer satisfaction with automotive service at dealerships and aftermarket shops has improved. The study — based on responses from more than 21,600 owners […] [Read More]

This week, Canadian vehicle history reports provider CarProof revealed a couple of new developments. On top of announcing a minority stake sale, the company said that Steve Macaluso, director of corporate accounts, is leaving the company to assume the role of managing director at Copart Canada. Macaluso has been with CarProof since 2010 and brought […] [Read More]

Increased demand for electric and hybrid vehicles has one company working even harder to bring high-tech options to the U.S. automotive market. Auto retail group EVCARCO Inc. this week announced plans for the development of its EV Leasing Program, meant to help the company meet increased demand for new and pre-owned electric and hybrid vehicles now […] [Read More]

Beginning this coming Monday, used-car shoppers using DriveChicago.com will have access to free Carfax Vehicle History Reports in a promotion that runs through the end of November. That’s thanks to a new agreement between the Chicago Automobile Trade Association and Carfax. CATA is also working with Carfax to provide vehicle reports to its dealer members […] [Read More]

Domestic or import? The choice may depend on the sex of the shopper. Research from Kelley Blue Book Market Intelligence based on KBB.com traffic and survey data of more than 13,000 U.S. adults shows considerable differences in the shopping habits of men and women. In the research, men are more likely to consider vehicles from […] [Read More]