The Canadian new-vehicle market climbed nearly 3 percent in March with several brands enjoying record sales, closing what was a strong first quarter. Specifically, there were 157,750 new vehicles sold in Canada last month, up 2.8 percent year-over-year, according to the latest Market Snapshot from DesRosiers Automotive Consultants. Through March, sales have reached 361,959 units […] [Read More]

Toyota wants to be more than just a big car company. After rattling off some of the automaker’s accolades and future products Toyota Motor Sales USA president and chief executive officer Jim Lentz made a profound statement during his address at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2012 New York Auto Summit on Wednesday. “Phenomenal […] [Read More]

Import brands grabbed their largest U.S. market share in a year and pushed sales up 12 percent during March, according to the American International Automobile Dealers Association, which released its monthly look at import automaker sales on Wednesday. Overall, imports moved 791,169 new vehicles in the U.S. last month for a 12-percent year-over-year gain, AIADA […] [Read More]

There is great and very understandable angst among dealers over automaker programs that require expensive dealership renovations, especially when they appear arbitrary and do nothing to sell more cars or satisfy customers. The National Automobile Dealers Association helped elevate the current national debate over manufacturer-mandated facility upgrades by commissioning the first-ever facility study. [Read More]

Consumer-reported fires in a pair of late-model domestic vehicles triggered an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Federal officials explained they are examining the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze and 2011 Jeep Wrangler to determine the cause of consumer complaints they have received recently. The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received two complaints of […] [Read More]

This is the headline from a New York Times article that discusses how brick-and-mortar retailers like J.C. Penney are re-thinking their pricing due to the increasing smarts of their Internet-powered customers. The article’s relevant for dealers because it underscores two new realities of today’s business: 1. Pricing is a means to drive traffic, not make […] [Read More]

On Monday, TrueCar unveiled a 21-member National Dealer Council — made up of dealers and auto retail experts — that, essentially, enables the company to have a better understanding of the dealer perspective. This council will advise TrueCar on addressing dealer feedback and serve as a sounding board before the company releases “major product, process and policy […] [Read More]

Offerings from Toyota and Lexus constituted half of the vehicles highlighted by Cars.com when site editors picked their best “Hybrids for the Money.” In ranking each hybrid, the site’s editors looked at a vehicle’s average fuel economy and base sticker price.  “We don’t account for equipment levels, quality judgments, cost of ownership or any variances […] [Read More]

Honda announced late last week it will recall approximately 554,000 model-year 2002 through 2004 CR-V and model-year 2003 Pilot vehicles in the United States to inspect and replace components of the headlight wiring system. The automaker discovered there is a potential failure with the wiring of the headlight switch that may cause the low beam […] [Read More]

TrueCar named a vice president of dealer development on Friday, and appointed to the position was Ken Potter. His responsibilities in the new role include managing field sales and inside account management teams, as well as fostering strong relationships with dealerships and representing the company at industry events. “We are excited to have Ken join […] [Read More]