The Auto Market Brief

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 The Auto Market Brief, Erin Keating and Cox Automotive Chief Economist Jeremy Robb break down the latest economic data, including consumer spending, wage growth, inflation, interest rates, and vehicle sales. While some indicators suggest consumers are becoming more cautious, the broader automotive market continues to show resilience amid changing economic conditions.

Consumer spending is showing signs of slowing
Recent spending data has softened, with retail sales coming in below expectations and consumer spending growth turning negative year over year, raising new questions about the strength of consumer demand.

Purchasing power remains under pressure

Wage growth has remained below inflation for four consecutive months, reducing purchasing power and creating additional challenges for consumers already facing elevated borrowing costs and affordability concerns.

Automakers rethink product, production, and growth strategies
Automakers continue to adjust their product, manufacturing, and sourcing strategies as tariffs, trade policy discussions, and supply chain considerations play an increasingly important role in long-term planning.

The conversation also covers inventory trends, used-vehicle values, trade policy developments, manufacturing decisions, and how brands are rethinking growth opportunities in an increasingly dynamic market.

The Auto Market Brief delivers timely data, clear context, and practical insight to help industry leaders make smarter decisions—what's happening now, and what's coming next.

The Auto Market Brief is powered by Cox Automotive. For more industry insights and expert perspectives, visit our Insights Hub at Cox Automotive Insights.

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 Auto Market Brief, host Erin Keating is joined by Cox Automotive’s Zo Rahim and Cox Fleet’s Alex Fraser to explore the commercial side of automotive and the growing pressures facing fleet operators. From tightening freight capacity and rising diesel prices to increasing insurance costs and operational complexity, the discussion examines the forces shaping the businesses responsible for moving goods, services, and businesses across America.

Freight markets remain under pressure: While freight rates have improved, much of the recent movement has been driven by tightening capacity rather than a broad-based recovery in demand. The discussion examines what freight conditions reveal about economic activity and why growth remains uneven across industries.

Rising costs continue to challenge operators: Higher fuel prices, increasing insurance expenses, and ongoing operational pressures are creating challenges for carriers, particularly smaller operators and service providers. Even as rates improve, profitability remains under pressure for many businesses in the transportation ecosystem.

Why uptime matters more than ever: For commercial operators, vehicles are revenue-generating assets. Every breakdown, delay, or maintenance issue can disrupt operations and impact the bottom line, making uptime one of the most critical performance metrics in fleet management today.

The discussion also explores predictive maintenance, connected vehicle technology, freight theft, dealer and OEM fleet opportunities, autonomous trucking, electrification, and what fleet operators can teach the rest of the automotive industry about managing assets and maximizing performance.

In this episode of The Auto Market Brief, host Erin Keating is joined by Cox Automotive’s Zo Rahim and Cox Fleet’s Alex Fraser to explore the commercial side of automotive and the growing pressures facing fleet operators. From tightening freight capacity and rising diesel prices to increasing insurance costs and operational complexity, the discussion examines the forces shaping the businesses responsible for moving goods, services, and businesses across America.

The Auto Market Brief delivers timely data, clear context, and practical insight to help industry leaders make smarter decisions—what's happening now, and what's coming next.

The Auto Market Brief is powered by Cox Automotive. For more industry insights and expert perspectives, visit our Insights Hub at Cox Automotive Insights Hub.

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 Automotive Chief Economist Jeremy Robb break down the latest economic data, dealer and automaker earnings, and the broader forces reshaping the automotive industry. While inflation showed signs of easing and the automotive market remains resilient, new challenges are emerging across the global landscape.

Dealer profitability continues to evolve
Public dealer groups reported resilient results, but profitability continues shifting toward fixed operations, parts, service, and F&I as front-end vehicle margins normalize.

Consumer affordability pressures remain a concern
Inflation has moderated, but household budgets continue to face pressure from higher costs, declining savings rates, and increasing reliance on credit.

Global competition is reshaping the industry
While North America remains a critical source of profitability for many manufacturers, Chinese automakers continue to gain influence globally, creating new competitive challenges across international markets.
 

Tariffs are becoming a permanent business consideration
Automakers are increasingly planning around tariffs, supply chain requirements, and trade policy realities rather than treating them as temporary disruptions.

The discussion also explores automaker earnings, fixed operations growth, trade policy, connected vehicle security, supply chain strategy, and the growing role geopolitics plays in shaping the future of automotive competition

The Auto Market Brief delivers timely data, clear context, and practical insight to help industry leaders make smarter decisions—what's happening now, and what's coming next.

The Auto Market Brief is powered by Cox Automotive. For more industry insights and expert perspectives, visit our Insights Hub at Cox Automotive Insights.

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 episode of The Auto Market Brief, host Erin Keating sits down with Aharon Horwitz, founder of Fullpath, for a wide-ranging conversation about his entrepreneurial journey, the history and evolution of Fullpath, and the role data plays in helping dealers better understand and serve their customers. Together, they explore how disconnected systems create challenges across automotive retail, why customer data has become increasingly valuable, and how organizing that information can unlock more personalized experiences, stronger retention, and better business outcomes.

The Fullpath story and the road to automotive: Aharon shares how his background in startups and technology led to the creation of Fullpath, why the company chose to focus on automotive retail, and how its mission has evolved alongside the industry's growing need for better data management.

Why customer data remains one of the industry's biggest opportunities: The conversation examines the challenges created by fragmented systems and siloed information, and how bringing data together can help businesses better understand customer needs, identify opportunities, and create more relevant engagement.

Building the foundation for AI and automation: As artificial intelligence becomes a bigger part of the conversation, Aharon explains why successful adoption starts with organized, actionable data. Erin and Aharon discuss how businesses can turn customer signals into meaningful action while improving marketing, retention, and customer experience.

The discussion also explores customer data platforms, service retention, fixed operations, data governance, AI adoption, and how the combination of data, technology, and human expertise can help create stronger customer relationships.

The Auto Market Brief delivers timely data, clear context, and practical insight to help industry leaders make smarter decisions—what's happening now, and what's coming next.

The Auto Market Brief is powered by Cox Automotive. For more industry insights and expert perspectives, visit our Insights Hub at Cox Automotive Insights Hub.

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 Erin Keating is joined by recurring guest Jeremy Robb, Chief Economist at Cox Automotive, to break down the latest economic and industry trends shaping the automotive market. From improving credit availability and easing inflation to retail spending patterns and wholesale vehicle values, they explore what recent data signals could mean for consumers, dealers, lenders, and automakers.

Why credit availability is an important economic indicator:
Lender willingness to finance consumers has reached its highest level in years. This episode explores what that says about market confidence and why credit conditions can influence affordability and vehicle demand.

How better-than-expected inflation data is shaping the outlook:
This episode covers June inflation data, which came in lower than expected, with headline CPI improving and several automotive-related cost pressures moving in the right direction.

What inventory levels reveal about today's market:
Stable overall inventory levels are largely attributed to inventory discipline among top-selling automakers, with affordability challenges being increasingly driven by broader household finances rather than vehicle pricing alone.

The episode also covers wholesale vehicle value trends, growing EV supply in the used market, labor developments involving Hyundai and the UAW, changes in lending policy discussions, and other industry developments that could influence the market in the months ahead.

The Auto Market Brief delivers timely data, clear context, and practical insight to help industry leaders make smarter decisions—what's happening now, and what's coming next.

The Auto Market Brief is powered by Cox Automotive. For more industry insights and expert perspectives, visit our Insights Hub at Cox Automotive Insights.

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 Auto Market Brief, host Erin Keating is joined by Micah Tindor, AVP of Consumer Vehicle Disposal at Cox Automotive, to explore how negative equity became one of the industry's most significant affordability challenges and why its impact is likely to extend far beyond trade-in transactions.

How the industry arrived at today's negative equity problem:
Pandemic-era vehicle shortages, elevated transaction prices, higher interest rates, and longer loan terms lead to a growing number of consumers who are "upside down" on their vehicles. While negative equity itself is not new, the average amount consumers carry today has grown substantially, making it more difficult to absorb into the next purchase.

Why affordability pressures are compounding:
Higher vehicle prices, increased financing costs, and rising insurance premiums are putting additional strain on household budgets. For many consumers, negative equity can mean higher monthly payments, longer loan terms, and greater challenges when attempting to replace or trade in a vehicle.

How dealers can help consumers navigate the challenge:
As more buyers enter dealerships with underwater trade-ins, dealers have an opportunity to play a more consultative role. Leasing, lower-priced vehicle options, and financing flexibility can help consumers work through negative equity challenges.

The discussion also examines the implications for used-vehicle acquisition, lender relationships, insurance costs, consumer sentiment, and the industry's ability to balance affordability with consumer demand in the years ahead.

The Auto Market Brief delivers timely data, clear context, and practical insight to help industry leaders make smarter decisions—what's happening now, and what's coming next.

The Auto Market Brief is powered by Cox Automotive. For more industry insights and expert perspectives, visit our Insights Hub at Cox Automotive Insights Hub.

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.

In this episode of The Auto Market Brief, Erin Keating and Jeremy Robb unpack the latest economic indicators, from consumer spending and labor participation to trade negotiations and EV lease economics, to better understand what's really happening beneath the surface.

In This Episode.

Why strong consumer spending may not tell the whole story:
Consumer spending continues to rise, but much of the growth is being driven by necessities while household expenses are increasing faster than income, creating ongoing affordability pressure.

What labor market data is really signaling:
Employment remains strong, but declining labor force participation raises important questions about the true strength of the workforce and where future growth will come from.

How EV lease residuals are reshaping the market:
Negative equity positions are becoming a growing concern for leased EVs, prompting automakers to explore new strategies to retain customers and keep vehicles out of wholesale channels.

The discussion also covers USMCA renewal uncertainty, June sales performance, autonomous vehicle regulation, and the competitive pressures confronting global automakers.

The Auto Market Brief delivers timely data, clear context, and practical insight to help industry leaders make smarter decisions—what’s happening now, and what’s coming next.

The Auto Market Brief is powered by Cox Automotive. For more industry insights and expert perspectives, visit our Insights Hub at https://www.coxautoinc.com/insights.

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 Keating is joined by John Murphy, founder of Murphy Automotive Partners, to discuss findings from his newly released automotive product pipeline analysis and the concept he calls the "EV head fake".

How EV investments disrupted the industry's product pipeline:
Murphy explains how regulatory pressure, capital allocation decisions, and shifting market expectations led automakers to redirect resources toward EV programs, resulting in delayed or canceled vehicle programs and the lowest vehicle redesign rates seen in decades.

Why product cadence still matters:
As vehicle ownership cycles lengthen and affordability remains a challenge, automakers are facing a growing disconnect between aging product portfolios and rising vehicle prices, creating headwinds for sales growth and customer retention.

Why hybrids may be a more permanent solution than many expected:
The conversation explores the growing role of hybrids in the U.S. market, how they compare with EV adoption trends, and what increasing powertrain fragmentation means for automakers, suppliers, and dealers.

The discussion also examines dealer profitability, brand survival, supplier relationships, and the importance of understanding the automotive industry as an interconnected ecosystem.

The Auto Market Brief delivers timely data, clear context, and practical insight to help industry leaders make smarter decisions—what’s happening now, and what’s coming next.

The Auto Market Brief is powered by Cox Automotive. For more industry insights and expert perspectives, visit our Insights Hub at https://www.coxautoinc.com/insights.

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 Keating and Jeremy Robb break down the latest economic signals shaping the market, from declining fuel costs and improving sentiment to the ongoing pressures tied to inflation, interest rates, and vehicle pricing.

How much lower gas prices really help:
Gas prices have fallen below $4 per gallon, providing some relief for consumers, but fuel is only one part of the overall cost equation.

Why vehicle affordability remains under pressure:
Even as fuel costs ease, elevated interest rates and higher vehicle prices continue to impact monthly payments and purchasing decisions.

What the latest data says about market performance:
New vehicle sales are holding stronger than expected, while used vehicle prices remain elevated, highlighting the ongoing tension between demand and affordability.

The episode also explores key industry developments, including regulatory focus on pricing transparency, continued investment in autonomous technologies, and signals from subprime lending markets.

The Auto Market Brief delivers timely data, clear context, and practical insight to help industry leaders make smarter decisions—what’s happening now, and what’s coming next.

The Auto Market Brief is powered by Cox Automotive. For more industry insights and expert perspectives, visit our Insights Hub at https://www.coxautoinc.com/insights.

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 Market Brief, Erin Keating sits down with Joe George, President of Cox Automotive Mobility Solutions, for a conversation that explores the impacts of changes to mobility, from how goods move across the economy to how affordability, access, and technology are reshaping transportation overall:

Why mobility is bigger than vehicle ownership:
Joe shares a perspective shaped by decades in the industry, emphasizing that transportation is not just about vehicles, but about how both people and products move across the economy, and who ultimately pays for those miles.

How affordability is changing transportation behavior:
As costs rise, both consumers and companies are making decisions based on total cost, shifting how vehicles are used, owned, and integrated into everyday life.

What technology enables, but doesn’t define:
From autonomy to electrification, the conversation explores how technology is accelerating change, while reinforcing that the real question is how these innovations solve practical use cases and improve outcomes.

The discussion also touches on fleet-driven economics, evolving business models, and what leaders should keep in mind as mobility continues to evolve across the industry.

The Auto Market Brief delivers timely data, clear context, and practical insight to help industry leaders make smarter decisions—what’s happening now, and what’s coming next.

The Auto Market Brief is powered by Cox Automotive. For more industry insights and expert perspectives, visit our Insights Hub at https://www.coxautoinc.com/insights.