Dealers who actively engage in compliance efforts produce some measure of goodwill. Pexels/Tima Miroshnichenko There was a Sunday morning television news program several years ago featuring a franchised car dealer who was going out of business in a small town. The town council expressed deep concern about this dealership’s closing and wanted to allocate tax dollars…

Genesis rated highest both overall and among premium brands in the J.D. Power study of auto tech innovation. Pexels/Daniel Andraski Many auto consumers end up frustrated with increasingly sophisticated vehicle technologies, but artificial intelligence promises to simplify their experience with controls by anticipating their needs, J.D. Power says. The data provider’s 10th annual Tech Experience…

Association President Brian Maas says direct sales are ‘stripping vital consumer protections.’ California New Car Dealers Association California auto dealers filed a lawsuit against Honda’s U.S. division and Sony Honda Mobility, saying their Afeela brand vehicle sales violate state franchise law. The action follows a cease-and-desist letter filed by the California New Car Dealers Association…

Shopping for auto insurance rose 18% in the second quarter, double the bump among home insurance shoppers. Pexels/Jonathan Cooper Auto insurance policy holders appear to be getting less loyal as premiums increase, new data show. A TransUnion survey found that 42% of shoppers in the segment switched insurers in the past year and a half,…

Some consumers might say their cars’ seats aren’t fit for a dog – too complicated, uncomfortable and the like, the survey found. Pexels/Erik McIean Car seating is a bit of a pain in the you know what, according to recently polled auto consumers. As vehicles get more and more sophisticated, basic features such as seat…

Paint the picture, and put that customer in it. Then hand the customer the solution.  Pexels/Anna Shvets It’s a sweltering Friday in Houston. It’s 5:30 p.m., 100 degrees outside, and traffic is crawling on the 610 Loop. You’re in the far-left lane, AC blasting, windows rolled up, just trying to get home. Suddenly, five cars…

Tires are the new oil change in the F&I office. Pexels/Mike Bird A good friend, also in the auto industry, recently purchased a new electric vehicle from a well-known European brand. As someone familiar with dealerships, he was curious to see what the F&I department would pitch him. But what it did pitch surprised him.…

Ford was in the top five among brands for both new and used EV sales in July. U.S. electric-vehicle sales rose sharply in July as consumers moved to lock in expiring tax credits. Deliveries of both new and used EVs spiked, eating into days’ supply and nearly hitting a record for new EVs, Cox Automotive…

Severe weather has also pushed up insurance rates, the Insurify report said. Pexels/Mike Bird Just as the cost of car insurance had started to stabilize after post-pandemic rate increases, trade tariffs threaten to drive them back up, according to an Insurify forecast. The insurance comparison-shopping website expects the average cost of full coverage to rise…

Today 64% of vehicles sold in China – a market now double the size of the U.S. – are manufactured and sold by domestic Chinese brands, up from 36% in 2020.   Pexels/Aditya Agarwal China is rapidly redefining the global automotive industry, and potentially the U.S. market. It’s the largest auto retail market in the world,…