DealerTrack Acquires Polk's U.S. Price And Spec Business
LAKE SUCCESS - Expanding its portfolio of world-class vehicle data and digital retailing solutions, DealerTrack Holdings, Inc., today announced the acquisition of Polk's U.S. Price and Spec Business, including Polk's popular Vehicle Comparator Service. The newly acquired business will be merged into DealerTrack's subsidiary, Chrome Systems, Inc.
The Vehicle Comparator is a highly-flexible and customizable service that delivers up-to-date price and specification details to automobile manufacturer and retailer websites for visitors to perform competitive vehicle comparisons online. The Vehicle Comparator solution is currently used by a majority of vehicle manufacturers, and the price and specification data is used by some of the major automotive portal sites.
In addition to the Vehicle Comparator, other services within the U.S. Price and Spec Business which Chrome will be acquiring include: the price and specification data product and AutositePro, which is used for detailed competitive analysis by OEM marketers.
"The Polk U.S. Price and Spec solutions will be a great addition to our comprehensive portfolio of vehicle data and solutions," said Mark O'Neil, chairman and chief executive officer, DealerTrack Holdings, Inc. "Polk has an outstanding reputation in the industry and its Vehicle Comparator is highly regarded for its superior quality and flexibility."
Amit Maheshwari, general manager, DealerTrack Data Services, added, "We are committed to helping all facets of the industry realize more vehicle sales and profitability, and we are confident that this acquisition will help us to further deliver on that commitment. We look forward in the long-term to further develop these products, as online vehicle research and sales services continue to evolve, and extend Chrome's world-class customer service and support to current Polk clients."
Current U.S. Price and Spec Business clients will not see any changes to their current applications or services provided by the business unit.
"Chrome is renowned throughout the industry for its strong digital vehicle content, enterprise data products and exceptional customer service," said Stephen Polk, chairman, chief executive officer and president, R.L. Polk & Co. "We are confident current and future customers will be highly satisfied with Chrome's commitment to accurate and timely vehicle data, customer support and technical knowledge."
More Industry

Autos More Appealing
Consumers gave new cars better scores again this year for design, performance and more as mass-market brands kept gaining on premium lineups, JD Power found in an annual poll.
Read More →
Used EVs Defy Overall Market
While the used-car market saw three months of price declines or stagnation, the used EV segment did the opposite – rising for three straight months.
Read More →
Gone to the Dogs
A Stellantis brand decided to have some fun with one of its SUVs’ design to address growing emphasis on family pets.
Read More →
OEM Poll Sees Industry Evolution
Kerrigan Advisors’ survey of automakers finds that tariffs, technology, network tightening and other factors are poised to reshape auto retail.
Read More →
Luxe N.C. Dealerships Change Hands
A collection of Italian and English brand franchises were handed off to the owner’s friend in the business and include the Carolinas’ only Ferrari retail stores.
Read More →
Exposure Drives Interest in Chinese Cars
At a recent demonstration, consumers had the chance to ride in a Chinese-branded vehicle, a firsthand experience that improved their perceptions and purchase intent.
Read More →
Automotive Consumers Sink Further in Debt
Most financing metrics hit records in the second quarter as more buyers locked themselves into long terms and high monthly payments.
Read More →
Agent Advocate
Rob Mancuso, who comes from a long line of auto dealers, values general agents’ place in the industry and makes a case for them taking an even bigger seat at the table.
Read More →
Driving Under Distraction
Though consumers gave higher marks to new vehicles in JD Power’s most recent initial-quality poll, high-tech interference worsened, pointing to craving for simplicity.
Read More →
Affordable New Cars a Thing of the Past
More than one out of five new vehicles sell for more than $60,000, according to Edmunds. That's up 7% compared to prepandemic 2019.
Read More →