Hot August: Subcompacts Lead 1.4% Gain in Retained Values
Black Book’s Used Vehicle Retention Index shows a 1.4% month-over-month increase in August, a month in which all but a few pre-owned segments showed improvement.
Retained values for subcompact cars such as the Toyota Yaris increased by 2.1% in August, setting the pace for improvements in most categories after a largely flat July.
Photo courtesy Toyota Motor Sales USA
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — Black Book (div. Hearst) released its Used Vehicle Retention Index for August (116.6), reporting a 1.4% change from July (115.0).
“The strength of used market was fairly broad in August with almost all vehicle segments registering an increase in the Index. Sub-Compact Cars Index showed the highest increase at 2.1% MOM, highlighting the demand for affordable vehicles,” said Anil Goyal, the firm’s executive vice president of operations. “Near Luxury Cars Index is also showing a bounce off the lows now after declining for the last five years.”
Black Book’s Used Vehicle Retention Index is calculated using Black Book’s published Wholesale Average value on two- to six-year-old used vehicles as a percent of original typically equipped MSRP. It is weighted based on registration volume and adjusted for seasonality, vehicle age, mileage, and condition.
To read the August report, click here.
Originally posted on F&I and Showroom
More Sales
June Automotive Boon?
A forecast for this month’s new-vehicle sales tells a familiar 2026 story: Year-over-year comparisons must be made in light of last year’s aberrations.
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 →
Legacy Automakers Risk Falling Behind
As legacy automakers, mostly in the U.S. and Japan, have revised their 2030 electric-vehicle sales targets and shifted to a hybrid focus, they risk falling behind new market leaders.
Read More →
New Cars a Tad More Affordable
May averages show that combined circumstances gave auto consumers slightly better buying power for the month, though average prices were up year-over-year.
Read More →
New Vehicles Down for Most Brands
Healthy May sales cut into inventory as automakers kept a tight reign on supply, though some brands ended the month with excess units on the ground.
Read More →
New-Car Demand on the Rise
For the first time this year, new-vehicle demand rose in May, up nearly 6% year-over-year, according to CarGurus’ Intelligence Report.
Read More →
Auto Prices Ride May Moderation
Flat ATPs and asking prices clocked in below long-term averages for the month, though some segments saw significant price gains, reported Cox Automotive.
Read More →
Nissan Reports Significant Sales Growth
Following the release of Nissan’s 2025 fiscal year report, the automaker announced that its retail-first approach has led to a significant jump in dealer sales.
Read More →
Inventory of New Units Stable
Auto brands spent April clearing out most of their 2025 supply with incentives while holding firm on 2026 prices, striking a balance to meet demand and protect their bottom lines.
Read More →
The Hidden Edge
Reflections from the 2026 Agent Summit: gratitude, gut decisions, and the power of the first contact
Read More →