Cox Automotive New Vehicle Inventory

Data Transportation

Source: Cox Automotive
Source Link: https://www.coxautoinc.com/
Frequency: Monthly
Next Release(s): March 12th, 2026 10:00 AM

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U.S. new-vehicle sales pace fell -22% MoM and -4% YoY in January to 845,216 units, while inventory held steady at 2.77M and days’ supply rose to 98 amid slower buyer activity.
- Total inventory stood at 2.77M units as of Jan. 30, 2026 (roughly flat MoM), while days’ supply increased from 76 in December to 98 in January, indicating longer turn times driven by slower sales rather than rising stock.
- The 30-day sales pace declined from just over 1M units in December to 845,216 in January (-22% MoM; -4% YoY), reflecting a seasonally softer month with winter weather cited as a contributing factor.
- Average listing prices fell -2.6% MoM to $49,248 but remained +1.4% YoY, suggesting measured dealer adjustments rather than broad-based discounting.
- Toyota’s sales pace dropped about -25% MoM, lifting days’ supply from the low-30s to the low-40s; Nissan sales fell -12% MoM with days’ supply rising above 110; Honda sales declined -17% MoM with days’ supply increasing into the mid-60s, highlighting slower throughput across mainstream brands.
- Hyundai (-23% MoM) and Kia (-11% MoM) also saw sales declines, pushing days’ supply into triple digits for Hyundai and into the low-100s for Kia, reflecting softer demand against stable inventories.
- Chevrolet sales slowed roughly -25% MoM, raising days’ supply from the upper-60s to mid-80s, while Ford sales fell -30% MoM with days’ supply moving from the mid-90s to well above 130, showing more pronounced pressure among large domestic manufacturers.
- At the model level, high-volume vehicles such as the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima and Ford F-Series saw sales pace declines of roughly -20% to -30% MoM, with days’ supply increasing by 15 to 40 days, reinforcing the broad-based slowdown in buyer activity.
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U.S. new-vehicle inventory tightened at the start of January 2026, falling -8% MoM to 2.77M units and -4.8% YoY, pushing days’ supply down to 76 amid strong year-end sales.
- Total new-vehicle inventory stood at 2.77M units as of Jan. 1, 2026, with days’ supply at 76, down sharply from 92 days one month earlier, indicating a meaningful drawdown in dealer stock.
- Inventory declined from a revised ~3.0M units in early December to ~2.8M in early January (nearly -8% MoM), described as the steepest MoM contraction in recent memory.
- The report attributes the inventory tightening to a mix of strong December selling, aggressive year-end incentives on remaining 2025 models and lingering EV inventory, and restrained 2026 model releases to support pricing power.
- Average listing prices rose to $50,465 (+1.2% YoY) and increased through late December, ending the month +2.2% above November, signaling continued upward pressure on advertised prices.
- Brand inventory dispersion remained wide: Lexus and Toyota were cited at very lean 28 and 33 days’ supply, respectively, while Honda was at 49 days and Land Rover at 42 days, indicating faster inventory turnover at these brands.
- On the high-inventory end, Chrysler was cited as more than twice the industry average, with Jeep at 130 days and Ram at 115 days; Volkswagen at 143 days and Lincoln at 133 days, reflecting slower-moving stock for several mainstream and Stellantis brands.
- By price segment, vehicles under $40k were described as lingering longer, while luxury models above $75k turned fastest at 63 days’ supply, highlighting stronger relative demand at the high end versus more price-sensitive categories.
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U.S. new-vehicle inventory edged up +1.3% MoM to 3.01 million units as of early December 2025 and remained -6.0% YoY, pointing to stable supply amid softer demand.
- Total inventory increased from 2.97 million in early November to 3.01 million units, while days’ supply held steady at 90 days, indicating balanced inventory management MoM.
- Compared with last year, inventory levels were lower (-6% YoY) and days’ supply declined from 91, even as the 30-day sales pace ran -4.3% below 2024 levels.
- Average new-vehicle listing prices rose to $49,422 (+0.6% MoM; +1.4% YoY), showing continued price discipline despite moderating sales volumes.
- Brand-level dispersion remained wide, with Toyota and Lexus turning inventory quickly at 45–44 days’ supply, while Chrysler, Jeep, Ram, and Audi carried 130+ days’ supply.
- By price segment, vehicles priced $40,000–$50,000 showed the highest days’ supply at nearly 100 days, while sub-$40,000 vehicles and luxury models above $80,000 moved faster.
- Model-year mix normalized, with 2026 models accounting for 60.3% of inventory and just 0.5% from MY2024, indicating healthy turnover.
- Automakers continued to prioritize controlled production and selective incentives, keeping inventories manageable while monitoring demand heading into 2026.
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U.S. new-vehicle inventory reached 2.97 million units in early November, up +4.2% MoM but still –5.7% YoY, reflecting a market that is gradually rebuilding stock while remaining below last year’s levels.
- Days’ supply rose to 88 days (+2.9% MoM, –3.8% YoY), showing that inventory is increasing faster than sales even as the overall sales pace improved modestly.
- The average listing price slipped –0.4% MoM to $49,143, but remained +2.2% YoY, indicating stable pricing despite easing momentum and rising production costs.
- Cadillac’s days’ supply jumped +15% MoM, while Jeep’s surged +24%, alongside a +13% increase in Jeep’s unit inventory, suggesting potential risk of overstock if demand softens.
- Porsche saw a +12% rise in inventory, and slower sales for Mazda and Mercedes-Benz contributed to accumulating stock, hinting at early signs of imbalance among lower-volume or slower-moving brands.
- Industry-wide inventory has been climbing since August, with automakers attempting to balance refilled lots against the risk of outsized supply in a cooling demand environment.
- October sales rose +1.2% MoM but fell –2% YoY, with EV sales dropping sharply from September’s surge while SUVs, performance cars, and full-size pickups remained strong.
- Certain brands faced notable sales pressure: Jeep’s 30-day sales fell –9.2%, Volkswagen slid –14.7% mainly due to EV weakness, and Porsche declined –11.3%, despite core model strength.
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U.S. new-vehicle inventory rose +4.8% MoM to 2.87 million units in September 2025 and was up +5.9% YoY, reflecting a slower sales pace and the growing presence of model-year-2026 vehicles on dealer lots.
- Days’ supply increased to 84, up +7.2% MoM and +1.6% YoY, marking the highest level since Q1 and signaling softening demand across most major brands.
- Nearly half of all automakers had more than 100 days of supply entering October, with Toyota and Honda posting notable MoM increases of over +10% and +18%, respectively, as sales slowed late in the month.
- Ford and Lincoln inventories remain elevated, with Ford’s overall days’ supply up +12% MoM to 113 and Lincoln’s at 142, near its highest level this year; however, a supplier fire may pressure F-150 and SUV inventories in coming months.
- The average listing price climbed +1.6% MoM and +3.6% YoY to $49,394, supported by a higher mix of MY2026 vehicles, which now account for roughly 41% of dealer stock, up from 25% in early September.
- Cox Automotive expects vehicle sales to cool further in Q4 as high prices weigh on consumers, leading to additional inventory buildup and higher incentive levels after September’s record-high average transaction prices and peak incentives of 7.4% of ATP.
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U.S. new-vehicle inventory stood at 2.76 million units as of Sept. 1, 2025, up +4.8% MoM but still -3.9% YoY, reflecting gradual recovery with disciplined production and steady demand.
- Days’ supply rose to 77, up +4.1% MoM but -10% YoY, showing vehicles are selling faster than a year ago despite rising stock.
- The average listing price was $48,697, a slight +0.2% MoM gain and +4% YoY, reflecting inflationary pressures and consumer preference for higher-trim and larger vehicles.
- August sales rose +0.7% MoM and +6.7% YoY, boosted by strong EV demand ahead of expiring tax credits and dealer incentives.
- Inventory dynamics shifted in 2025: supply fell sharply in January–May due to tariff-related buying but stabilized from June onward as automakers managed stock cautiously.
- EV models remain under-replenished, while automakers are selectively restocking profitable, high-demand models, reflecting a focus on profitability and demand alignment.
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US new-vehicle inventory opened August 2025 at 2.68 million units, down -1.0% MoM and -4.7% YoY, with a 73-day supply (down 7 days MoM) and an average listing price of $48,480 (-0.3% MoM).
- July sales rose +8.7% MoM and +10.1% YoY, drawing down inventory by 25,840 units.
- Inventory levels have returned to pre-March 26 tariff announcement levels, reflecting disciplined production.
- EV sales remain strong ahead of Sept. 30 expiration of EV tax credits.
- Through the first 7 months of 2025, average days’ supply was 6 days lower than in 2024.
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July opened with 2.83 million new vehicles available on dealer lots across the U.S., representing a 14.5% increase from 2.47 million units at the beginning of June, but still 1.4% lower than the same period last year.
- New-vehicle days’ supply in the latest measure was 82, which is 12 days higher than at the end of May.
- The average new-vehicle listing price at the end of June remained essentially flat, down by only $84 to $48,749 and 3.1% higher than the same period last year.
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June opened with 2.47 million new vehicles on dealer lots across the U.S., down -0.6% MoM from the 2.49 million units at the start of May and down -12.2% YoY.
- New-vehicle days’ supply in the latest measure was 70, up three days from the upwardly revised 67 at the end of April, but down 9 days compared to last year.
- The average new-vehicle listing price at the end of May increased by 0.5% to $48,883.
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As May opened, the total supply of new vehicles dropped significantly to 2.49 million, down -7.4% MoM from 2.69 million at the start of April and down -10.5% YoY.
- New days’ supply, at the start of May, was 66, down six days from the beginning of April and down 16 days compared to the same time last year.
- Seasonal patterns persist, as it is not unusual to see sales rise during the traditional “spring bounce.” Inventory, however, is not being replenished at the same rate. Some automakers are likely holding the line on deliveries and production, as everyone struggles with the uncertainty surrounding the administration’s tariff policies.
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As April opened, the total supply of new vehicles on dealer lots across the U.S. was at 2.69 million units, down -10.2% MoM from the 2.99 million units at the start of March and down -2.4% YoY.
- New days’ supply fell to 70, down from the upwardly revised 91 days at the end of February. The 30-day weekly sales pace in the final measure of March was up 17.2% compared to late February and up 11.9% compared to the same period last year.
- Cox: “The implementation of tariffs will significantly increase the costs of imported new vehicles. As pre-tariff inventory is depleted, automakers distribute these additional costs across their entire portfolio of vehicles. Tariffs led to a surge in March sales, reducing inventory levels, especially for manufacturers with already low stock levels. As a result of these tariffs and the tightening inventory, and without a policy change in Washington, consumers should anticipate higher prices and fewer discounts on new vehicles by summer. Over time, we can expect a decline in both production and sales, leading to increased prices for both new and used cars. Additionally, some models may be discontinued as automakers adjust their strategies to cope with the new economic landscape.”
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At the start of March, the total U.S. supply of available unsold new vehicles rose by 2.2% MoM.
- Days’ supply dropped -10% MoM to 89 days as sales jumped by 13.6% over the same period; days’ supply at the start of March was higher by 12.8% YoY.
- The average listing price of a new vehicle was $48,316 in the latest measure, down just slightly by -0.6% MoM and higher by 2.6% YoY.
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