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Per Cox Automotive’s vAuto Live Market View, strong vehicle sales in March and April led to tighter inventory levels. New-vehicle inventory at the start of May totaled 2.49 million units on U.S. dealer lots, down 7.4% from the start of April and lower by 10.5% from a year ago. Days’ supply was 66 at the beginning of May, down six days from the previous measure at the start of April.

“Available inventory on dealer lots has declined significantly over recent weeks,” said Chesbrough. “Finding the right vehicle will be more challenging for shoppers. Additionally, prices will be high as existing inventory becomes less available and more valuable due to tariffs on incoming replacement supply. As more tariffed products replace existing inventory over the summer, prices are expected to be pushed higher, leading to slower sales in the coming months.”

The Q2 Cox Automotive Dealer Sentiment Index out last week said that dealers are increasingly wary of future market conditions. While many acknowledged the short-term lift in sales from tariff-driven urgency, the broader sentiment reflected anxiety about a cooling market and the long-term impact of trade policies. As expected, newly implemented tariffs by the Trump administration were a dominant theme in dealer responses, reinforcing the forecast of a cooling market in the months ahead. Continue reading →