Cox Automotive Inc

What happens when consumer spending slows further, trade policy remains uncertain, and automakers begin reassessing where vehicles are built? In this episode of The Auto Market Brief, host Erin Keating and Cox Automotive Chief Economist Jeremy Robb examine the latest economic indicators, including new Q2 GDP readings, personal income data, consumer spending, inflation, and used-vehicle market activity.

Recent economic headlines have offered plenty of reasons for caution. Tariffs are back in the conversation. Interest rates and gas prices remain elevated, with no relief in sight. The national debt crossed the $40 trillion threshold and continues to attract attention. Consumers are stuck in the middle of this, feeling the pressure from all the uncertainty and from higher costs across many parts of their lives.

Last week brought several updates on economic activity, culminating in Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh’s speech at the Fed’s Jackson Hole economic symposium in Wyoming. This edition of the Auto Market Weekly Summary also covers personal income and spending, personal consumption expenditures inflation, GDP growth and consumer confidence.

How does the market adapt when shoppers expect one vehicle to deliver utility, efficiency, technology, comfort, and affordability all at once? In this bonus episode of The Auto Market Brief, host Erin Keating is joined by Vanessa Ton, Senior Manager of Research and Market Intelligence at Cox Automotive, and Sean Tucker, Managing Editor at Kelley Blue Book, to explore the latest findings from the Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch study.

A shopper looking for a family SUV used to begin the buying journey by searching an automotive marketplace or dealership website. Now, they’re starting with a question. “Which SUV has the best safety ratings?” “What’s the best 3-row SUV under $40,000?” “Which dealerships nearby have the best ratings?“ More often than not, those questions are being directed to AI tools.

The Cox Automotive Economic and Industry Insights team will release its Q3 Cox Automotive Sales Forecast Update on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 11 a.m. EDT, shortly before the auto industry closes the book on the third quarter. The update will feature expert analysis of the U.S. automotive market and the broader economy. The team will also discuss the key factors shaping the industry’s performance through the third quarter and update Cox Automotive’s full-year forecasts.

ATLANTA, Aug. 25, 2026 – August new-vehicle sales are expected to finish on a similar pace as last month, revealing a market that continues to shrug off economic uncertainty. The seasonally adjusted annual rate of sales, or SAAR, is expected to finish near 16.3 million. This is the same pace as last month and is down slightly from last year’s 16.5 million level.

While interest rates and overall debt levels dominated the news last week, economic data was relatively light. Gas prices remained elevated, holding above $4 a gallon and continuing to climb. Concerns about consumer spending also increased, highlighted by Walmart reporting its weakest same-store sales in six years.

Consumers are moving fast with AI. Are dealers keeping pace? In the latest Automotive News “Up To Speed” interview, Cox Automotive’s Chase Abbott joins host Emma Hancock to discuss findings from the new Cox Automotive AI in Auto Retail Tracker and what they reveal about the growing gap between shopper expectations and dealer readiness. Today, 61% of vehicle shoppers say they plan to use AI during their next purchase journey, and many already trust AI-powered tools to help guide their decisions.

Welcome to the monthly Manheim Market Insights update. Cox Automotive Deputy Chief Economist Mark Strand joins the Manheim Market Insights series to discuss trends in the wholesale and retail used-vehicle markets, drawing on the extensive data and analysis available across Cox Automotive. This month’s video highlights the mid-month Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index (MUVVI), the key metrics seen at wholesale and how lease equity turned negative for the first time since December 2025.