Report: ZeroSum’s May 2025 ‘State of the Dealer’
New & used vehicle movement spike for second consecutive month as consumers anticipate tariff impact…
According to ZeroSum’s May 2025 “State of the Dealer” report, new-vehicle movement jumped 19% year-over-year to 1.27 million units in April, as tariff-related fears drove pull-ahead vehicle demand. In the past two months, tariff fears have driven 341,000 units in accelerated new vehicle sales as consumers move to stay ahead of anticipated price hikes.
Used vehicles, though down 100,000 units to 1.37 million month-over-month, remained higher than normal, as they were up 12% compared to April of 2024. The spike in used-vehicle movement is also being affected by tariff dynamics as some consumers are gravitating to lower-cost alternatives when they are at dealership lots, noted the report.
“While the tariff picture is still coming into focus, the 341,000 pull-ahead sales that have occurred in the past two months will almost inevitably act as a drag on upcoming sales particularly if the expected price increases that drove those purchases in the first place become the new reality in the marketplace,” said Josh Stoll, vice president of dealer success at ZeroSum.
Average Marketed Price for New Vehicles
Vehicle prices continued a steady climb in April, with average marketed price for new vehicles up $1,200 from February levels. The average new vehicle price moved above $50,000 on April 14 for the first time since December 2024 and remained above that milestone for the remainder of the month. Average marketed used vehicle prices leveled off month-over-month at $26,200 but are up $900 since February.
“Although used vehicle movement is pulling back from record highs that were previously seen in March, they are still elevated compared to historical standards,” said Stoll. “It is apparent that this sector is already benefitting from high new vehicle values among consumers who are getting priced out of the market or just searching for a better deal. And with tariff effects just getting started, used vehicles will be an increasingly important safe haven for consumers and dealers alike.”
The Full “State of the Dealer” Report
ZeroSum states that it provides cutting-edge inventory-based market intelligence and digital advertising solutions tailored to dealers, and its “State of the Dealer” report is the first and premier data source for the new, used and certified pre-owned automotive markets. Click here to download ZeroSum’s entire “State of the Dealer Report,” including vehicle movement, turn rate, days-to-move, inventory and pricing trends for new, used and certified vehicles.
