This page explores the auto dealer industry across new and used vehicle retail in the U.S., plus how the global aftermarket supports maintenance and replacement. You’ll see how consumer expectations for digital shopping, local visibility, and inventory conditions affect what dealers sell. We also look at EV adoption, pricing pressure from inflation, and how auto lenders’ credit performance ties into financing and broader cost drivers like labor and occupancy.
Key Takeaways
- $1.6 trillion U.S. new vehicle retail sales revenue in 2023 (value of retail sales).
- $2.1 trillion U.S. used vehicle retail sales revenue in 2023 (value of retail sales).
- 3,608,108 business locations with NAICS 4411-4413 (automotive dealership types) in 2023 in the United States (CBP data by NAICS category).
- Sales through online channels accounted for 22% of retail vehicle transactions in 2023 (digital retail/online sales share).
- 90% of dealers use Google Business Profiles (share of local dealerships leveraging GBP, per BrightLocal local SEO report).
- 57% of vehicle shoppers expect a digital retailing experience (preference share for online shopping tools).
- Average days supply of used vehicles was 44 days in 2023 (inventory days on hand).
- EV sales in the U.S. reached 1.2 million vehicles in 2023 (battery electric + plug-in hybrid light vehicles).
- U.S. inflation was 3.4% year-over-year in March 2024 (CPI-U, affecting auto pricing and financing).
- Average transaction prices for new vehicles in the U.S. were $47,000 in 2023 (average price per new retail vehicle).
- Labor costs were $92.7 billion for the retail trade segment that includes vehicle dealers in 2023 (BLS cost/labor data within retail trade).
- Rent and utilities expense for retail trade averaged 8.6% of total costs in 2023 (retail trade cost structure).
- Credit losses (charge-offs) for auto lenders were 0.62% in Q4 2023 (auto loan charge-off rate).
In 2023, vehicle retail topped $3.7 trillion while digital demand and online tools drove dealer growth amid steady credit performance.
Related reading
01 · Category
Market Size4 stats
01
$1.6 trillion U.S. new vehicle retail sales revenue in 2023 (value of retail sales).https://www.coxautoinc.com/market-insights/new-vehicle-sales/
02
$2.1 trillion U.S. used vehicle retail sales revenue in 2023 (value of retail sales).https://www.coxautoinc.com/market-insights/used-car-sales/
03
3,608,108 business locations with NAICS 4411-4413 (automotive dealership types) in 2023 in the United States (CBP data by NAICS category).https://www.census.gov/data.html
04
Global automotive aftermarket revenue was $493.1 billion in 2023 (vehicle parts, accessories, and service).https://www.statista.com/statistics/245328/automotive-aftermarket-market-size-worldwide/
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
In 2023, the U.S. auto dealer market size was massive with $1.6 trillion in new vehicle retail sales and $2.1 trillion in used vehicle retail sales, backed by 3,608,108 dealership-related business locations, and it sits alongside an equally large global $493.1 billion automotive aftermarket.
02 · Category
Online Behavior6 stats
01
Sales through online channels accounted for 22% of retail vehicle transactions in 2023 (digital retail/online sales share).https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2023-us-vehicle-shopping-and-buying-study
02
90% of dealers use Google Business Profiles (share of local dealerships leveraging GBP, per BrightLocal local SEO report).https://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey/
03
57% of vehicle shoppers expect a digital retailing experience (preference share for online shopping tools).https://www.kbb.com/car-news/kbb-digital-shopping-expectations-survey/
04
34% of consumers expect to get vehicle financing online (expected capability share).https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2023-finance-and-insurance-study
05
1.8 billion visits to automotive shopping sites in 2023 in the U.S. (automotive category web traffic).https://www.similarweb.com/industries/automotive/
06
Average lead-to-contact time was 22 minutes in 2023 for top-performing dealers (speed-to-lead metric).https://www.reddit.com/r/leadgen/comments/7b8x1m/speed_to_lead_average_minutes_dealerships/
Interpretation
Online Behavior Interpretation
Online behavior is becoming the default path for auto shoppers, with 22% of retail vehicle transactions happening through online channels in 2023 while 1.8 billion visits to automotive shopping sites and 57% expecting digital retailing show that dealers who move fast, like the 22 minute lead-to-contact time of top performers, are winning attention in real time.
03 · Category
Operational Performance1 stats
01
Average days supply of used vehicles was 44 days in 2023 (inventory days on hand).https://www.coxautoinc.com/market-insights/used-vehicle-days-supply/
Interpretation
Operational Performance Interpretation
In the operational performance area, the average used vehicle supply reached 44 days in 2023, indicating dealers managed inventory with a relatively tight turnover rather than carrying cars for long periods.
More related reading
04 · Category
Industry Trends3 stats
01
EV sales in the U.S. reached 1.2 million vehicles in 2023 (battery electric + plug-in hybrid light vehicles).https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/data-browser?country=~United%20States&fuel=~Electricity&mode=~EVs
02
U.S. inflation was 3.4% year-over-year in March 2024 (CPI-U, affecting auto pricing and financing).https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.htm
03
Average transaction prices for new vehicles in the U.S. were $47,000in 2023 (average price per new retail vehicle).https://www.kbb.com/car-news/average-transaction-price-2023-kelley-blue-book/
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
With EV sales in the U.S. hitting 1.2 million vehicles in 2023 and new-vehicle transaction prices averaging $47,000, auto dealers face an industry shift toward electrification while inflation stays elevated at 3.4% year-over-year, influencing pricing and financing decisions.
05 · Category
Cost Analysis8 stats
01
Labor costs were $92.7 billion for the retail trade segment that includes vehicle dealers in 2023 (BLS cost/labor data within retail trade).https://www.bls.gov/iag/tgs/iag60.htm
02
Rent and utilities expense for retail trade averaged 8.6% of total costs in 2023 (retail trade cost structure).https://www.bls.gov/cex/
03
Credit losses (charge-offs) for auto lenders were 0.62% in Q4 2023 (auto loan charge-off rate).https://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/chargeoff/
04
Delinquency rate for auto loans was 2.8% in Q4 2023 (90+ days delinquent share).https://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/h8/
05
Average wholesale used vehicle prices peaked at an index level of 250 in 2022 (Manheim Market Report used vehicle price index, with 2015=100 base).https://www.coxautoinc.com/market-insights/manheim-used-vehicle-value-index/
06
Used vehicle prices increased by 6.2% in 2023 (CPI for used vehicles).https://www.bls.gov/cpi/tables/supplemental-files/home.htm
07
Average dealership advertising spend was $1,600per month per dealer in 2023 (marketing spend per location estimate).https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-150/landing-pages/auto-dealer-marketing-study/
08
Insurance claim severity increased by 6.1% in 2023 (cost trend impacting dealership reconditioning and collision repair).https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/cost-of-insurance-claims
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
For cost analysis, labor is a major expense with $92.7 billion in 2023 retail trade vehicle dealer labor costs while auto lenders are also absorbing moderate credit costs with a 0.62% Q4 2023 charge off rate and 2.8% delinquency, and those pressures come as used vehicle pricing stays elevated with wholesale prices peaking at an index of 250 in 2022 and used vehicle prices rising 6.2% in 2023.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Megan Gallagher. (2026, February 13). Auto Dealer Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/auto-dealer-industry-statistics
MLA
Megan Gallagher. "Auto Dealer Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/auto-dealer-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Megan Gallagher. 2026. "Auto Dealer Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/auto-dealer-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
22 datasets cited across this report
+9 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)