Source-backed auto news
Follow source-backed U.S. car-market news on buying, selling, pricing, financing, incentives, fraud prevention, and ownership costs.
Essential reading
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Buying protection
An FTC complaint says Greenway Auto Group charged more than $3,350 above the advertised price, on average, in over 92% of transactions; a proposed order would require prominent total prices.
Government enforcement · Federal Trade Commission · Oct 8, 2026
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Used-car market
Black Book's wholesale index shows broad late-September declines, with newer full-size pickups and mid-aged minivans falling especially quickly.
Industry data · Black Book · Sep 29, 2026
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Regulation
A final federal rule lowers projected 2031 fleetwide fuel-economy requirements and estimates lower compliance costs but higher fuel use than the standards it replaces.
Government policy · U.S. Department of Transportation/National Highway Traffic Safety Administration · Sep 28, 2026
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Auto financing
A proposed multistate settlement would erase an estimated $634 million in auto-loan debt, fund $60 million in restitution, and add protections for future Credit Acceptance borrowers.
Government enforcement · Office of the New York State Attorney General · Sep 17, 2026
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Buying guidance
FTC staff says a dealer's advertised price must be available to any buyer and include mandatory dealer fees, leaving out only government-required consumer charges.
Government guidance · Federal Trade Commission · Sep 15, 2026
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Ownership costs
AAA estimates a new vehicle costs $12,863 a year to own and operate over five years and 75,000 miles, with depreciation remaining the largest expense.
Nonprofit data · AAA · Sep 15, 2026
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Buying guidance
Arizona guidance says dealer-sold used cars have a 15-day or 500-mile defect window, while vehicle purchases generally lack a three-day cancellation right.
Government guidance · Arizona Attorney General's Office · Sep 4, 2026
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Fraud prevention
The FTC warns that scammers are cloning real dealership websites and demanding upfront payment for vehicles the legitimate dealer does not have or know about.
Government guidance · Federal Trade Commission · Sep 1, 2026
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Market update
Black Book's seasonally adjusted retention index fell to 144.3 in August, down 1.2% from July and 1.5% from a year earlier.
Industry data · Black Book · Sep 3, 2026
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Auto financing
Experian reports that completed auto refinances lowered payments by $83 a month on average in Q2, while hybrids had the lowest average new-vehicle payment by powertrain.
Industry data · Experian/Experian Automotive · Aug 27, 2026
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Auto financing
Observed auto-loan data put average monthly payments at $785 for new vehicles and $544 for used vehicles, with amounts financed also higher than a year earlier.
Industry data · TransUnion/Mobility Global AutoCreditInsight · Aug 6, 2026
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Buying safeguards
An FTC and Connecticut deal would put $4 million toward buyer refunds. It would require one dealer to show its top total price and get consent for each fee.
Government enforcement · Federal Trade Commission · Aug 19, 2026
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EV buying
GM says the 2026 Cadillac Optiq has a built-in NACS port. The other 2026 EVs in its guide need an adapter at NACS fast chargers.
Manufacturer notice · General Motors · Aug 13, 2026
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Buyer trends
A 68,084-owner study found passenger screens were rarely used and among the most problem-prone new-car technologies, while simpler background features scored better.
Industry data · J.D. Power · Aug 20, 2026
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Fraud prevention
A federal court temporarily halted a credit-repair network after the FTC alleged false promises, creditor impersonation, illegal advance fees, and unauthorized recurring charges.
Government enforcement · Federal Trade Commission · Aug 10, 2026
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Fraud prevention
TransUnion finds auto-loan fraud losses climbed far faster than fraud rates from Q3 2018 to Q3 2025, as fraudsters increasingly target higher-value accounts and 'credit washing' erases an estimated $10 billion in charged-off debt.
Industry data · TransUnion · Jul 23, 2026
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Market update
Cox Automotive's mid-August Manheim index fell 1.2% from July while holding roughly flat versus a year earlier, as wholesale values eased after a strong spring.
Industry data · Cox Automotive/Manheim · Aug 19, 2026
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Financing
New York Fed data show $211 billion in newly originated auto loans and leases in Q2 while outstanding balances reached $1.713 trillion.
Government data · Federal Reserve Bank of New York/Equifax · Aug 11, 2026
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Market update
Census estimates put September motor-vehicle and parts dealer sales at $139.8 billion, up 0.2% from August and 2.5% from September 2025.
Government data · U.S. Census Bureau · Oct 15, 2026
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Market update
Cox estimates available new-vehicle inventory fell to 2.73 million units as July sales outpaced dealer-lot replenishment.
Industry data · Cox Automotive/vAuto · Aug 13, 2026
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Market update
Cox estimates August's average new-vehicle transaction price reached $50,089 while incentive spending held below its year-earlier share.
Industry data · Cox Automotive/Kelley Blue Book · Sep 10, 2026
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Financing
J.D. Power and GlobalData project a September-record $821 average new-car payment even as the forecast average rate eases to 6.66%.
Industry forecast · J.D. Power/GlobalData · Sep 24, 2026
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Buyer trends
J.D. Power transaction data show more premium-vehicle owners chose mainstream SUVs in the first half of 2026 as price and feature gaps narrowed.
Industry data · J.D. Power · Aug 6, 2026
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Market update
Cox estimates overall dealer used inventory was nearly flat in July, but listings below $15,000 fell sharply from a year earlier.
Industry data · Cox Automotive/vAuto · Aug 14, 2026
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Financing
Dealertrack's credit index reached 105 as approvals improved and its average contract rate dipped, while very long terms remained at a record share.
Industry data · Cox Automotive/Dealertrack · Aug 10, 2026
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Ownership costs
EIA's September 29 release puts regular gasoline at $4.465 a gallon nationwide and diesel at $6.382, with both easing from the prior week but remaining well above a year earlier.
Government data · U.S. Energy Information Administration · Sep 29, 2026
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Financing
Federal Reserve data put reporting banks' common new-car APRs at 7.54% for 60 months and 7.17% for 72 months in August, both above May readings.
Government data · Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System · Oct 7, 2026
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Financing
The Fed raised its target range by a quarter point to 3.75%-4%. Auto-loan offers do not move one-for-one with that benchmark, so shoppers still need current quotes.
Government policy · Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System · Sep 16, 2026
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Ownership costs
EIA forecasts regular gasoline will average $3.91 a gallon in 2026 and $3.56 in 2027, raising both projections from its September outlook.
Government forecast · U.S. Energy Information Administration · Oct 6, 2026
Photo by F. D. Richards · CC BY-SA 2.0
Safety recall
Some curtain airbags used in past Tundra or Tacoma repairs may not work as planned. Owners should check their repair records.
Manufacturer notice · Toyota Motor North America · Jul 29, 2026
Photo by Downtowngal · CC BY-SA 3.0
Tax update
The optional business rate is 76 cents per mile from July through December. Some medical and moving rates also rose.
Government policy · Internal Revenue Service · Jul 13, 2026
Photo by Consumer Financial Protection Bureau · Public domain
Financing
The CFPB reports 2.5 million auto loans originated in March, down 0.8% from a year earlier, while July inquiries fell 4.1% year over year.
Government data · Consumer Financial Protection Bureau · Oct 15, 2026
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Market update
Federal data show used-car prices rose 0.7% in September after seasonal adjustment while the unadjusted index remained 1.5% below a year earlier.
Government data · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Oct 14, 2026
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EV policy
The IRS says three federal clean-car credits ended after September 30, 2025. They do not apply to cars bought in 2026.
Government policy · Internal Revenue Service · Jul 2026
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Regional road news
See when the southbound shift starts, where lanes will move, and how Fairfax County Parkway trips may change.
Government guidance · Virginia Department of Transportation · Jul 20, 2026
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Safety recall
Follow NHTSA's park-outside warning, then check your VIN to see whether your Telluride is covered and what to do next.
Government guidance · National Highway Traffic Safety Administration · Jul 9, 2026
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