What Do The Most Profitable Dealerships Have In Common?

Dealerships that rely primarily on data rather than instinct or experience are more likely to meet their profitability goals, according to Cox Automotive's 2026 Dealer Success Study. Among data-driven dealers, 36% achieved their profitability targets compared with 19% of other dealers, a 17-percentage-point difference. Yet only 22% of franchise dealers strongly agree that their decision-making is primarily data-driven. These dealerships also reported stronger improvements in customer retention, with 56% seeing increased repeat business compared with 42% of other dealers. The findings suggest that disciplined use of technology and reliable data is associated with stronger dealership performance.

For new and used car dealerships, automotive marketing agencies, dealership technology providers, CRM companies, business consultants and employee training providers, the findings reinforce the importance of measuring results and making informed business decisions. Radio sellers can use this research in conversations with automotive advertisers to demonstrate the value of tracking campaign performance, connecting advertising activity to dealership results and using customer insights to strengthen sales and service marketing.