One dealer's used truck demand play, Inside dealership AI visibility, GM pushes back on Canada-China EV tariffs

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Hey everyone,

Our latest version of the Breakdown newsletter went live this morning, titled:

“Chinese automakers have the U.S. market in their crosshairs—here's what it means for dealers.”

Tons of real-time insights for dealers curious about everything unfolding, as well as what it means. Check it out!

— CDG

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Over 30% of customer calls to the dealership never connect with an employee:

In 2025, the average connect rates on dealership calls was 63.5%, a roughly 2% decline YoY.

Mainly due to understaffed/undisciplined phone processes that create long hold times, dead transfers, and voicemail limbo.

Bottom line: Dealers often pay a lot of money to get the phone ringing, but fumble the execution once it does.

(Data source: Car Wars)

Subaru dealer emphasizes used trucks to round out inventory offerings

Treasure Valley Subaru sits in the middle of truck country, but Subaru doesn’t sell trucks, so the store is bringing in used trucks from other OEMs to meet local demand.

GM Rob Studebaker says they’re targeting prime buyers priced out of $100K new pickups, focusing instead on clean used trucks in the $20K–$50K range.

And so far, it’s working: Studebaker says the strategy now accounts for roughly 45 units a month, with plans to scale higher by sourcing trucks directly from the street vs auctions.

(Go deeper: 2 min. read)

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AI searches don’t turn a blind eye to dealership websites, expert says

Dealership websites are still showing up in AI search, just less often and in different ways than many expect.

According to George Nenni of Generations Digital, tools like ChatGPT can surface dealer lists and brand queries, but they increasingly answer questions without sending clicks, which is why traffic has tapered since last summer.

Bottom line: Dealers aren’t invisible to AI, but Google still delivers the overwhelming majority of meaningful traffic today, making local SEO and core search fundamentals the priority while AI discovery continues to evolve.

(Go deeper: 3 min. read)

GM boss warns Canada’s lower China EV tariffs are a ‘slippery slope’ — report

GM CEO Mary Barra is pushing back hard on Canada’s decision to slash tariffs on Chinese EVs, warning it undercuts efforts to protect North American jobs and manufacturing.

From her perspective, letting low-cost Chinese EVs into Canada at a 6.1% tariff creates new pricing pressure in a tightly integrated North American market, with ripple effects that could reach U.S. supply chains.

Looking ahead: If this move complicates the upcoming USMCA review, dealers could be staring at more trade volatility, shifting incentives, and higher uncertainty around vehicle costs and availability.

(Go deeper: 3 min. read)