Subaru dealers excel in internet leads responses, Nissan mulls CEO change, AI reshapes auto lending

Hey, everyone. Super pumped for next week’s episodes of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast.

Tuesday: Andy Wright, owner of Vinart Dealerships, talks luxury car trends, why leasing is keeping his business moving, and how OEM tech failures are hitting dealers where it hurts.

Thursday: Haig Partners CEO Alan Haig is back with the latest on dealership buy/sells—who’s gaining ground, who’s losing, and what it means for the market.

Follow along on Youtube, Spotify, or Apple—there are two highly insightful episodes you won’t want to miss.

— CDG

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Welcome to The Weekly, your go-to roundup of the top five auto industry headlines of the week. Let’s dive in.

1. Auto lenders turn to AI to cut loan processing costs and time

Every auto loan comes with a 40 - 80 page stack of paperwork, and with 80% of new vehicles financed (per Experian), this adds up to millions of hours in manual processing for lenders.

Why it matters: But AI tools are changing this by scanning documents, verifying identities, and crunching data in seconds to cut expenses and speed up loan approvals.

However—many dealers are skeptical. 55% of dealer finance teams are uncomfortable with AI making loan decisions.

Their concern? AI might be great at flagging fraud, but it can’t replace human judgment in complex deals.

(Go deeper: 3 min. read)

While AI might be reshaping finance, a massive challenge is looming for the industry at large—tariffs. However…

2. Strong new car supply might provide short-term buffer from tariff impact—report

Driving the news: With an average new car market days’ supply of 84 at the end of February, dealers have some breathing room—for now. But if tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and the EU extend beyond a few months, new car prices could climb over 7%, according to the latest report from CarGurus.

As a result—that pressure could push more buyers into the used market, driving up demand.

Right now—used inventory is holding steady, but with tax refunds up 7.5% year-over-year, prices could start creeping back up on that side of the business, too.

(Go deeper: 3 min. read)

While the auto industry is bracing for tariff-related disruption—Nissan has even bigger problems…

3. Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida could be replaced as soon as March 12

The pressure is coming from all sides—Nissan’s financial struggles, a credit downgrade from Fitch, and the failed Honda merger, which some saw as the company’s best shot at a turnaround.

Honda has even hinted it might reconsider a deal if Uchida steps down. While names like CFO Jeremie Papin and Chief Performance Officer Guillaume Cartier are floating as possible successors, a new CEO alone won’t fix Nissan’s deeper structural issues.

Big picture: Without a strategic alliance or a clear recovery plan, the automaker risks prolonged instability and losing more ground to stronger competitors.

(Go deeper: 2 min. read)

While Nissan struggles, one brand is getting things right—Subaru…

The fastest way to fund customers with no ssn, ITIN, or thin to no credit file just got even faster.

Introducing Lendbuzz Express Contract.

Thanks to Lendbuzz’s proprietary Artificial Intelligence Risk Analysis, Express Contract loans take *under three minutes* from submission to approval—30% quicker than the time it takes traditional lenders to approve similar loans.

The result?

A simple, intuitive, and seamless experience that saves your staff and your customers up to 50 minutes of time per deal.

To learn more about Express Contract and all the other ways Lendbuzz can help save time while funding customers you might otherwise have turned away, reach out today.

4. Subaru dealers are setting a new standard for online lead responses

By the numbers: With a record-breaking score of 77 out of 100, Subaru surpassed last year’s leader, Infiniti, by consistently reaching out across multiple channels—email, text, and phone—71% of the time.

• That’s far above the industry average of 49%, per Pied Piper’s 2025 Internet Lead Effectiveness (ILE) Study.

• Dealers who master quick, multi-channel follow-ups don’t just boost engagement—they sell more cars.

In fact—dealerships that improve their ILE scores from under 40 to over 80 typically see a 50% increase in sales from the same number of leads.

Bottom line: In a competitive market, fast and consistent follow-up isn’t just good practice—it’s the difference between closing a deal and losing one.

(Go deeper: 2 min. read)

Speaking of competitive markets, dealership buy-sell activity is still running hot…

5. Eide Automotive, Lithia, and Van Tuyl bet big on Subaru in latest buy-sell deals

2025 is looking like another strong year for the dealership mergers and acquisitions market. Private equity, family offices, and major dealer groups are keeping the deals flow strong and driving further industry consolidation.

• In Texas, Tony T Automotive Group acquired Gulfgate Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep-Ram, a store with deep roots in minority dealer advocacy.

• And Eide Automotive Group expanded in North Dakota, Lithia added another Subaru store in California, and Jim Shorkey Auto Group boosted its presence in Pennsylvania with a Toyota acquisition.

• Meanwhile—just weeks after buying Groove Toyota—Larry Van Tuyl added Groove Subaru in Colorado.

(Learn more about these transactions: 4 min. read)

Three opportunities hitting the CDG Job Board right now:

• Haig Partners: Investment Banking Analyst (Florida)

• Toma: Account Executive - West Coast & East Coast (remote)

• HoneyCar: Corporate Reconditioning Director (Virginia)

Looking to hire? Add your roles today—it’s 100% free.

• Hyundai posts record February U.S. sales while Ford and Toyota slip.

• President Trump grants Detroit 3 automakers a 30-day exemption on tariffs.

• Dealership sales teams are earning higher marks from customers—survey.

• Hyundai dials back solid-state battery plans while competitors accelerate.

• What’s Carvana really after? 5 clues from its new car franchise acquisition.

That’s a wrap for now – make sure you’re following along on X, LinkedIn and IG for more real-time updates.

Thanks for reading. Hit reply and let me know if you found this week-in-review valuable or have any feedback. I’ll see you next weekend.

— CDG

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