ATLANTA, May 27, 2020 – A certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicle offers some of the advantages of both new and used cars. CPO is a pre-owned car, meaning a lower price for shoppers, and the car is also certified, which means it’s gone through a thorough inspection and comes with a manufacturer’s warranty and often a few other perks. Nearly every carmaker offers a CPO program, making it difficult to know which CPO programs are the best. To save a little time and energy during the car shopping process, the editors at Autotrader evaluated all of the available certified offerings on the market and picked the best CPO programs for 2020 in both the non-luxury and luxury categories. 

“Today, car shoppers are really focused on value and affordability. For those who have decided a new car is too expensive but are unsure of the long-term prospect of buying a used car, certified pre-owned vehicles are an excellent alternative,” said Brian Moody, executive editor of Autotrader. “We selected Hyundai and Lexus CPO programs due to their outstanding model availability, incentives offered, long powertrain warranty, good bumper-to-bumper coverage and a few other ownership perks. The bottom line is that both Lexus and Hyundai offer the kind of program and the kind of cars you can count on for many years to come.” 

Best Non-Luxury CPO Program for 2020 – Hyundai 

Best Luxury CPO Program for 2020 – Lexus L/Certified 

Autotrader selected the Lexus CPO program as the best among luxury carmakers. Among luxury brands, L/Certified checks nearly all the boxes of what a CPO program should offer. To the remaining balance of the original 4-year or 50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper new-car warranty (which includes powertrain coverage), the CPO warranty adds 2 years and unlimited mileage. That works out to a total of six years with unlimited mileage. Its unlimited mileage puts L/Certified over the top in our voting. Other programs have unlimited mileage but the time cap is usually around 2 years. In this case, Lexus knows they have a quality product and stand behind it with unlimited mileage AND a long warranty period. Unlimited mileage is a real advantage, particularly for anyone who does a lot of driving. Lexus doesn't require a deductible for covered repairs and provides a complimentary loaner car during those repairs estimated to take more than eight hours.  

Hyundai continues to standout as the top pick for the non-luxury CPO program. Hyundai's CPO program advantage is built upon its 10-year/100,000 mile new-vehicle powertrain warranty. Hyundai's CPO program reinstates the full term of the original powertrain warranty. Hybrid and electric CPO cars also qualify for a 10-year or 100,000-mile battery warranty. Whatever remains of the original 5-year or 60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited new-car warranty also transfers to the CPO vehicle. Other CPO benefits include full transferability if you sell your CPO car to a private buyer, a $35 per day rental-car allowance during covered repairs, complimentary 24/7 roadside assistance and trip-interruption benefits when covered repairs are required more than 150 miles from home.  

CPO vehicles come with manufacturer-backed warranties and additional extras, such as roadside assistance and free trial subscriptions to satellite radio, over a typical used car. All CPO cars undergo extensive, manufacturer-required, multi-point inspections and repairs, as needed, to restore all functions back to factory settings. This gives the buyer peace of mind that they are buying the best the brand has to offer when it comes to a pre-owned vehicle. The CPOs will have extended warranties that provide protection for additional years, and in many cases unlimited mileage, during the time the second buyer has the car. 

The 2020 Best Non-Luxury and Best Luxury CPO Programs were identified based on a series of factors, including powertrain warranty length (with a minimum of six years or 100,000 miles of coverage from the original sale date), available inventory, bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage and transferability to future vehicle owners, special financing terms, highest volume and broadest possible spectrum of CPO vehicle types and price ranges currently listed for sale, and ease of understanding warranty overall. 

To learn more about the Best Non-Luxury and Best Luxury Certified Pre-Owned Programs from Autotrader’s expert editors, including full coverage and available inventory, visit https://www.autotrader.com/car-shopping/best-cpo-programs-of-2020. For more information on the Hyundai Best Non-Luxury CPO program, visit https://www.autotrader.com/car-news/hyundai-cpo-program-tops-among-mainstream-automakers-for-2020. Find more information on the Lexus L/Certified Best Luxury CPO program, visit https://www.autotrader.com/car-news/lexus-cpo-program-tops-among-luxury-automakers-for-2020.  

For more information and news from Autotrader, visit press.autotrader.com, follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Autotrader_com (or @Autotrader_com), Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/autotrader_com/ (or @autotrader_com), like our page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/autotrader/, add us on Snapchat (@Autotrader_com), 
at https://www.linkedin.com/company/autotrader-com, and follow us on LinkedIn. 

About Autotrader 
Autotrader is the most recognized third-party car listings brand, with the most engaged audience of in-market car shoppers. As the foremost authority on automotive consumer insights and expert in online and mobile marketing, Autotrader makes the car shopping experience easy and fun for today's empowered car shopper looking to find or sell the perfect new, used or Certified Pre-Owned car. Using technology, shopper insights and local market guidance, Autotrader's comprehensive marketing and retailing solutions allow consumers to build their deal online, and guide dealers to personalized digital marketing strategies that grow brand, drive traffic and connect the online and in-store shopping experience. Autotrader is a Cox Automotive™ brand. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises. For more information, please visit http://press.autotrader.com.  

About Cox Automotive 

Cox Automotive Inc. makes buying, selling, owning and using cars easier for everyone. The global company’s 34,000-plus team members and family of brands, including Autotrader®, Clutch Technologies, Dealer.com®, Dealertrack®, Kelley Blue Book®, Manheim®, NextGear Capital®, VinSolutions®, vAuto® and Xtime®, are passionate about helping millions of car shoppers, 40,000 auto dealer clients across five continents and many others throughout the automotive industry thrive for generations to come. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately-owned, Atlanta-based company with revenues exceeding $21 billion. coxautoinc.com 

# # # 

ATLANTA, May 12, 2020 – The class of 2020 is facing unprecedented times during this global pandemic.  While bittersweet, graduating is a tremendous achievement and worth commending students’ hard work as they move on to the next phase in their lives. With many seniors preparing for the real world, they might find themselves in need of their own car. Keeping practicality and affordability in mind, the editors at Autotrader have identified the 10 Best Cars for Recent College Graduates in 2020.

“If you just graduated from college there is still plenty to celebrate. Unfortunately, grads will be entering one of the toughest job markets in recent memory. Our advice is not to overdo it when it comes to getting a new car,” said Brian Moody, executive editor for Autotrader. “To help, this year’s list includes several good used car models that should be easy to find for $10,000 or less. No matter which car you choose, your local dealer will certainly be offering ‘social distancing’ services like virtual walkarounds, remote or online paperwork and, in some cases, test drives at home.”

The experts at Autotrader have a few suggestions for both new and used vehicles for recent college graduates. These rides offer stylish looks, high-tech features, excellent fuel economy, or some combination of all of the above. One thing they all have in common is affordable pricing.

10 Best Cars for Recent College Graduates in 2020[1]

2011-2015 Chevrolet Volt

The first-generation Chevrolet Volt was a groundbreaking plug-in hybrid. The Volt has an all-electric range of up to 38 miles which is still pretty impressive today meaning that if you have a place to plug in every day, you can do a lot of your driving around town without burning any gas at all. These can be found for less than $10,000 making them a strong value in used PHEVs.

2012-2017 FIAT 500

A used FIAT 500 can be a great little city car for college grads with an eye for style. This FIAT is a breeze to drive and park on urban roads thanks to its small footprint. The base engine doesn't have much punch to it, but the available turbocharged engine gives it some more guts while still being good on gas. You can get a lot of style for your money with prices under $10,000 for used 500 models.

2015-2017 Ford Mustang

Few cars have a better "smiles-per-gallon" factor than the Ford Mustang and early examples of the current version of the iconic pony car can be found for less than $20,000. The V8-powered GT models are a riot, but the more affordable EcoBoost Mustang models strike a fantastic balance of performance and efficiency by making 300 horsepower and achieving over 30 mpg on the highway.

2016-2018 Honda Civic

The Honda Civic is a car that always comes up in conversations about practical, affordable compact cars for good reasons. It's a segment leader for its safety, reliability, efficiency, and a surprising level of refinement for the price. Used current-generation Civic models can be found pretty easily for less than $20,000 and it's one of the best values in compact cars today. College grads simply can't go wrong going with a used Honda Civic to drive them into the next stage of life.

2018-2019 Hyundai Kona

The Hyundai Kona is a cute subcompact crossover with head-turning style and an equally attractive price tag. The Kona just came out in 2018, but they're already easy to find under the $20,000 mark. Tech-savvy college grads will appreciate the excellent UVO infotainment system which comes standard with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and a USB port.

2012-2017 Jeep Wrangler

The Jeep Wrangler has a well-deserved reputation as an off-road icon. Surveys have shown that it's one of the top dream cars in America and it's more within reach than you might think. The current JL generation of the Wrangler is still a little pricey on the used market, but there are many used JK Wrangler models out there for under $20,000. The Wrangler finally got standard four-wheel drive starting in 2012 which makes that a good model year to start your search.

2021 Kia Seltos

The Kia Seltos is an all-new subcompact crossover that manages to be both cute and rugged. It has an affordable starting MSRP of $21,990 and even the higher-end trims with the optional turbocharged engine keep the price under the $30,000 mark. The Seltos has a bigger interior than you might expect for such a small SUV and a level of interior quality that might surprise you at this price point.

2020 Nissan Sentra

The Nissan Sentra is all-new for 2020 and it's a massive improvement over its aging predecessor. It gets a sharp new design inside and out that looks muscular on the outside and upscale on the inside. The Sentra offers a strong value with an affordable starting MSRP of $19,090 and generous standard technology that includes the Nissan Safety Shield 360 suite of driver assistance tech like automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and more.

2010-2015 Toyota Prius

A used Toyota Prius is one of the best financial decisions a college grad can make. If you have student loan debt you want to aggressively pay off, a used, third-generation Prius can help you do that. These can easily be bought for less than $10,000 and you won't be making a lot of trips to the gas station because this car has a combined fuel economy rating of 50 mpg. The Prius is surprisingly roomy for a compact hatchback and it has the stellar safety and reliability ratings you'd expect from Toyota.

2020 Toyota Yaris Hatchback

The subcompact Toyota Yaris gets a hatchback variant for 2020 and it's an affordable, practical car that would be a great choice as a new car for a college grad. It starts at just $17,750 and it only has two trim levels making it an easy car to shop for. Upgrading to the XLE trim for an extra $1,000 gets you LED automatic headlights, rain-sensing wipers, automatic climate control, leatherette-trimmed seats, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio, cruise, and phone controls.

To learn more about the 10 Best Cars for Recent College Graduates in 2020, including photos, vehicle information and available inventory, visit www.autotrader.com/best-cars/10-best-cars-recent-college-graduates-281474980013135.

For more information and news from Autotrader, visit press.autotrader.com, follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Autotrader_com (or @Autotrader_com), Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/autotrader_com/ (or @autotrader_com), like our page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/autotrader/, add us on Snapchat (@Autotrader_com),

at https://www.linkedin.com/company/autotrader-com, and follow us on LinkedIn.

About Autotrader
Autotrader is the most recognized third-party car listings brand, with the most engaged audience of in-market car shoppers. As the foremost authority on automotive consumer insights and expert in online and mobile marketing, Autotrader makes the car shopping experience easy and fun for today's empowered car shopper looking to find or sell the perfect new, used or Certified Pre-Owned car. Using technology, shopper insights and local market guidance, Autotrader's comprehensive marketing and retailing solutions allow consumers to build their deal online, and guide dealers to personalized digital marketing strategies that grow brand, drive traffic and connect the online and in-store shopping experience. Autotrader is a Cox Automotive™ brand. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises. For more information, please visit http://press.autotrader.com. 

About Cox Automotive

Cox Automotive Inc. makes buying, selling, owning and using cars easier for everyone. The global company’s 34,000-plus team members and family of brands, including Autotrader®, Clutch Technologies, Dealer.com®, Dealertrack®, Kelley Blue Book®, Manheim®, NextGear Capital®, VinSolutions®, vAuto® and Xtime®, are passionate about helping millions of car shoppers, 40,000 auto dealer clients across five continents and many others throughout the automotive industry thrive for generations to come. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately-owned, Atlanta-based company with revenues exceeding $21 billion. coxautoinc.com

# # #

Video Chat and CoBrowse, Powered by LivePerson, to Help Dealers to Replicate In-Store Buying Experience From Home

BURLINGTON, Vt., April 30, 2020 – Dealer.com today announced the launch of two all-new Digital Retailing capabilities, Video Chat and CoBrowse, to help dealers seamlessly communicate with shoppers during the car buying process. As consumers navigate this period of disruption, they are turning to technology for what used to be in-person, consultative interactions. These new tools, powered by global conversational solutions provider LivePerson (Nasdaq: LPSN), will create a more engaging environment for dealers to expand their omnichannel and online capabilities to further drive sales.

Navigating a deal online can be intimidating and a recent Cox Automotive COVID-19 Consumer Impact Study shows that 37% of six-month intenders are less likely to visit a dealership in-person due to Coronavirus concerns. In this new world where car shoppers might be unable to physically visit a dealership, Dealer.com is launching features to bring customers a real-time look and feel to car buying, allowing them to sit virtually with an associate and easily go through the entire process online. 

Through the integration with LivePerson, Video Chat and CoBrowse are aimed at creating a more engaging environment for online shoppers with seamless navigation and more interactive features:

- Video Chat – consumers can chat with dealers over video, initiated from the Digital Retailing application via LivePerson’s conversational platform.

- CoBrowse – shoppers can share their screens with dealers while shopping, allowing dealers to guide consumers through the deal creation process as if they were sitting with the consumer at the store.

With these newly added enhancements, customers can now communicate with a dealer associate and work through the buying process online, viewing the same payments, terms and vehicle details as they would in-person.

"The pandemic has shown us business challenges but also presented new opportunities for us to better service our clients,” said Wayne Pastore, vice president and general manager of Dealer.com. “We strongly believe that a seamless connection between the digital to in-store retail experience drives a more satisfying experience for the shopper, leading to improved close rates. The top priority with our suite of retailing and digital products is to assist dealers in delivering a shopping experience that makes shoppers feel comfortable, informed and excited to buy a car.”

“We’re excited to provide the innovative technologies that give shoppers great experiences and help them make informed decisions, even in these uncertain times,” said Tom Karrat, senior vice president Global Commercial Sales, Solutions and Success at LivePerson. “Working with Dealer.com, we’re proud to enable low-contact experiences that are frictionless and safe for both employees and customers.”

For more information on VideoChat and CoBrowse visit https://www.dealer.com/products/digital-retailing/make-deals.

About Dealer.com

Dealer.com is the premier digital marketing solution for the automotive industry. Providing an integrated platform of Websites, Advertising, Digital Retailing and Managed Services, Dealer.com allows OEMs, dealer groups, retailers and agencies to leverage advanced digital technology, data and insights to deliver the shortest, fastest and most personalized path to customer engagement. The company practices a deep commitment to its culture of progress, with a focus on community, health, and wellness. Based in Burlington, Vermont, Dealer.com is a Cox Automotive brand. For more information, visit www.dealer.com.

About Cox Automotive

Cox Automotive Inc. makes buying, selling, owning and using cars easier for everyone. The global company’s 34,000-plus team members and family of brands, including Autotrader®, Clutch Technologies, Dealer.com®, Dealertrack®, Kelley Blue Book®, Manheim®, NextGear Capital®, VinSolutions®, vAuto® and Xtime®, are passionate about helping millions of car shoppers, 40,000 auto dealer clients across five continents and many others throughout the automotive industry thrive for generations to come. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately-owned, Atlanta-based company with revenues exceeding $21 billion. www.coxautoinc.com

###

Westlake Village, CA: CallSource, the leader in call management and digital attribution, and VinSolutions, a leading automotive CRM, are excited to announce their enhanced integration to help dealers better understand their phone leads, streamline their processes, and provide more powerful analytics and reporting.  

With this new integration dealers can view the marketing source of the phone call providing the dealer context about the call and allowing them to prioritize which calls to answer first.  “Phone calls are a valuable source of leads coming into a dealership and dealers have asked for an easier way to monitor these calls-- this integration was the perfect time to help make that happen,” says Chase Abbott, VP of Sales at VinSolutions. “Not only has the classification changed but dealers can now see their CallSource reporting inside their Connect CRM.” 

“The enhanced integration has been a priority for CallSource for a while now,” states Pogo Parr, President of Automotive at CallSource. “Our mission is to help automotive brands and dealers improve performance on the phone, and we know the only leads that matter are those inside a dealer’s CRM. This deep integration will help dealers set more appointments and ultimately drive more sales to their business. We win when our clients win. We are really excited to see this partnership come together.”

CallSource’s inbound and outbound call tracking and analytics, missed opportunity notifications, result scoring, as well as enhanced reporting inside Connect CRM will drastically improve dealers’ internal workflow by reducing multiple dashboards. Easy-to-use additions such as click-to-call, email notifications, and more will enable dealerships to improve their call-to-appointment ratio and increase their ROI while making it easier on employees.

“CallSource and VinSolutions have been great partners for years, and we are so happy to finally have even more amazing features available now for clients to use to help increase their sales and have better procedures for improving their phone calls,” says Kelley Koliopulos, Director of Retail Sales in Automotive at CallSource. 

CallSource and VinSolutions are excited about this upgraded integration and are continuously working on making the best possible solutions to enable dealers to perform their best on the phone and increase their sales. Customers interested in upgrading the CallSource integration with VinSolutions should contact their CallSource rep for detailed instructions.

About CallSource—Own Every Lead

CallSource exists to help automotive brands and dealers improve performance on the phone. We help dealers by providing visibility into what is driving customers to call, text, chat, or click on your website. CallSource provides transparency into employee phone performance and tools to help dealerships improve and recapture missed opportunities. Our tracking numbers are text-enabled, and our digital attribution system tracks a customer’s complete online journey. 

CallSource is the most reliable call tracking and phone performance company in the market. Our insights, tools, and integrations help dealerships perform better on the phone to convert more leads to appointments and ultimately sell more cars. 

About VinSolutions

As the provider of Connect CRM, a leading dealership customer relationship management system, VinSolutions helps more than 5,000 dealers make every connection count. VinSolutions products integrate dealership systems, processes and tools to deliver a single view of the customer across the business – so dealers can focus on building relationships throughout the sales cycle. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Mission, Kansas, VinSolutions fosters dealership success by providing a fully customizable suite of solutions, including equity mining, market pricing and desking tools, combined with the continuous, personal support of a designated Performance Manager. VinSolutions is OEM certified by every major manufacturer and is Autosoft, CDK, Reynolds & Reynolds and Dealertrack DMS certified. VinSolutions is a Cox Automotive™ brand. www.vinsolutions.com

###

ATLANTA, April 17, 2020 – An all-new commercial debuted today from Autotrader showcasing how to alleviate consumer concerns surrounding car buying during the pandemic. The “Still Moving’” spot highlights the various home services now offered by dealers to bring convenience and comfort to in-market shoppers while minimizing in-person contact. The global health crisis has impacted the way consumers are looking to shop, with two-thirds of shoppers more likely to buy a vehicle 100% online[1]. 

Autotrader’s Dealer Home Services enables dealers to meet consumers where they are in the car shopping process while reducing the risk of infection. There are more than 9,000 dealers signed up for Dealer Home Services allowing consumers to shop more than 3 million vehicle listings for their next car.

Autotrader teamed with global creative agency 72andSunny New York to create the campaign that will air across online, social channels and television. “Still Moving”: https://youtu.be/xE339eSLa2g

“Our priority is to help our dealers and car shoppers navigate this period of disruption,” said Greta Crowley, vice president of marketing for Autotrader. “Dealers and consumers are actively looking for ways to safely complete the car buying process—we launched the new spot in response to help shoppers understand all the options they have available today to stay protected.”

According to the latest data from Cox Automotive, Autotrader site traffic continues to remain steady and, in some cases, better than previous months. Shopping activity is likely being fueled by incentives, including loans at 0% APR for 84 months that are the new norm for many automotive brands. Pulling data on Autotrader traffic during the second week of April 2020, both site visits and vehicle description page (VDP) views were up significantly, and above levels measured in early March 2020 and before the full impact of COVID-19 was felt in the U.S. Further, on April 12, 2020 Autotrader site visits and page views reached the highest volume recorded in the past year. 

For more information on Autotrader’s Dealer Home Services, visit https://www.autotrader.com/information/dealer-home-services.

Consumers can stay up-to-date on the latest Coronavirus news and advice for car owners and shoppers from Autotrader editors at https://www.autotrader.com/car-news/coronavirus-news-and-advice-car-owners-and-shoppers-281474980000716.

For more information and news from Autotrader, visit press.autotrader.com, follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Autotrader_com (or @Autotrader_com), Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/autotrader_com/ (or @autotrader_com), like our page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/autotrader/, add us on Snapchat (@Autotrader_com),

at https://www.linkedin.com/company/autotrader-com, and follow us on LinkedIn.

About Autotrader
Autotrader is the most recognized third-party car listings brand, with the most engaged audience of in-market car shoppers. As the foremost authority on automotive consumer insights and expert in online and mobile marketing, Autotrader makes the car shopping experience easy and fun for today's empowered car shopper looking to find or sell the perfect new, used or Certified Pre-Owned car. Using technology, shopper insights and local market guidance, Autotrader's comprehensive marketing and retailing solutions allow consumers to build their deal online, and guide dealers to personalized digital marketing strategies that grow brand, drive traffic and connect the online and in-store shopping experience. Autotrader is a Cox Automotive™ brand. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises. For more information, please visit http://press.autotrader.com. 

About Cox Automotive

Cox Automotive Inc. makes buying, selling, owning and using cars easier for everyone. The global company’s 34,000-plus team members and family of brands, including Autotrader®, Clutch Technologies, Dealer.com®, Dealertrack®, Kelley Blue Book®, Manheim®, NextGear Capital®, VinSolutions®, vAuto® and Xtime®, are passionate about helping millions of car shoppers, 40,000 auto dealer clients across five continents and many others throughout the automotive industry thrive for generations to come. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately-owned, Atlanta-based company with revenues exceeding $21 billion. coxautoinc.com

# # #

Dealertrack addresses social distancing concerns with a paperless workflow designed to speed up funding

NORTH HILLS, N.Y., April 16, 2020 – To help lenders and dealers transact with less face-to-face interaction and fewer employees on site during these unprecedented times, Dealertrack is unveiling new enhancements to its F&I platform. The new enhancements will pair with the digital contracting capabilities already in place to enable a remote deal signing and delivery process.

The current coronavirus pandemic has significantly accelerated consumer adoption of online car shopping. As a result, client requests for Dealertrack uniFI Digital Contracting are up 65% from February 2020 to March 2020 and traffic to Dealertrack’s Digital Contracting webpage is up 63% over the same time period. (Based on Dealertrack Data)

As technology providers across the nation work to ensure dealers can meet consumers where they are in the car buying journey while social distancing, the addition of remote signing in combination with digital contracting – where permitted legislatively – helps take the deal over the finish line. Together, these capabilities enable a remote and paperless workflow for the automotive eco-system on the Dealertrack platform:

- Digital Delivery (new): Remotely connect and send deal documents to consumers through an encrypted, online connection with a unique pairing code. This new technology gives dealers the ability to pair with multiple devices, including desktops, laptops, iPads and Android tablets with a 9” screen or larger.

- Assisted Remote Signing (new): As the need for electronic signatures continues to grow amid the current environment, it is now more important than ever for dealers to support technology and processes that will result in a legal contract. With Assisted Remote Signing using Dealertrack’s latest technology, Digital Delivery, a dealer can guide a secure signing ceremony that ensures the right person is always on the other end of the document and the final product is legally binding. Documents that can be signed include credit applications, credit bureau authorizations, privacy notices and funding package documents, such as aftermarket contracts.

- Local File Upload (new): Dealers can now upload stips and documents directly from a desktop into the funding package. The functionality is supported by several industry-first features, including the ability to categorize documents, easily drag and drop multiple files for a single upload, automatic virus scanning of documents before they are uploaded to the deal jacket and a 4MB capacity limit. 

- Point of Sale Capture: Integrated directly into the Dealertrack platform, dealers can securely upload high quality images of a customer’s driver’s license, W-2 and other required documents right from a tablet into the funding package.

- Live Funding Checklist and Real Time Error Display: Exclusive integrated lender checklist and built-in verification alert enable faster submission of an accurate contract, ultimately speeding up processing.

“In today’s climate where social distancing has taken precedence, dealers are moving fast to adapt to a virtual way of working. As their technology partner we are making that possible,” said Cheryl Miller, vice president of operations for Dealertrack F&I Solutions. “With the introduction of Assisted Remote Signing via our new Digital Delivery technology coupled with Digital Contracting, dealers can feel confident knowing they have the flexibility they need to keep transactions on track even when that crucial in-store visit is no longer a viable option for customers.”

“Assisted Remote Signing via Digital Delivery is a game changer and the future of the car business,” said Cris Aviso, Finance Director at Regal Automotive in Lakeland, Florida. “This tool will help us perfect a more coherent car buying experience that is seamless, logical and smooth.”

For tips on how to keep the F&I process moving forward virtually, visit https://cloud.e.dealertrack.com/virtual.

About Dealertrack

Dealertrack provides industry-leading software solutions that give dealerships, lenders, and partners the confidence to thrive in an ever-changing automotive market. The company’s integrated suite of powerful easy-to-use products and services helps dealerships and their lending partners grow by increasing efficiency and improving decision-making. Dealertrack is part of the Cox Automotive family, a company that is transforming the way the world buys, sells, owns and uses cars. Dealertrack—along with its unmatched network of dealership and lending partners—is improving the car buying experience by embracing the technologies that will shape the future of automotive retail. For more information about Dealertrack, visit www.dealertrack.com.

About Cox Automotive

Cox Automotive Inc. makes buying, selling, owning and using cars easier for everyone. The global company’s 34,000-plus team members and family of brands, including Autotrader®, Clutch Technologies, Dealer.com®, Dealertrack®, Kelley Blue Book®, Manheim®, NextGear Capital®, VinSolutions®, vAuto® and Xtime®, are passionate about helping millions of car shoppers, 40,000 auto dealer clients across five continents and many others throughout the automotive industry thrive for generations to come. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately-owned, Atlanta-based company with revenues of $21 billion. www.coxautoinc.com

###

Ensures an Efficient and Effective Digital Storefront Performance

BURLINGTON, Vt., April 16, 2020  -- Dealer.com, a leading automotive industry end-to-end digital marketing solution, announces a new integration enhancement to its website platform to help dealers deliver a better online user experience. The new website integration API makes it easier to create immersive third-party experiences on the Dealer.com platform, ultimately building more trust between shoppers and dealers through seamless user interactions.

In its ongoing commitment to deliver a convenient and relevant digital storefront experience, Dealer.com continues to analyze and optimize how third-party technologies plug in to its platform. Through innovation and direct partnership with both third parties and dealers, the new API simplifies and streamlines the process for implementing third-party code on dealer websites.  The API makes the process more efficient for dealers eliminating the need for custom integrations.

Dealer.com anticipates the needs of today's consumers during these unprecedented times, helping dealers build important relationships that drive growth in an ever-changing consumer landscape. With more online traffic, security and data remain top priorities for dealers. The website integration API helps to protect dealer data while offering unprecedented access to Dealer.com's proprietary platform, allowing third parties to control and update their own experiences. This API also minimizes the impact of third-party code on the overall quality of the digital storefront experience, while optimizing performance for consumers with improved site loading time and user experience best practices.

"We want to simultaneously help dealers improve their website integrations while also taking proactive measures to help protect their data," said Wayne Pastore, vice president and general manager of Dealer.com. "With Dealer.com's new API, we can track what third parties are doing on the platform to help ensure data security. We also can observe and monitor third-party code performance and provide feedback to both dealers and third-party providers on the user-experience of their integrations."

Dealer.com is working with all third parties to comply with these new integration methods. The company will continue to communicate and partner with all third parties to ensure the best possible user experience, data protection and performance for clients and their customers.

To learn more about Dealer.com's website integration API, please contact Website.Integration.API@coxautoinc.com. To learn more about Dealer.com's Integrated Partner Program, visit https://www.dealer.com/products/integrated-partner-program.

About Dealer.com

Dealer.com is the premier digital marketing solution for the automotive industry. Providing an integrated platform of Websites, Advertising, Digital Retailing and Managed Services, Dealer.com allows OEMs, dealer groups, retailers and agencies to leverage advanced digital technology, data and insights to deliver the shortest, fastest and most personalized path to customer engagement. The company practices a deep commitment to its culture of progress, with a focus on community, health, and wellness. Based in Burlington, Vermont, Dealer.com is a Cox Automotive brand. For more information, visit www.dealer.com.

About Cox Automotive

Cox Automotive Inc. makes buying, selling, owning and using cars easier for everyone. The global company's 34,000-plus team members and family of brands, including Autotrader®, Clutch Technologies, Dealer.com®, Dealertrack®, Kelley Blue Book®, Manheim®, NextGear Capital®, VinSolutions®, vAuto® and Xtime®, are passionate about helping millions of car shoppers, 40,000 auto dealer clients across five continents and many others throughout the automotive industry thrive for generations to come. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately-owned, Atlanta-based company with revenues exceeding $21 billion. www.coxautoinc.com

Today, April 9, 2020, Cox Automotive’s Dealer Software Solutions brands, Dealer.com, Dealertrack DMS, VinSolutions and Xtime, will launch a new Business Continuity Resource Hub for dealerships looking to resolve some of the unprecedented challenges brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic and economic crisis and reimagine their business for the future.

WHAT: A continuously updated series of no cost webinars delivered by Cox Automotive experts and focused on building dealership resilience related to the Covid-19 pandemic and the industry’s inevitable recovery. These digital educational assets concentrate on maintaining business continuity across three key areas of auto retail: marketing to the evolving consumer, achieving peak dealership performance and capturing the opportunity presented by fixed ops.

A cross-section of industry subject matter experts and dealership leaders will provide real-world, right now tactical and applicable advice and insight via Essential Webinars addressing how to adjust dealership practices and processes to the new environment and to prepare for the future. Webinar topics, which will be updated frequently to keep pace with evolving economic and market conditions, currently include:

- Digital Retailing: End-to-End Basics

- Connecting with Remote Shoppers

- Deal Making in Today’s Digital World

- Fixed Ops/Service Best Practices for Business Continuity in Any Environment

WHY:   The process of buying and owning a car is changing because of COVID-19. Cox Automotive research indicates that more than 50% of consumers are less likely to visit a dealership at this time, because of COVID-19 concerns. The resulting signal from dealers is clear- help us go digital. Dealer adoption of Cox Automotive’s digital retailing solutions has as increased 189% month over month. (February 2020 vs. March 2020)

We believe the current drop in auto sales is 100% COVID-19 related. As the pandemic concerns recess, sales will rebound. With that in mind, the Cox Automotive Dealer Software Solutions team is responding to dealers who want to start building their resiliency now to prepare for the inevitable recovery.

The aim of this webinar series resource hub is to provide dealers with foundational Cox Automotive partnership and support today, and into our industry’s future. 

WHEN:             Launching Thursday, April 9, 2020.  Content will be updated frequently.

WHERE:           Find Cox Automotive’s Dealer Software Solutions Business Continuity Resources at www.coxautowebinars.com or on Cox Automotive’s COVID-19 resource page at: www.coxautoinc.com/covid-19.

WHO:               Cox Automotive’s Dealer Software Solutions Senior Vice President, Lori Wittman and a team of experts from across Cox Automotive with input from a panel of leaders from dealerships across the country grappling with pandemic and the evolution to the new normal.

Tesla Nearly Sweeps Luxury Brand Categories; Subaru Leads Non-Luxury Brands

IRVINE, Calif., April 8, 2020 – Automotive brands resonate with shoppers worldwide with appealing attributes like reputation, design and more. Few products are more ubiquitous in our day-to-day lives than the automobile, and successful automakers who win the hearts and minds of car shoppers could benefit by selling more cars and increasing profits in the long run. Recognizing automakers’ outstanding achievements in creating and maintaining brand attributes that earn the attention and enthusiasm of new-car buyers, Kelley Blue Book today announces the 2020 Brand Image Award winners, based on annual new-car buyer perception data. Award categories are calculated among luxury, non-luxury and truck shoppers.

“Building brands that leave positive impressions with car shoppers is of the utmost importance to automakers who wish to stand out and succeed in an increasingly crowded marketplace,” said Isabelle Helms, vice president of research and market intelligence for Cox Automotive. “Delivering products that are compelling to shoppers, backed by solid marketing communications, has proven to influence purchase considerations and outcomes. Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Award winners recognize the automakers who are on top of their game in the minds of new-car shoppers.”

2020 Brand Image Award Winners: Non-Luxury Brands

2020 Brand Image Award Winner: Truck Brand

2020 Brand Image Award Winners:  Luxury Brands

For 2020, Subaru wins Best Overall Brand among non-luxury automakers for the third time in the past five years. Subaru achieved the highest average score across all ratings of non-luxury models to win the Best Overall Brand. In addition, Subaru takes home specific awards this year for Most Trusted Brand and Best Performance Brand. Subaru’s wins are based on the automaker’s reputation for delivering safe, spacious, fuel-efficient vehicles that satisfy the needs of both everyday consumers and those seeking increased utility/performance at the right price point.

Among luxury automakers, Tesla is all-new to the winners’ circle this year with an impressive showing, nearly sweeping the luxury award categories for 2020. Tesla wins Best Overall Luxury Brand, achieving the highest average score across all ratings of luxury models to win the Best Overall Luxury Brand. In addition, Tesla takes home specific awards this year for Best Value Luxury Brand, Most Refined Luxury Brand, Best Performance Luxury Brand and Best Car Styling Luxury Brand. Tesla’s sleek, all-electric designs offer the market a fresh look, and the brand’s work to offer innovative technology for luxury vehicle consumers at a desirable cost has paid off accordingly with overwhelmingly positive car-shopper perceptions. In addition, Tesla has long been a leader on electric vehicle batteries, for years seeming to have a significantly lower cost for batteries than other OEMs.

Toyota wins Best Overall Truck Brand for the second year in a row. Toyota achieved the highest average score across all ratings of truck models and 12 weighted factors of importance. Even as truck shopping soared to new heights in 2019 and several new models entered the market, the Tacoma and Tundra held their own and propelled Toyota to win the Best Overall Truck Brand award.

Beyond the top overall brands, other automakers gained notable repeat Brand Image Award wins for 2020. Honda wins Best Value Brand among non-luxury automakers for the sixth consecutive year, and Lexus wins Most Trusted Luxury Brand for the fifth consecutive year. Dodge wins Best Car Styling Brand among non-luxury automakers for the second consecutive year.

The 2020 Brand Image Awards are based on consumer automotive perception data from Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch study. Brand Watch is an online brand and model perception tracking study, which taps into more than 12,000 in-market new-vehicle shoppers annually on KBB.com. The highly comprehensive study offers insight into how shoppers perceive important factors driving their purchase decisions and captures brand/model familiarity and loyalty among new-car shoppers. For more information about the 2020 Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Awards, visit https://www.kbb.com/articles/awards/brand-image-awards/.

If you are looking for a vehicle at this time, many dealers can accommodate your buying needs—shopping from your couch or having an advisor just a text or phone call away. Check out the latest on how to shop for your next vehicle online at https://www.kbb.com/articles/car-news/can-i-buy-a-car-online-to-reduce-coronavirus-exposure/.

For more information and news from Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com, visit www.kbb.com/media/, follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/kelley-blue-book/, Twitter at www.twitter.com/kelleybluebook (or @kelleybluebook), like our page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kbb  and follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kbb_com/ (or @kbb_com).

About Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com)
Founded in 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, is the vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry. Each week the company provides market-reflective values on its top-rated website KBB.com, including its famous Blue Book® Trade-In Values and Kelley Blue Book® Price Advisor tool, which provides a range for what consumers can reasonably expect to pay for a vehicle in their area. Car owners looking to sell immediately can also get a redeemable, transaction-ready offer with Kelley Blue BookSM Instant Cash Offer. The company also provides vehicle pricing and values through various products and services available to car dealers, auto manufacturers, finance and insurance companies, and governmental agencies. Kelley Blue Book is a Cox Automotive brand.

About Cox Automotive

Cox Automotive Inc. makes buying, selling, owning and using cars easier for everyone. The global company’s 34,000-plus team members and family of brands, including Autotrader®, Clutch Technologies, Dealer.com®, Dealertrack®, Kelley Blue Book®, Manheim®, NextGear Capital®, VinSolutions®, vAuto® and Xtime®, are passionate about helping millions of car shoppers, 40,000 auto dealer clients across five continents and many others throughout the automotive industry thrive for generations to come. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately-owned, Atlanta-based company with revenues of $21 billion. www.coxautoinc.com

###

Leading Fixed Ops Solution to Provide Dealers Multiple Key Features at No Additional Charge

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., April 2, 2020 - Times are changing rapidly as social distancing measures pose a challenge to day-to-day service department operations and revenue. A dealership’s fixed operations are essential during this time, and there is no greater moment to show resiliency and earn a customer’s business. To help its dealership partners seize the moment, Xtime is offering enhanced resources and multiple key features at no additional charge, helping dealers provide consumers with world-class service experiences in the changing landscape while preparing them for a more digital and profitable future beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The latest numbers from our recent Cox Automotive COVID-19 Dealer Impact Study confirm that dealers anticipate service appointments to be the second most impacted area of business, despite fixed ops being deemed essential work in many states,” said David Foutz, vice president of sales at Xtime. “At Xtime, we’re in a position to help dealers not only weather the storm but come out the other side even stronger than before and that’s exactly what we intend to do by offering free services for 90 days of features that promote social distancing like Service Pickup and Delivery, and Online Payment to our clients.”

During this uncertain time, the safety of dealership staff and customers is paramount. Today, best practices involve minimal person-to-person contact. Dealerships can give staff and customers peace of mind and keep business moving by adopting the following best practices:

- Offer Vehicle Pick-Up and Delivery: With much of the population under strict orders to stay in their homes, there is no time like the present for dealers to offer a vehicle pick-up and delivery to service customers. Service Pickup and Delivery powered by Clutch provides a first-class concierge pick-up and delivery experience where permitted by state or local COVID-19 ordinances – with the option of a loaner to be dropped off when pick-up happens. This ultra-convenient option may also be also safer in the current climate as customers will only interact with one person versus other customers and the entire staff. Clutch Service Pickup and Delivery is available at no cost through the end of July 2020 with a full remote implementation in three business days.  

- Enable Online Payments: To remove additional in-person touchpoints, enabling online payment capabilities gives dealership staff and customers the confidence to do business safely while boosting payment efficiencies. Xtime’s Online Payment encourages digital payment methods that customers can request via text or email and complete transactions entirely from their own phone, computer or tablet. This feature is also now available to all Xtime clients at no cost through the end of June 2020.

- Adopt a Digital Check-In Process: Give customers the ability to check-in with their phone. Similarly, provide options to sign off on service recommendations to further promote social distancing while engaging them throughout the process. Self Check-In from Xtime makes a seamless and personalized check-in process possible while minimizing unnecessary face-to-face contact thereby protecting employees and customers.  Self Check-In is a new feature that is available now for no additional charge for all Xtime Engage clients.

• - Exercise Social Distancing Among Staff: Protect your staff by minimizing high traffic areas and employee in-person interactions by promoting the use of digital communication channels within the dealership and between departments themselves. Intra-Dealer Chat blends the best of Inspect and Xtime mobile to facilitate intradepartmental communication without contact and offers a “low touch” experience to customers who can chat with staff using their own personal devices as well. Intra-Dealer Chat is included for no additional charge with Xtime Inspect.

For additional information on activating any of the above features, visit Xtime’s website or connect with your Xtime Performance Manager. Visit Xtime’s blog to learn more about how to ensure business continuity and best practices in-shop and online.

About Xtime

Xtime increases customer retention for automotive dealer service departments by using technology to transform the ownership experience. Improving customer satisfaction and retention drives dealer revenue and profitability. Xtime is committed to delivering the experience consumers demand – an experience which emphasizes value, convenience and trust. In 2019, Xtime booked 55 million service appointments and processed more than 100 million repair orders annually. Forty-four global OEMs have chosen Xtime to drive that same type of success for their businesses, converting more than $23 billion in service revenue last year for more than 7,300 dealerships.

About Cox Automotive

Cox Automotive Inc. makes buying, selling, owning and using cars easier for everyone. The global company’s 34,000-plus team members and family of brands, including Autotrader®, Clutch Technologies, Dealer.com®, Dealertrack®, Kelley Blue Book®, Manheim®, NextGear Capital®, VinSolutions®, vAuto® and Xtime®, are passionate about helping millions of car shoppers, 40,000 auto dealer clients across five continents and many others throughout the automotive industry thrive for generations to come. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately-owned, Atlanta-based company with revenues of $21 billion. www.coxautoinc.com

###