2016 was a great year for the automotive industry. There were months with booming sales, huge technological strides, marketing advancements, and more. Check out what the top 5 things many of you thought influenced 2016 in automotive.

1. Digital marketing vs. traditional. Digital marketing surged forward even more in 2016, accounting for most of dealership’s marketing budgets. Kristy Elliott says, “We ditched all traditional marketing almost 2 years ago, and rely only on digital. We are up 45% in new car sales, with really good grosses.” 


2. Trends turned from car ownership to ride sharing. Ride sharing became increasingly important in 2016, with many companies working on technological advancements to improve that experience. Manufacturers are even jumping on board and coming up with ways to get involved. These ride sharing advancements though are sometime nerve-wracking for dealers. Owner Allen Turner says that dealers are sometimes “fearful of what we don’t understand or can’t scheme out.”


3. Increase in SUV/truck sales, decline in sedans. 2016 showed us a bit of a decline in sedan sales and an increase in larger vehicles. Some manufacturers like FIAT created larger cross-over vehicles to keep up with the demand.


4. Recalls have almost become the new normal. The average number of recalls per manufacturer was about 1 a month. Allen Turner adds, “Consumers also seem to be less concerned than the dealers, lawyers, manufacturers, and the government about these recalls.”


5. Car-buying services have become everyday life. Most consumers don’t think twice about car-buying services during their shopping experience. Allen Turner again adds, “True Car isn’t a buzzword around the dealership anymore, like Carfax was in its infancy.”

 

These and many other changes made 2016 a crazy year in automotive. Check out our full news article about 2016 for a deeper look at the year in review.