TransUnion’s latest credit insights report forecasts gains in auto, home and unsecured personal loan originations tempered by concerns over changing federal policy and paused interest rate cuts. +

Lotlinx’s Q4 Quarterly Vincensus Report finds sales of hybrid vehicles increased by 23% between the third and fourth quarter of 2024, accounting for 22% of all U.S. new vehicle sales. +

Cox Automotive and Moody’s Analytics’ New Vehicle Affordability Index improved to 37.7 in January as Americans earned higher incomes and prices normalized following strong year-end sales. +

A Protective Asset Protection survey found that 57% of U.S. dealers said at least half their customers bought F&I products online last year and 60% believe offering those products online improved sales. +

Reynolds and Reynolds reports sales retention ticked up to nearly 44% in 2024 despite the fact that 24 of 38 brands saw a decrease in repeat buyers, including one that finished in the single digits. +

The consumer price index rose for the fourth straight month in January, pushing inflation to a 3% year-over-year increase in the same month the Fed announced a pause to interest rate cuts. +

The Dealertrack Credit Availability Index improved to 95.4 in January, a 2.9% year-over-year improvement driven in part by a 100-basis-point market share gain for subprime borrowers. +

NADA analysts say U.S. dealers were on track to sell 15.6 million new units in 2025 at the end of January, a fifth straight year-over-year increase but a minor letdown following a strong December. +

TransUnion now offers a creditworthiness score based on the applicant’s banking activities, potentially adding options for car buyers without access to “mainstream” credit. +

Jeep owners say their infotainment screens are lighting up with unwanted, frequently appearing ads for an extended factory warranty. The Drive’s Caleb Jacobs investigates. +