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- Brand Momentum Shifts: Hyundai/Kia Surge, Subaru Slips—Tighten Your Mix & Protect Marginost
Brand Momentum Shifts: Hyundai/Kia Surge, Subaru Slips—Tighten Your Mix & Protect Marginost
Your 5-minute specialist briefing—no fluff, all edge.
Kamil Grzych
June 10, 2025
1. KPI Snapshot
Hyundai +15%, Kia +12% May U.S. sales; Subaru declined ~3%.
Insight: Brand mix swings impact store-level planning—tailor inventory focus accordingly.
2. Market Pulse Dashboard
Metric | Value | Δ vs Apr |
|---|---|---|
SAAR | 15.6M | −1.7M |
Days’ Supply | 66 | −6 days |
ATP | $45,460 | +1.4% |
Manheim Index | 205.9 | −1.1% |
Takeaway: With shifts among brands, adjust ordering and allocation to match demand trends.
3. Pricing & Profit Board
Age Band | Strategy | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
🟢 < 40 days | Hold MSRP | Demand surges from fast-selling brands |
🟡 40–90 days | Package add-ons | Protect gross—bundle value instead of discount |
🔴 > 90 days | Markdown ladder | Start fresh with stale inventory |
4. Turnkey Sales Play – “Brand Affinity Close”
Track buyer’s preferred brand in CRM.
Show brand-specific demand score during walk-around.
Close by highlighting local popularity to instill confidence.
Expected lift: Trust-driven close rates +7–9%.
5. Talent & Ops Edge
Start “Brand + Team” daily scoreboard: top-selling brands + top 3 contributors posted in break room to spark healthy competition.
6. OEM & Regulation Radar
Cox revises 2025 forecast: SAAR range now 15.6–16.3M, citing tariff risk.
Waiting on Ford’s next allocation update; expect revised SUV quotas by mid-month.
7. Execution Checklist
Analyze mix trend vs. last month’s top-performing brands.
Script affinity messaging and integrate into the walkthrough.
Post the brand/team scoreboard before the morning huddle.
8. Team Conversation Prompt
“Which brand is out-performing in our market, and how can we lean into that advantage?”
Thursday 7 AM: Deep dive on turbo vs. hybrid sales trends and margin optimization.
Five minutes. All edge.