The used-vehicle market kept its footing in May, with wholesale prices rising 3.6% year over year—and used EV values jumping nearly 12%—as elevated fuel prices and steady demand continued to push buyers toward pre-owned inventory. For independent dealers, that pricing strength is the number worth watching.
The firmness comes as the broader auto market posted its first monthly year-over-year gain of 2026. New light-vehicle sales reached a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 16.1 million units in May, up 3.1% from a year earlier, according to NADA. Raw volume hit 1.47 million units—up 4.2% year over year and 7.0% from April—helped by five weekends, including the Memorial Day holiday. Still, the year-to-date SAAR of 15.7 million remains down 4.5% from last year.
Affordability is still the pressure point. The average new-vehicle monthly payment climbed to roughly $810, even as loan rates eased to 6.59% and more buyers stretched into 84-month-plus terms—conditions that often steer shoppers toward the used lot. Powertrain trends are diverging, too, with hybrids reaching 15.2% of year-to-date sales while battery-electric volume fell more than 30% year over year. With analysts holding to a 16.0-million-unit full-year forecast, well-priced used stock and strong resale values position independents well heading into summer
