Fuel prices are emerging as an important factor in wholesale vehicle values, with more fuel-efficient vehicles gaining value while less efficient models depreciate. For independent dealers, the trends provide additional context for evaluating trade-ins, setting auction bids and managing inventory.
The Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index closed September at 205.9, down 0.6% year over year and 1.1% from August. Cox Automotive attributed much of the monthly decline to lower wholesale prices for used pickups and SUVs.
The gap by fuel economy has widened since the beginning of 2026. Wholesale MMR values for non-EV vehicles rated at 40 mpg or higher have increased nearly 10%, while those rated at 15–19 mpg have declined nearly 9%. Vehicles rated below 15 mpg have fallen 15%. Values for vehicles rated at 35–39 mpg, meanwhile, have increased 3.7%.
Fuel prices remained elevated in early October. AAA reported a national average of $4.36 per gallon for regular gasoline on Oct. 7, nearly 40% above the year-earlier level. Diesel reached approximately $6.50 per gallon in September. At Manheim, diesel vehicles’ days’ supply rose to 39 days, up 27% year over year and 11 days above the overall market average.
Cox Automotive lowered its full-year forecast for the Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index to a 0.2% gain, down from its previous forecast of 2% growth. The company’s third-quarter analysis identified fuel prices as an increasingly important factor in wholesale pricing, alongside vehicle supply and demand.
For independent dealers, the data highlight differences in wholesale-value trends across fuel-economy categories, making fuel efficiency one consideration when appraising trade-ins, evaluating auction inventory, and managing vehicle turnover.
