Pickups are the most common vehicle in operation at 20% share today and hold 16.5% of new vehicle registrations in the market in Q1 2019.

There are thousands of potential car buyers heading into dealerships and browsing websites for their next vehicle every day. And that means thousands of opportunities for automotive manufacturers to market their vehicles to prospective buyers. But not every vehicle is going to meet the needs and wants of every car buyer. So, how do automotive brand marketers reach the individuals most likely to be interested in their products? Simply put, it comes down to better understanding the brand’s audience. But, today’s digitally-driven world creates a significant challenge for brand marketers – the overreliance on mobile devices and digital channels creates hundreds of digital touchpoints for brand marketers to consider. But, the data also creates an opportunity. If automotive marketers can bridge the gap between online and offline touchpoints, they’ll be better positioned to develop messages that resonate with their desired audience and deliver communications through the most effective channels. The end result? More meaningful interaction with potential car buyers. To get there, automotive marketers need to consider these concepts: Navigate the identity resolution process The secret to a more relevant conversation begins and ends with knowing who you are addressing. People interact with brands through a variety of channels. For example, a person may see an advertisement for a new vehicle on their smartphone, later research the same vehicle at home on their desktop or on a mobile app and test drive the vehicle a few days later. The automotive marketer that can reconcile these three different interactions will be able to deliver relevant advertisements to the individual and cut down on wasted advertising spend. Knowledge-based identity resolution is what allows you to be smarter with your marketing. Present the right offer People are bombarded with hundreds, if not thousands, of advertisements daily. Automotive marketers need to cut through the noise and deliver messages that resonate with the target audience – whether it’s through e-newsletters, 30-second TV spots, banner ads or direct mail pieces. If automotive manufacturers miss the mark, it could lead to a frustrated consumer and poor brand reputation. For instance, an automotive marketer would not want to advertise the latest minivan to a couple who are empty nesters. Create customer loyalty It’s important to stay on top of current market statistics and data to fine-tune marketing campaigns. Vehicle ownership and purchase patterns can vary greatly in each market, and that means brands might need to fine-tune long-term loyalty strategies. A loyalty program that works in the Northeast might not work well for the Midwest market based on car buying patterns and the reasons behind owning a car. Data can help prioritize resources in areas with the highest potential for sales growth. Experian Marketing EngineTM helps automotive manufacturers engage customers across every channel while making the most of a marketing budget. It’s designed to seamlessly collect, consolidate and use customer data by connecting offline and online identifiers to create a single customer view. Experian’s North American Vehicle Database alone has over 11 billion records and over 900 million vehicles, of which over 68 million are Canadian vehicles. Marketing Engine leverages automotive specific insights, including vehicle purchase behaviors and ownership data, and combines that with other marketing data such as demographics and lifestyle interests. These automotive tools provide a more unified approach so that brands can make more informed decisions, gain and retain new customers, and drive sales. Learn more at https://www.experian.com/automotive/marketing.

Vehicle affordability is a hot topic in the auto industry and it hasn't gone unnoticed by consumers as data shows vehicle pricing continues to increase.

There were 276 million vehicles on the road in Q1 2019.

Consumer credit trends and markets are constantly evolving, particularly when it comes to originations and delinquencies on mortgages, credit cards and auto loans. According to Experian research, over 2.7 million out of 89 million active automotive loans and leases are either 30 or 60 days delinquent. Triggers that signal a greater likelihood of consumers falling delinquent on loans, mortgages and credit card payments, include high-interest rates, a high utilization rate and recent derogatory trades. By tracking and forecasting consumer trends over time, you can more easily predict consumer behavior and better prepare for potential issues within each market. Join Gavin Harding, Experian Senior Business Consultant, and Alan Ikemura, Experian Data Analytics Senior Product Manager, during our live Quarterly Credit Trends webinar on May 30 at 2:00 p.m. ET. Our expert speakers will provide a view of the real estate market and share insights on the latest consumer credit trends. Highlights include: 2019 economic drivers Q1 2019 origination and delinquency trends Mortgage Home equity Bankcard Auto Register now

The demand for muscle cars with greater fuel and maintenance practicality has led to the increase in volume of 4-cylinder vehicles on the road.

Findings from Experian’s Q4 2018 Automotive Market Trends Analysis show that CUVs continue to stand out as a segment to watch within the auto industry.

Increase in delinquent loans has led to a discussion about the auto finance industry's stability. But it’s important to put these trends into context.

Alternative fuel vehicles have maintained a steady demand over the past few years. But, there’s a specific segment that’s beginning to emerge.

A closer look at the data shows GM’s losses might not be particularly significant, despite the announcement of discontinued models.

Experian Boost gives consumers greater control over their credit profiles by allowing them to add non-traditional credit information to their Experian credit file.

Today, we’re excited to announce that AutoCheck® has received a facelift! AutoCheck has always been the industrial strength Vehicle History Report that automotive professionals trust to help manage risk and confidently buy and sell the right vehicles. We’ve made this great tool even greater by adding more data and accident insights than ever before and improving the user experience by making it easier to read across all mobile devices. Among the data and insights updated within AutoCheck: Updated display of how buyback protection details are presented Vehicle ownership history presentation Vehicle use history details Updated accident and damage check sections Updated display of how title brand information is displayed Updated odometer check Open safety recall information, inspection, service and repair history checks Based on extensive research, we’ve added many visual changes which make it easier for dealers and cars shoppers to understand and use the full report. One noticeable change is the addition of the Experian logo and color scheme. Experian continues to invest significantly in building a widely recognized and trusted brand. Reinforcing that AutoCheck is backed by Experian’s rich data and industry expertise will resonate with consumers as they look for a trusted source to confidently move along their vehicle shopping journey. The AutoCheck Score® has a new visualization, designed after an automotive-themed gauge to illustrate if the vehicle’s AutoCheck Score is below, within or above the score range for similar vehicles. Making the score easier to use and understand will help consumers better compare their vehicle to other similar vehicles currently in the market. We’ve also made the report easier to use and access for both consumers and dealers. AutoCheck is now optimized for tablet and mobile users, providing even more shopping convenience for users. As always, dealers can access the new report via AutoCheck Fast Link℠ for their online vehicle listings and through multiple integrations within their DMS or inventory management solution. The report will still be available directly from AutoCheck.com for consumers and AutoCheck.com/members for dealers. In addition, the report is available through most dealer platforms and all premier consumer automotive portals.   Check out the full report redesign changes, updates and some additional highlights below. Updated AutoCheck® Buyback Protection Information As always, AutoCheck will buy back your vehicle if your AutoCheck report fails to list certain title brands available to Experian at the time the report was issued. Items impacting Buyback protection are now grouped together, so users can clearly see what data impacts Buyback qualification.  Items that do not impact Buyback are captured in other areas of the report. Buyback Protection badging for eligible clients displays on the first page as well as in the specific State Title Brand section if the vehicle is, or is not, Buyback protected. NEW: Owner History AutoCheck now displays information for the current, last and previous vehicle ownership. The report will now highlight the year and state the vehicle was purchased from as well as the ownership date ranges and length of ownership. NEW: Vehicle Usage AutoCheck now clearly highlights the historical usage activity level for the vehicle, whether it was used as Personal, Fleet, Rental, Lease, Taxi, Livery, Police, Government, Drivers Ed and/or Commercial. NEW: Damage Check Section We have added a new Damage Check section to more clearly illustrate the historical activity for the vehicle.  The Damage Check section will highlight damage records from auctions, salvage, or independent sources such as recycling and crash tests. We will continue to offer the Accident Check section, which highlights accident dates and location from government sources and independent agencies. The Damage Check section will highlight damage records from auctions, salvage auctions or independent sources such as recycling and crash tests.   Other Title Brand and Specific Event check: Other title brands that are not included in Buyback protection qualification will be listed here. In addition, event activity such as theft and insurance loss is also included in this section. UPDATED: Odometer Check We have combined information to provide one place for all odometer related history checks.  State title odometer check reflects all odometer related brands from the state such as Exceeds Mechanical Limits (EML), Not Actual Mileage (NAM) and Broken Odometer (BRK). Auction odometer check are the odometer brands either reported to auctions or upon inspection in auction announcements. The odometer calculation check is Experian’s proprietary odometer sequence calculation to determine if there are any potential discrepancies. NEW: ‘Check’ sections: To highlight specific data for easier reference and understanding, we have added an open safety recall check, Inspection history check, and service and repair history check section. What do all these changes mean for dealers and their customers? They have an easier-to-use AutoCheck VHR with more comprehensive information than ever. For dealers, it will help with their buying decisions at auction or on trade-ins. For consumers, it provides even more peace of mind when making a used vehicle purchase decision. Ultimately, it improves the shopping process for everyone involved and can help dealers develop even stronger relationships with their customers.   Want to learn even more about AutoCheck? Visit our site for more details: https://www.experian.com/lp/automotive/autocheck-dealer-lp

Auto dealers need to move their dealerships forward through hyper-local advertising that helps them connect with the right audiences at the right time.

Findings from the Q3 State of the Automotive Finance report show that Subprime originations hit the lowest overall share of the market seen in 11 years.

Issues to evaluate during data sample selection and design for model development and an overview of traditional data sampling techniques.