AUTO KNOW: The Northeast Ohio Auto Sales Market Report

AUTO KNOW is the Northeast Ohio Automobile Dealers Association’s market-information feature on Northeast Ohio auto sales - a recurring read on how the new- and used-vehicle market is moving across Akron, Summit County, and the surrounding region. Where national coverage tells you what cars cost “in America,” AUTO KNOW focuses on what’s happening here: which brands and segments are gaining ground, where pricing has landed, and how used-car retail is reshaping the market. It’s the local read our members plan around.

This page explains what AUTO KNOW covers, how to read it, and how to get the latest edition.

What AUTO KNOW covers

Each edition assembles the local market picture from several recurring views, designed so a dealer principal, a reporter, or a lender can quickly find what they need.

• New- and used-vehicle market trends across Northeast Ohio.
• Brand and segment performance - which makes and body styles (trucks, SUVs/crossovers, cars, EVs) are gaining or losing ground locally.
• Used-vehicle market activity, including the rise of high-volume online used retailers.
• Pricing context, including the multi-year climb in new-vehicle prices that has reshaped affordability since 2020.
• A member dealer view - a closer look NOADA dealers receive to understand how they sit in their segment and territory.

The public edition shares the headline regional picture. The closer member dealer view is a NOADA member benefit, delivered to dealers as part of membership.

What AUTO KNOW shows you

AUTO KNOW puts a local lens on the market. A dealer in Stow doesn’t compete with the national average; they compete with the stores on the same stretch of road and the online retailers shipping into the same ZIP codes. AUTO KNOW is built to speak to that local competitive question rather than to a national headline.

Specific figures change with each edition. For the current readings - and to confirm scope and reporting period before citing anything - contact us at tim@neodealers.com or (330) 272-9011.

Why a local market report matters

National data is everywhere; trustworthy local automotive data is rare. That gap is exactly why AUTO KNOW exists and why it earns attention:

• For dealers: It turns gut feel into context. You can get a sense of whether a soft month was your store or the whole market, where your brand is over- or under-indexing, and which segments are worth chasing. The member dealer view makes that more concrete for your store.
• For lenders, vendors, and analysts: It’s a recurring, locally focused read on demand and pricing in one of Ohio’s major metro markets.
• For journalists and policymakers: It’s a local reference point. When a story needs “how are car sales doing in Northeast Ohio?”, we can help - and NOADA leadership is available to add context. (See Northeast Ohio auto dealer news for media contacts.)
• For car buyers: It’s a reality check. Knowing that prices have climbed steadily since 2020, or that used inventory is shifting online, helps you set expectations before you shop. Pair it with our consumer guides in Resources.

This is also where NOADA’s reach helps. Because we operate the Akron BMV and work alongside our member dealerships every day, we see both sides of the counter - the registration office and the showroom floor.

How to read the report

A few notes for getting the most out of each edition:

1. Start with the regional trend. Is the overall market up or down versus last year? Everything else is relative to that.
2. Check your segment, not just the total. A flat overall market can hide a booming truck segment and a shrinking car segment. Look at where your inventory lives.
3. Watch the used-vehicle picture. The growth of high-volume online used retailers changes the trade-in and reconditioning math for every franchised store.
4. Read prices and volume together. Rising average prices on flat volume tell a very different story than rising volume on flat prices - one is mix/inflation, the other is real demand.
5. Members: use your dealer view. Once you understand the market, the member dealer view helps you see how your store sits within it.

How AUTO KNOW is put together

AUTO KNOW is NOADA’s market-information feature, organized into the regional and member dealer views described above and refreshed on a recurring basis. For questions about scope, reporting period, or methodology before citing AUTO KNOW, contact us at tim@neodealers.com or (330) 272-9011.

How to get AUTO KNOW

• NOADA members receive AUTO KNOW on a recurring basis, including the closer member dealer view, as part of membership. Not a member yet? Join NOADA to start receiving it.
• Media and researchers can request the latest headline information and arrange context or comment at tim@neodealers.com or (330) 272-9011.
• The public can find the headline regional picture summarized here and in our news section.

Frequently asked questions

What is the AUTO KNOW market report? AUTO KNOW is NOADA’s recurring market-information feature on Northeast Ohio auto sales. It follows new- and used-vehicle market trends, brand and segment performance, and pricing, with a closer view for member dealers.

How often is AUTO KNOW published? AUTO KNOW is updated on a recurring basis. Contact us for the current schedule.

Does it cover all of Ohio or just Northeast Ohio? AUTO KNOW is focused on the Northeast Ohio market that NOADA serves. For the exact scope of a given edition, contact us before citing it.

Where does the information come from? AUTO KNOW draws on Ohio vehicle market activity, organized into a local view. For methodology questions before citing, contact us.

Can I cite AUTO KNOW in a news story or report? Yes - NOADA welcomes media use of AUTO KNOW with attribution to the Northeast Ohio Automobile Dealers Association. Contact us for the latest information and for context or an interview.

What is the member dealer view? It’s a closer, store-relevant view that helps each NOADA member understand how its store sits within its segment and territory. It’s a member benefit and is not part of the public edition.

How do I get the full report? Join NOADA as a member dealer to receive every edition, including the member dealer view. Media can request headline information directly.

Related

• Northeast Ohio auto dealer news
• Economic impact of Northeast Ohio dealers
• Membership - benefits & ROI
• Join NOADA
• Akron BMV

Get the latest AUTO KNOW

Want the full Northeast Ohio picture, including the closer member dealer view? Join NOADA to receive every edition. Media and researchers can request the latest information at tim@neodealers.com.