3 min read
Rick Wainschel, VP Data Science & Analytics: May 4, 2026
This post breaks down why new car prices are climbing back toward record highs in 2026 and why this time the increases are baked into MSRPs rather than driven by temporary incentive pullbacks. It explains what that structural shift means for dealers...
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6 min read
Rick Wainschel, VP Data Science & Analytics: April 30, 2026
This post examines how buyer behavior shifted in Q1 2026, where demand strengthened and softened across the market, and what those shifts signal for...
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2 min read
Rick Wainschel, VP Data Science & Analytics: March 25, 2026
After hitting a 20-month high, the gap between vehicles that sell and those that sit is widening—precision is how you close it. At the start of this...
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1 min read
Rick Wainschel, VP Data Science & Analytics: March 19, 2026
At the start of the year, Catalyst IQ predicted a tighter 2026 automotive market. Ten weeks in, the forecast is holding true, and it helps explain...
3 min read
Rick Wainschel, VP Data Science & Analytics: March 13, 2026
If you’re looking at your lot and thinking, “This used to be easier,” you’re not alone.
3 min read
Rick Wainschel, VP Data Science & Analytics: February 25, 2026
Pricing trends are widening by country of origin. At retail, those gaps are starting to matter. For decades, German and Japanese automakers have...
2 min read
Rick Wainschel, VP Data Science & Analytics: January 22, 2026
The automotive market didn’t surge in 2025, and it didn’t stall. It shifted. Quietly but profoundly. Rising payment sensitivity reshaped buying...
3 min read
Rick Wainschel, VP Data Science & Analytics: January 14, 2026
As the automotive market closed out 2025, one thing became clear: demand didn’t disappear; it sharpened. Buyers grew more selective, more...
