Consumers have been chewing rapidly through the supply of new vehicles at dealerships, driven by concern over possible tariff-triggered price hikes, leading to smaller inventories in March 2025, including for GM mass-market brand Chevy.
According to the latest figures from Cox Automotive, Chevy had a 66 days supply of new vehicles at the average dealership at the end of March.
This number is now very close to the 60 days supply considered to be optimal by the auto industry. Chevy new vehicle dealer inventory has been on a downward trend for over a month, with February 2025 inventory at an 85 days supply compared to 93 days and rising in January.
Vigorous sales in December 2024 previously caused a dip to a 77 days supply. However, the plunge in March 2025 is even sharper. Several popular ICE models have the lowest days supply, including the Chevy Trax, the Chevy Equinox, the Chevrolet Express commercial van, the Chevrolet Trailblazer and the Chevrolet Tahoe SUV.
Meanwhile, EV sales continue to be sluggish, with the Silverado EV and Blazer EV having the highest days supply level in the Chevrolet lineup.
Chevy days supply has dipped below the national auto industry average of 70 days. This is also down sharply from the average of 89 days supply for the U.S. auto sector in February as panic buying drives sales. Purchases rose 11.9 percent in March 2025 compared to the previous year and surged 17.2 percent month-over-month.
Three of the five best-selling brands, including Chevy, saw their prices decline in March. The Bow Tie’s average listing price fell by the smallest amount, $57 per vehicle, while Ford units experienced a whopping $599 price decrease. Two other top brands, Toyota and Honda, saw prices rise by amounts on either side of $200 per vehicle.
Looking to the future, President Donald Trump‘s tariffs will likely ensure continuing tight inventories, though prices will also begin to surge at some point. Certain models may be dropped from automaker lineups entirely as being no longer cost-effective.
The tariffs, according to Cox, are likely to bring about the same conditions as in 2021, though for different reasons than that year’s chip shortage. As the firm summarizes, the duties “will drive higher prices, lower production and supply, and slower vehicle sales, creating a challenging environment for both consumers and automakers.”
Comments
Sales are rising because ignorant people got their taxes back, so their impulses kick in and say, hey I got some extra money lets go BLOW it on an overpriced car.
I see that Buick has significantly lowered its dealer inventory! In January it was a 138-day supply; in February, 123-days; and in March, down to 82-days (which is less than Cadillac, Mazda, Nissan, Hyundai, Ford, Jeep, Infiniti, Dodge, Lincoln, and others). I hope a story will be written about that.