GM Unifies Certified Used-Vehicle Programs Under CarBravo Platform

“We’re unifying the Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) programs in the U.S. under one modern platform — CarBravo— giving customers more confidence and more choices and giving our dealers a single, scalable engine for growth.”

Used cars are becoming a strategic battleground for automakers. General Motors is expanding its dealer-driven marketplace CarBravo to strengthen its position in the pre-owned market and compete with digital players like Carvana. With ~40M used cars sold annually in the U.S. the opportunity is far bigger than the new-car market. The real shift? Automakers are moving from selling cars to managing the entire vehicle lifecycle. https://lnkd.in/dPX6-ra2

General Motors is telling its GMC, Buick and Chevrolet dealers today that they will have to sell certified vehicles backed with GM warranties through the newer CarBravo platform after the automaker dissolves its older certified pre-owned programs. More details here: https://lnkd.in/gcfq6yKQ

Interesting move from GM expanding the CarBravo used-vehicle marketplace. On the surface it looks like a branding change, but for those of us running stores, it’s really about something bigger: how OEMs want dealers competing in the used-car space going forward. For GM dealers here in Western New York, this could change the playbook a bit. First, it reinforces something most GSMs already know: the used-car business is the real battleground right now. With new-vehicle affordability where it is, the used department isn’t just supporting the store — in many cases it is the store. CarBravo essentially gives GM dealers a national marketplace where we can certify and sell more than just GM brands, backed by a GM program. That opens the door for stronger inventory acquisition and potentially more digital exposure beyond our local market. The opportunity: • Broader used inventory strategy • National digital visibility • OEM-backed certification on more vehicles The challenge: If every GM dealer is suddenly playing on the same digital field, inventory quality, pricing discipline, and reconditioning speed will matter more than ever. In other words… the stores that already run a tight used-car operation will love this. The ones that don’t might suddenly realize that “aged inventory” looks a lot worse when the whole country can see it. Either way, one thing is clear: the used-car department just became even more strategic for GM dealers. And if you’re a GSM… congratulations — as if you needed another thing to watch every morning besides inventory aging, vAuto, and the auction reports. Curious how other GM stores are thinking about leveraging CarBravo in their markets.

BizzyCar Recall Radar Alert! Several major automakers have announced new safety recalls in late February and early March affecting nearly 700,000 vehicles combined across multiple platforms. Manufacturers, including Toyota, Subaru, Honda, and General Motors, have issued recalls tied to issues ranging from seat back locking mechanisms and fuel system leaks to display failures and software-related stalling risks. For dealerships, this presents a large opportunity to capitalize on increased service demand. Along with the Ford recalls from earlier this month, 2026 is quickly becoming a prime year to re-engage with customers, increase your service volume, and drive more revenue. BizzyCar is here to help with managing VINs with open recalls, parts availability, and scheduling. For more on each of these recalls, visit our dedicated Recall Radar page at: https://lnkd.in/e87bd5SD. There, we will walk through each of these recalls in detail, including specific models affected, what drivers should know, actions each OEM is taking, and what each recall means for dealership service operations. Interested in fully automated recall management? Book a demo with BizzyCar here: https://lnkd.in/grcJ47yq #RecallAlert #VehicleSafety #AutoRecalls #ServiceDemand #DealershipOpportunities #CustomerEngagement #RevenueGrowth #AutomatedManagement #VINTracking #PartsAvailability

Ford SUV Sales Surge in February 2026 as Bronco, Explorer and Expedition Hit 26-Year High Ford Motor Company reported strong demand for its large SUVs in February 2026, with models such as the Ford Bronco, Ford Explorer, and Ford Expedition driving the company’s best combined sales performance for these vehicles in 26 years. The automaker sold 149,962 vehicles in February, even as overall industry sales declined by around 3 percent during the month. However, the company said its total sales were down 5.5 percent year-on-year, largely due to the discontinuation of several models including the Ford Escape, Ford Edge, and the Lincoln Corsair....

The 2026 Ford Ranger didn’t get a headline-grabbing redesign. It got something more important for dealerships: targeted changes that directly affect trim value, equipment explanations, and price justification. That means salespeople who rely on memory instead of facts are going to get caught. What changed on the 2026 Ranger that actually matters in the showroom? 1. Pricing shifts are selective, not across the board For 2026: Ranger XL: no price change Ranger XLT: +$500 Ranger Lariat: no price change Ranger Raptor: +$1,000 This matters because customers will assume “everything went up.” That’s not true. A salesperson who can explain which trims moved and which didn’t immediately sounds more credible. 2. FX4 now reaches deeper into the lineup The FX4 Off-Road Package is now available on XL. That expands the Ranger conversation in a big way. Now, buyers who want off-road credibility without climbing into higher trims have a new pathway. For dealerships, that creates a sharper conversation around: payment-sensitive off-road buyers value-based truck shoppers competitive comparisons with Tacoma and Colorado lower-series models 3. Power Moonroof broadens premium appeal A Power Moonroof is now newly available, optional on XLT and Lariat. That may sound minor, but it gives salespeople another feature to use when moving a buyer from “good enough” to “the one I actually want.” 4. Ford is standardizing its truck language The 120V/400W in-cab and in-bed power outlets are now a standard production option on XL, and Ford has renamed the feature Pro Power Onboard. That naming alignment matters. Why? Because now Ranger can borrow the same selling language customers may already know from F-150 Hybridand F-150 Lightning. Consistency helps sales. 5. Wireless charging is no longer a default assumption Previously standard on XLT and Lariat, the wireless charging pad now moves into the Convenience Package, optional on both. This is exactly the kind of detail that creates friction if it is discovered late in the deal. 6. Color strategy changed too New: Avalanche Deleted: Azure Gray Color changes always matter more than product planners think they do. Customers shop emotionally, even when they say they’re shopping logically. The 2026 Ranger story is not about dramatic change. It’s about knowing exactly where value improved, where equipment moved, and how to explain it cleanly. That’s where Advanta-STAR Advanced Research earns its keep. When your team has the right facts in front of them, they can Compare to Close instead of guessing through objections. Question for your team: Which 2026 Ranger change is most likely to be missed on the sales floor — FX4 on XL, wireless charging moving to a package, or the trims that did not get a price increase? #AdvantaSTAR #CompareToClose #BenefitsSellCars

Scout Motors Inc.’s Electric Comeback Moves to 2028. The revival of the iconic Scout brand is gaining momentum, but the timeline has shifted slightly. According to CEO Scott Keogh, the first customer deliveries of the new Scout vehicles are now expected in 2028, later than the earlier 2027 target. Backed by Volkswagen, Scout Motors Inc. is preparing two key models for the US market: • Traveler – an SUV. • Terra – a pickup truck. Both vehicles will be produced at the company’s new facility in Blythewood, South Carolina, where prototype production is still scheduled to begin in 2026. 🔹 Strong early interest from customers • 160,000 reservations have already been placed. • 75% of reservations are for the Traveler SUV, while 25% are for the Terra pickup. • 87% of customers prefer the range-extender variant, compared with 13% choosing fully battery-electric models. Scout is targeting impressive range figures: • 350 miles (563 km) for the fully electric versions. • 500 miles (805 km) for the range-extender models. This strong preference for range-extender technology highlights an important market reality: while EV adoption continues to grow, many consumers still value the added flexibility and range security offered by hybridized electric solutions. 🔹 Meanwhile, Volkswagen may also face legal challenges from some US dealers, who argue that Scout’s planned direct-to-consumer sales model bypasses traditional dealership agreements. As Scout moves forward with development, the key focus remains clear: delivering a high-performance, market-ready product that lives up to the brand’s legacy.

For the last decade the EV industry chased the same formula: More range. More technology. More premium. But 2026 is starting to reveal a different reality. If it’s not affordable… the market simply isn’t that interested. Look at the signals across the industry right now. Tesla • Tesla has effectively closed the chapter on its original premium lineup by ending Model S and Model X production. • Meanwhile Elon opened a $59K Cybertruck configuration for about 10 days. Demand exploded. A year's worth of deliveries going well into 2027. Demand is real. Price is the unlock. Rivian • Rivian’s entire growth story now revolves around R2, expected to land around the mid-$40K range. The R1 platform proved the brand. But the real market sits far below that price point. Lucid Motors • Lucid is delivering roughly ~4,500 vehicles per quarter, supported by incentives reaching five figures per vehicle. The company is now preparing a lower-cost platform to expand beyond the luxury segment, closing their new order configurator until new 2027 models are introduced. Scout Motors Inc. • Scout’s SUV and pickup are now reportedly targeting 2028 deliveries, highlighting how difficult launching a new automotive brand really is. Slate Auto • Slate entered the market promising a ~$25K pickup with ~150 miles of range. After the initial attention, launch timing and pricing have gone mostly quiet. If it lands closer to $30K, execution will determine whether the thesis holds. Hyundai Motor Company • Hyundai is reportedly ending U.S. availability of the Ioniq 6, despite excellent reviews. Great engineering doesn’t always translate into demand. Mercedes-Benz AG • Mercedes is shifting strategy as well, moving away from ultra-premium EVs like EQS toward more attainable electric platforms. Ford Motor Company Stellantis • Legacy automakers have collectively burned tens of billions scaling EV programs and are now recalibrating timelines and strategy. Put all of that together and a pattern becomes clear. The first phase of the EV revolution proved something important: Electric vehicles can be incredible. The next phase must prove something harder: They can be affordable. Because the next 50 million EV buyers aren’t shopping for $90K vehicles. They’re shopping for $25K–$40K transportation that simply works. The companies that solve battery cost, manufacturing scale, and supply chain efficiency will define the next decade of the industry. The EV transition isn’t slowing. It’s simply entering its next chapter. And the winners will likely be the ones who crack affordability at scale. #ElectricVehicles #EVIndustry #FutureOfMobility #AutoIndustry #EVAdoption #CleanTech #Mobility https://lnkd.in/gyuhVU_R

Car shoppers could buy or lease a new 2026 Toyota Motor Corporation bZ electric crossover SUV for around $30,000 as the Japanese automaker moves aggressively to discount their EV while other automakers are rapidly retreating from the space. Toyota said in a post on its website that car buyers could get $5,000 customers cash off the purchase price of a brand new bZ, which starts at $34,900. Toyota said it is also offering $7,000 in lease cash for the same vehicle. The offers are valid until March 31. The deal comes as Toyota has moved to try to shed off years of criticism from environmental about its reliance on hybrids instead of fully electric cars with the announcement for four new electric models, including a fully electric Toyota Highlander SUV the company says will be available in 2027. Read more in my latest for USA TODAY