UCDP Ep #75 – Automotive Tariffs, Inventory & EV Trends w/ Kevin Roberts of CarGurus

In this episode of the Used Car Dealer Podcast, Zach talks with Kevin Roberts, Director of Economic & Market Intelligence at @cargurus, to decode today’s whiplash market—from March’s tariff shock to the spring surge in used-car supply. Kevin explains how CarGurus marries first-party shopper data with macro-economics, why dealers shifted from clearing aged units to stocking up, and what rising interest rates and affordability crunches mean for pricing strategy. The conversation digs into EV and hybrid demand curves, the pitfalls and upside of used-EV retailing, and the “COVID playbook” tactics dealers can dust off to stay nimble when policy and consumer sentiment swing week-to-week. Whether you’re wrestling with inventory turn, scouting low-price cars for budget-strapped buyers, or debating how tariffs will reshape new-versus-used dynamics, Kevin’s data-driven insights deliver a roadmap for 2025 and beyond.

Kevin’s data is based on the following CarGurus report - https://dealers.cargurus.com/drc/cargurus-intelligence-report-april-2025

Below are the main questions Zach asks Kevin, along with timestamps:

00:00 Automotive Tariffs, Inventory & EV Trends w/ Kevin Roberts of CarGurus

00:29 Q) Can you give a brief overview of your background, your role at CarGurus, and what a Director of Economic & Market Intelligence actually does?
02:11 Q) Over your career, how have you seen the auto industry’s use of data evolve?
03:55 Q) How does the market intelligence your team produces translate into concrete strategies for dealers?
05:04 Q) Used-vehicle inventory just hit a three-year high—what’s driving the rebound in supply?
07:52 Q) We’re seeing used-car prices rise; is that mostly buyers racing ahead of potential tariffs, or are other forces at play?
09:48 Q) Today, what dollar range truly counts as a “low-price” vehicle in the used market?
10:38 Q) Average days-on-market are trending down—what’s causing cars to sell faster?
12:10 Q) Right now, would you call it a seller’s market or is power shifting back toward buyers?
14:53 Q) What trends are you seeing in shopper interest for used EVs, and what factors matter most to those buyers?
16:57 Q) Beyond Tesla, how are non-Tesla EVs performing in the used market?
19:38 Q) From a dealer’s perspective, what are the biggest challenges in retailing used EVs today?
22:00 Q) Now that the early-April tariff rush has passed, what lingering impacts do you expect on new- and used-car pricing?
24:36 Q) What practical guidance is CarGurus giving dealers to navigate this volatility?
26:27 Q) Looking ahead, what key trends or potential market shifts should dealers watch through 2025?
28:34 Q) What’s your outlook for the used-car and EV segments as we move toward 2025 and beyond?
29:54 Q) Where can dealers find CarGurus’ latest intelligence reports?

Listen to more episodes here: https://www.sellyautomotive.com/podcast
Read the full transcription: https://blog.sellyautomotive.com/blog/kevin-roberts-cargurus-2025