LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga.—Used vehicle values increased in January, Black Book reported.
The company’s Used Vehicle Retention Index for January increased 1.0% (1.4 points) to 141.7 from December 2025 (140.3), which is 3.1% below where it was at the same time in 2025.
“January’s harsh winter weather didn’t stop the used-car market from hinting at spring,” said Laura Wehunt, vice president of data and analytics at Black Book. “We saw values rise by the end of the month, earlier than we’d normally expect. Even without another rate cut from the Fed, there’s growing confidence that tax refunds will bring buyers back into the market.”
The Black Book Used Vehicle Retention Index is calculated using Black Book’s published Wholesale Average value on two- to six-year-old used vehicles, as percent of original typically equipped MSRP. It is weighted based on registration volume and adjusted for seasonality, vehicle age, mileage, and condition.