11.04.2026
CBB Used Vehicle Retention Index Decreases Marginally in October
Index Decreased 1.1 Points
Canadian Black Book today released its Used Vehicle Retention Index for October 2026, which sits at 126.4 points, compared to 127.5 in September. Year-over-year, the Index decreased by 7.8%.
Click here to obtain a copy of the Index.
“As we conclude the first month of the 4th quarter, we typically see depreciation pick up slightly for a traditional or normalized year. With retention down 0.88% in October, depreciating slightly more than in September, we’re noticing exactly that. The second half of 2026 has been reminiscent of a more traditional year. This has allowed the Canadian market to act more singularly, largely due to current tariff conditions and a decrease in the push/pull effect from U.S. buyers. This can definitely be seen in the highs and lows of last month’s market, with characteristic value fluctuations between our segments. Based on affordability, we see smaller passenger cars like Sub-Compact Car leading positive value trends, while Full-Size Crossovers and Pick-ups are falling in part because of deteriorating U.S. buyer interest and high fuel prices.
Looking forward, news from the recently concluded U.S. midterm election suggests that we may see a reprieve from U.S. tariffs. We hope this comes to fruition, as it could bring back some of the buying pressure Canadian operators have been used to seeing in auction lanes. But these are early days,” said Daniel Ross, Director of Strategic Market Insights at Canadian Black Book.
The Canadian Black Book Used Vehicle Retention Index is calculated using CBB’s published Wholesale Average value on two to six-year-old used vehicles, as a percent of original typically equipped MSRP. It is weighted based on registration volume and adjusted for seasonality, vehicle age, mileage, and condition. The Index offers an accurate, representative, and unbiased view of the strength of today’s used vehicle market values. The Index dates to January 2005, when Canadian Black Book published a benchmark index value of 100.0 for the market.
ABOUT CANADIAN BLACK BOOK
For 65 years, Canadian Black Book has been the trusted and unbiased Canadian automotive industry source for vehicle values. Today the company has grown into a leading data provider of vehicle valuations, residual value forecast solutions, and VIN decoding. Canadian Black Book tools and information are considered ‘The Authority’ for vehicle values not only by car dealers and manufacturers but also the leasing, finance, insurance, and wholesale sectors. In 2020 Canadian Black Book brought to market its Enhance Vehicle Matching (EVM) solution, which will allow the industry to decode more consistently 17 digits VINs down to a specific trim package allowing a more precise vehicle valuation.
Posted in: Press Releases