Black Book, a division of Hearst that provides used vehicle valuations and residual value forecast solutions, released its Used Vehicle Retention Index for February 2026.
The seasonally adjusted Index increased 2.3% (3.3 points) to 145.0 from January 2026 (141.7), which is 1.0% below where it was at the same time in 2025.
“At the close of January, we saw the first signs of a seasonal lift in the auction lanes, with values posting early-year gains that carried through February and drove the Index up 2.3%,” said Laura Wehunt, vice president of data & analytics at Black Book. “Many of the mainstream segments that experienced steep depreciation in the fourth quarter rebounded sharply, including Mid-Size Crossovers, which rose 3.2%, and Full-Size Cars, up 3.6%. Conversion rates held above 60% throughout February, underscoring sustained and healthy buyer demand.”
