The Big Story: Certifiably Hot

Are certified pre-owned vehicles reshaping the U.S. market?

While new vehicles still outsell them by a wide margin, CPO cars and trucks, which undergo a 100-plus-point manufacturer-mandated inspection and usually are between 4-to-8 years old with relatively low miles, appear poised to take off in the coming years.

“The thing that continues to amaze me, and has for years, is month after month after month, the industry is setting records and manufacturers are setting records, in the number of certified pre-owned cars they’re selling,” says Ricky Beggs, owner of Beggs on Wheels, a diminished-value vehicle consultancy. “You think after a while you can’t continue to get better and better and better, but that’s a sign of just more confidence in that certified pre-owned car.”