Some of the nation's largest retailers cited a variety of factors for the latest gains, including the success of branded F&I products, vendor partnerships, deeper product penetration and training. But several public dealership groups noted potential headwinds resulting from the industry pivot to used-vehicle sales.

CU Direct COO Bob Child says credit unions see no 'risk' associated with longer auto loans. Plus, the value of certified pre-owned vehicles and why more credit unions are back in the game.

The banking giant, a major auto lender, will pay $3 billion to settle federal investigations into a range of abuses, such as wrongly charging consumers for car insurance, that were rampant at branches for years.

The product, which is underwritten by Nationwide Mutual Insurance and affiliates, launched last fall as Ford added its name to the list of companies leveraging consumers' driving habit data into discounts on auto insurance.