An inventory efficiency index developed by Cloud Theory ranked Kia the most efficient mover of vehicle inventory in the U.S.
The index's May results show Kia reclaiming the top spot over Toyota. Before Toyota's triumph in April, Kia had been the consistent industry leader in inventory efficiency for more than a year, according to Rick Wainschel, Cloud Theory vice president for data science and analytics.
Cloud Theory, of Grand Rapids, Mich., is a software company that aims to provide comprehensive, updated efficiency data to help manufacturers make decisions about marketing and inventory distribution.
The company's "inventory efficiency index" assigns scores to vehicle makes based on active inventory and sales data in comparison with competitors. A score below 100 indicates supply is outstripping demand, while a score above 100 suggests the vehicle is selling more efficiently than average.
Toyota slid 7.3 points last month, to a score of 149.6, while Kia climbed 1.2, to 155. Kia's position was bolstered by the segment-leading crossover models Telluride and Sportage.
Lexus and Honda gained ground, scoring 147.8 and 143.4 last month, both improvements of more than six points over April. The two automakers also have been top contenders since the index began publishing rankings in March.
