Cochran, Morgan Advance in 2018 Top 150 Dealer Rankings
Acquisitions helped #1 Cochran Automotive and Morgan Auto improve their positions in Automotive News’ most recent list of the nation’s biggest auto retailers, but the top 10 remain entrenched.
Rob Cochran is the owner of #1 Cochran Automotive. The Monroeville, Pa.-based company took the biggest leap in Automotive News’ latest rankings of the Top 150 Dealership Groups, climbing 22 spots to No. 71.
DETROIT — Automotive News has released its annual rankings of America’s Top 150 Dealership Groups. Among the big gainers are #1 Cochran Automotive of Western Pennsylvania, which acquired three dealerships and increased sales by 31% in 2018, and Central Florida’s Morgan Auto Group, which added eight stores and grew sales by a list-leading 35%.
Cochran moved up 22 places to No. 71 on the list and Morgan broke into the top 25, climbing 11 spots to No. 24. Westwood, Mass.-based Prime Automotive Group, which moved up 53 places to No. 13 in 2017, advanced to No. 11 last year. But the top 10 are unchanged, albeit with some reshuffling:
AutoNation Inc.
Penske Automotive Group
Lithia Motors Inc. (No. 4 in 2017)
Group 1 Automotive Inc. (No. 3 in 2017)
Sonic Automotive Inc.
Hendrick Automotive Group
Asbury Automotive Group Inc.
Larry H. Miller Dealerships (No. 9 in 2017)
Ken Garff Automotive Group (No. 8 in 2017)
Staluppi Auto Group
Groups that fell in the new rankings include Ken Page Auto Group (down 30 spots to No. 66), Car Pros Automotive Group (down 28 to No. 84), and Piercey Automotive Group (down 19 to No. 68). Reagor Dykes Auto Group of Texas and California’s Momentum Auto Group were ranked in the top 150 in 2017 but did not appear on the new list after facing major operational issues last year.
Among the biggest retailers who declined to answer the Automotive News survey are Berkshire Hathaway Automotive and the parent company of the group owned by Florida dealer Terry Taylor. Berkshire Hathaway acquired the Van Tuyl Group in 2014, when it was ranked No. 5 in the nation.
To read the Automotive News report in its entirety, click here.
Originally posted on Auto Dealer Today
More Industry
Badger State Dealership Gets New Owner
The longtime southern Wisconsin store moved from one area auto group to another, keeping the business in Dairyland.
Read More →
The Cycle of Negative Equity
Third-quarter data shows consumers still rolling over debt and stretching loan terms, raising their risk of remaining underwater.
Read More →
Charger Network Growth Slows
Despite a projected increase in public EV chargers in 2026, charging infrastructure remains a top concern for consumers as the gap between the most and least EV-friendly places remains substantial.
Read More →
Lenders, Consumers Take on More Auto Loan Risk
September records loosened credit access the most in over a decade as buyers took advantage of the conditions to afford trading, though loan applications fell.
Read More →
Next-Gen Hybrids in Sight
Dealerships can expect to see revamped hybrids from Honda next year as the company rolls out a new system and model lineup.
Read More →
Gem State Stores Change Hands
A larger auto group founded in the industry’s early years sold two franchises to a neighbor group that's on a growth spurt.
Read More →
Charging In Motion
Honda has been researching wireless in-motion charging for electric vehicles since 2025, and new technology developments have put it a step closer to a final product.
Read More →
Twin Cities Stores Sell
Minnesota-based Walser Automotive Group made what it called the most significant acquisition in its history with a three-rooftop deal in Minneapolis.
Read More →
U.S. Auto Sales Still Below Prepandemic Levels
Mobility Global industry observers don’t expect the market to return to the higher volumes that became routine before Covid but to stay well below its potential.
Read More →
The Powertrain Shift
Electric-vehicle owners are backpedaling, according to new data, with product availability driving many to shift back to gas-powered engines.
Read More →