Understanding the Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index
What is the Manheim Index?
The Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index (MUVVI) is a monthly measure of wholesale used-vehicle prices in the United States. Published by Cox Automotive, the index is based on more than 5 million used-vehicle transactions per year at Manheim — the world's largest wholesale auto auction company. Because it captures real sale prices rather than listing prices, the Manheim Index is considered the most accurate barometer of wholesale used-car market conditions.How is the index calculated?
The Manheim Index uses a hedonic regression model — a statistical method that adjusts for differences in vehicle mix across time periods. Each month's index value controls for changes in the make, model, age, mileage, and condition of vehicles sold. This means the index isolates pure price movement rather than reflecting shifts toward cheaper or more expensive vehicles. The base period is January 1995, set to 100.Why does the Manheim Index matter?
Wholesale used-car prices feed directly into consumer prices. The Manheim Index is a leading indicator for the used cars and trucks component of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which the Bureau of Labor Statistics uses to measure inflation. Analysts at the Federal Reserve, investment banks, and insurance companies watch the Manheim Index to forecast inflationary pressure, auto loan performance, and residual value risk. When the Manheim Index moves, CPI used-car prices tend to follow within one to two months.How to use this data
The Manheim Index is most useful when compared against its own history — month-over-month and year-over-year trends reveal whether the wholesale market is tightening or softening. Pair it with new-vehicle incentive data and consumer credit metrics for a complete picture of automotive market health. CMD+RVL's Signals platform overlays the Manheim Index with related economic indicators to surface cross-market context automatically.