Dealers across the UK saw the number of enquiries fall by 10.3% in December against the same month last year,
Lead management firm iTrackLEADS reported that test drives declined by 7% and sales of new and used vehicles by 13%.
IT said manufacturing delays and shortages of used stock continued to be an issue, with a 31% fall in vehicle handovers.
Adrian Favill, director of iTrackLEADS, said: “We close out 2022 with a month where the market continued to tighten for new and used vehicles.
“The number of enquiries is a good measure of consumer confidence and demand, and the overall trend is clearly heading downward.
“In this market, it’s more important than ever to ensure that every lead is responded to promptly and professionally. Test drives are an essential part of the sales process, and dealers are becoming more adept at putting buyers in vehicles to support sales conversion rates.”
iTrackLEADS is part of Mad Devs, a technology company that supports over 600 dealers across the UK.