Go Auto — one of Canada’s largest dealer networks — has expanded its footprint in Washington with the acquisition of three new dealership locations in Renton and Tacoma: Car Pros Hyundai Renton, Car Pros Kia Renton, and Car Pros Kia Tacoma, Go Auto announced last week.
The stores will now operate as Go Hyundai of Renton, Go Kia Renton, and Go Kia Tacoma, marking a major expansion into Washington for Go Auto, it said in a news release. The company in 2023 acquired Mercedes-Benz of Bellingham and Toyota of Bellingham, which were its first acquisitions outside Canada.
Terms of the Renton and Tacoma deals were not announced.
The three dealerships are recognized volume leaders in Washington. Car Pros Kia Tacoma ranks No. 1, Car Pros Kia Renton No. 2, and Car Pros Hyundai Renton No. 5 in Washington, according to a separate release today from Kerrigan Advisors, a sell-side adviser to auto dealers nationwide and which represented Car Pros Automotive Group, the 48th-largest U.S.-dealership group per Automotive News, in the sale of the Tacoma and Renton locations. Car Pros continues to operate its six Honda, Kia, BMW, and Mini franchises in Southern California, Kerrigan’s release said.
“We were honored to once again represent Matthew Phillips and the Car Pros team on this landmark transaction,” Ryan Kerrigan, managing director of Kerrigan Advisors, said in his company’s release. “Car Pros has built a dominant Kia and Hyundai presence in one of the most dynamic import markets in the country. These stores are exceptional, and we are confident these high-performing franchises will thrive as part of Go Auto’s growing U.S. platform.”
Founded in 1993 by Ken Phillips with a small used-car lot and two employees, Car Pros has grown under CEO Matthew Phillips into an organization with more than 700 employees and a track record of national success with the Kia and Hyundai brands, Kerrigan’s release said.
“I am so proud of our Car Pros teams who have helped our Washington dealerships achieve their leadership positions,” Matthew Phillips said in the release. “And, while I am confident the dealerships are in great hands with Go Auto, this sale is bittersweet. My dad, Ken Phillips, started selling cars in the '70s, establishing his first used car lot in downtown Tacoma in 1993, so our dealerships have deep roots in the communities they serve. We are profoundly grateful for the support we have received over the years, and for the dedicated employees whose hard work and heart shaped these stores. The Go Auto team shares the same Car Pros values and core principles — commitment to employees, customers, and community — and I wish them much success as they continue to grow their presence in Washington.”
Go Auto, based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, last week also said it acquired Jaguar Land Rover Royal Oak in Calgary, the company’s fourth Jaguar Land Rover location, and enhancing its footprint in Calgary.
The multimarket growth reflects Go Auto's continued momentum across North America, it said. Hyundai and Kia locations in Renton and Tacoma extend Go Auto's presence into dynamic new regions of Washington.
"We're thrilled to welcome these new stores and their incredible teams to the Go Auto family," Phil Abram, president of Go Auto, said in Go Auto’s release. "Expanding further into Washington state and adding another luxury location in Calgary are key elements of our strategic plan. As we move through 2025 and set our sights on 2026 and beyond, we're energized by the opportunities ahead to bring the Go Auto experience to even more customers. While this marks a major milestone in our growth journey, we're not done yet. Stay tuned for more to come before the year ends."
With Go Auto’s addition of Hyundai of Renton, Kia Renton, Kia Tacoma, and Jaguar Land Rover Royal Oak, it now operates 74 dealerships across North America, representing 30 leading automotive brands, it said. As a Deloitte Canada Best Managed Platinum Member, Go Auto said it’s recognized as a leading automotive retailer in Canada. The company said it’s equally committed to giving back, having donated more than $25 million to local charities.
Kerrigan Advisors is the leading sell-side advisor and thought partner to auto dealers nationwide. Since its founding in 2014, the firm has led the industry with the sale of more than 300 dealerships generating more than $10 billion in client proceeds, including two of the largest transactions in auto retail history – the sale of Jim Koons Automotive Companies to Asbury Automotive Group and Leith Automotive to Holman. The firm advises the industry’s leading dealership groups, enhancing value through the lifecycle of growing, operating and, when the time is right, selling their businesses. Led by a team of veteran industry experts with backgrounds in investment banking, private equity, accounting, finance and real estate, Kerrigan Advisors is the only firm in auto retail exclusively dedicated to sell-side advisory, providing its clients the assurance of a conflict-free approach.
Kerrigan Advisors monitors conditions in the buy/sell market and publishes an in-depth analysis each quarter in The Blue Sky Report®, the industry authority on dealership buy/sell market trends and valuations and includes Kerrigan Advisors’ signature blue sky charts, multiples and analysis for each franchise in the luxury and non-luxury segments. To download a preview of the report, click here. The firm also releases The Kerrigan Index™ comprised of the seven publicly traded auto retail companies with operations focused on the US market. The Kerrigan Auto Retail Index is designed to track dealership valuation trends, while also providing key insights into factors influencing auto retail. To access The Kerrigan Index™, click here. To read the 2024 Kerrigan Dealer Survey, click here. To read the 2025 Kerrigan OEM Survey, click here. Kerrigan Advisors also is the co-author of NADA’s Guide to Buying and Selling a Dealership.
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