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Total equity Beginning balance Ending balance Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest Aggregate Grant Date Fair Value of Equity Award Amounts Reported in Summary Compensation Table Aggregate Grant Date Fair Value of Equity Award Amounts Reported in Summary Compensation Table [Member] Debt instrument, number of manufacturer-affiliated finance companies Debt Instrument, Number Of Manufacturer Affiliated Finance Companies Debt Instrument, Number Of Manufacturer Affiliated Finance Companies Principal payments on non-recourse notes payable Repayments of Notes Payable Currency translation Financing Receivable, Excluding Accrued Interest, Allowance for Credit Loss, Foreign Currency Translation Gain (Loss) LAD Auto Receivables Trust 2023-4 Class A-D Auto Receivables Trust 2023-4 Class A-D [Member] Auto Receivables Trust 2023-4 Class A-D Business Combination [Line Items] Business Combination [Line Items] Net periodic benefit Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Credit) LAD Auto Receivables Trust 2024-3 Class A-D LAD Auto Receivables Trust 2024-3 Class A-D [Member] LAD Auto Receivables Trust 2024-3 Class A-D Aggregate Pension Adjustments Service Cost Aggregate Pension Adjustments Service Cost [Member] Change in provision due to net charge-offs Increase (Decrease) In Financing Receivable, Excluding Accrued Interest, Credit Loss Expense (Reversal) Increase (Decrease) In Financing Receivable, Excluding Accrued Interest, Credit Loss Expense (Reversal) Loan receivable on non-accrual status, percent (less than) Financing Receivable, Nonaccrual, Percent Past Due Proceeds from issuance of common stock Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss [Table] Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss [Table] Common stock, authorized (in shares) Common Stock, Shares Authorized Accounts receivables, net Business Combination, Recognized Asset Acquired, Receivable, Current Accounts receivable, net Increase (Decrease) in Accounts and Other Receivables Exercise Price Award Exercise Price Used vehicles Used Vehicle [Member] Used vehicle [member] Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] Segment Reporting [Line Items] Segment Reporting [Line Items] Authorized repurchase amount Share Repurchase Program, Authorized, Amount Net income attributable to Lithia Motors, Inc. Business Combination, Pro Forma Information, Pro Forma Income (Loss), after Tax Document Quarterly Report Document Quarterly Report Weighted average per share fair value of non-vested shares that vested during the period (in dollars per share) Share-Based Compensation Arrangement by Share-Based Payment Award, Per Share Weighted Average Price of Shares Purchased Year-over-Year Change in Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted in Prior Years That are Outstanding and Unvested Year-over-Year Change in Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted in Prior Years That are Outstanding and Unvested [Member] Segments [Domain] Segments [Domain] Borrowings (repayments) on floor plan notes payable, net: non-trade (Repayments) Borrowings On Floor Plan Notes Payable, Net: Non-Trade The net change during the reporting period in vehicle floorplan payable-non-trade due by the reporting entity. Municipal securities US States and Political Subdivisions Debt Securities [Member] Proceeds from sale of AFS securities Proceeds from Sale of Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale 2023 Financing Receivable, Excluding Accrued Interest, Year Four, Originated, Three Years before Current Fiscal Year, Writeoff DEBT Debt Disclosure [Text Block] Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents [Axis] Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents [Axis] LAD Auto Receivables Trust 2022-1 Class C Auto Receivables Trust 2022-1 Class C [Member] Auto Receivables Trust 2022-1 Class C Floor plan notes payable Floor plan notes payable Floor Plan, Notes Payable The amount of notes payable attributable to the floor plan. 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Basis spread on variable rate (as a percent) Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate New vehicle floor plan New Vehicle Inventory Floorplan Financing [Member] New Vehicle Inventory Floorplan Financing Long-term debt Debt Excluding Notes Payable [Member] Debt Excluding Notes Payable City Area Code City Area Code Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) AOCI Attributable to Parent [Member] All Individuals All Individuals [Member] LAD Auto Receivables Trust 2024-2 Class A-D LAD Auto Receivables Trust 2024-2 Class A-D [Member] LAD Auto Receivables Trust 2024-2 Class A-D Amortization of operating lease right-of-use assets Operating Lease, Right-of-Use Asset, Periodic Reduction Finance receivables, net of allowance for credit losses of $153.4 and $143.7 Finance receivables, net Financing Receivable, Excluding Accrued Interest, after Allowance for Credit Loss, Noncurrent Change in provision due to net charge-offs Percent Change In Financing Receivable, Excluding Accrued Interest, Credit Loss Expense (Reversal) Percent Change In Financing Receivable, Excluding Accrued Interest, Credit Loss Expense (Reversal) Dividends paid Payments of Dividends Name Forgone Recovery, Individual Name Marketable securities Restricted Cash, Fair Value Disclosure Restricted Cash, Fair Value Disclosure Commitments and Contingencies Commitments and Contingencies, Policy [Policy Text Block] Non-GAAP Measure Description Non-GAAP Measure Description [Text Block] LAD Auto Receivables Trust 2026-2 Class A-C LAD Auto Receivables Trust 2026-2 Class A-C [Member] LAD Auto Receivables Trust 2026-2 Class A-C Recourse Status [Domain] Recourse Status [Domain] Statement [Line Items] Statement [Line Items] Total assets Assets Floor plan interest expense Floor plan interest expense Floor Plan Interest Expense Interest expense incurred on vehicle floorplan payable trade and non-trade outstanding during the period. Interest expense Interest Expense, Operating Finance lease obligations assumed Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed, Finance Lease Obligations Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed, Finance Lease Obligations Operating segments Operating Segments [Member] Total Net Gains Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax Issuance of stock in connection with employee stock purchase plans Stock Issued During Period, Value, Employee Stock Purchase Plan Reductions from impairments Intangible Asset, Excluding Goodwill, Indefinite-Lived, Impairment Loss PEO PEO [Member] Cash and Cash Equivalents [Domain] Cash and Cash Equivalents [Domain] 3.875% Senior notes due 2029 Senior Notes Due 2029 [Member] Senior Notes Due 2029 Other long-term liabilities Other Liabilities, Noncurrent Goodwill Beginning balance Ending balance Goodwill Inventories, net Business Combination, 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Payable Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code Aggregate Erroneous Compensation Not Yet Determined Aggregate Erroneous Compensation Not Yet Determined [Text Block] Material Terms of Trading Arrangement Material Terms of Trading Arrangement [Text Block] Non-NEOs Non-NEOs [Member] 2024 Acquisitions 2024 Acquisition [Member] 2024 Acquisition Vesting Date Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted and Vested in Covered Year Vesting Date Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted and Vested in Covered Year [Member] Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss [Roll Forward] Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss [Roll Forward] INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Text Block] Comprehensive income Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest Debt Instrument [Axis] Debt Instrument [Axis] Ownership percentage Equity Method 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