Overview
New research from Cox Automotive shows car-buyer satisfaction at a record high, driven by faster transactions, broader use of digital tools, and early adoption of artificial intelligence. Total shopping and purchase time fell to just under 14 hours, with notable gains for new-vehicle buyers.
Key Findings
- 76% of new-vehicle buyers were highly satisfied with their dealership experience (record high).
- Total time to shop and purchase: just under 14 hours (~20 minutes faster than 2024).
- New-car buyers spent nearly 2 fewer hours researching online and visited fewer websites.
- Time in-store for new-car buyers dropped by almost 30 minutes, with less idle time.
Omnichannel and Digital Behavior
- 44% of new-car buyers used a hybrid (online + in-store) path in 2025.
- “Mostly digital” buyers (over half of steps online) saved an average of 41 minutes at the dealership compared with less-digital peers.
Financing and Insurance Gaps
Consumer preferences to complete financing and insurance online outpace current behavior, signaling room to digitize the most time-consuming steps.
- Selecting F&I products online: 24-point gap (preference vs. actual).
- Applying for financing online: 15-point gap.
- Receiving financing qualification online: 14-point gap.
Affordability Pressures
- 62% say owning or leasing is becoming too expensive (vehicle prices, fuel, and insurance are top concerns).
- Households earning $150,000+ made up 42% of new-vehicle purchases in 2025 (up from 29% in 2020).
External Factors
- 1 in 3 new-vehicle buyers accelerated purchases due to tariff concerns, especially among luxury and import shoppers.
AI Adoption and Impact
- 19% of all buyers used AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT or AI-powered search); among new-car buyers, usage rises to 25%.
- Among “mostly digital” buyers, AI users showed higher satisfaction:
- Overall shopping satisfaction: 84% vs. 71% (non-AI users).
- Felt they got a good deal: 81% vs. 67%.
- Satisfied with process length: 81% vs. 65%.
- Dealers: 63% say AI investment is critical long term; 83% of consumers expect AI to affect car buying within a decade.
Implications
- Omnichannel is entrenched; shifting more steps online continues to shorten store time and lift satisfaction.
- Digitizing F&I can unlock major efficiency and transparency gains, addressing two persistent pain points.
- Affordability constraints are concentrating new-vehicle sales among higher-income households, even as experience improves.
- AI already boosts outcomes for digital-first shoppers; dealer investment will likely focus on embedding AI into research, pricing clarity, and financing workflows.
What’s Next
The next phase centers on closing late-stage digital gaps—especially financing and insurance—and using AI to strengthen transparency and trust. Progress here will determine whether time savings extend to the most complex parts of the deal.
