Summary
Artificial intelligence is now central to the early stages of car shopping, helping consumers narrow choices and get quick answers, while dealerships remain essential for financing and closing transactions. Cars.com reports growing engagement with AI features such as summaries and model comparisons, reflecting demand for speed, convenience, and personalization.
Key stats
- 44% of respondents have used AI-powered search tools for vehicle shopping.
- 97% say AI will influence future purchase decisions.
- About 73% of AI users report time savings from turning broad prompts into focused results.
- 63% are concerned about potential bias in AI recommendations.
- Trust is moderate, with 71% expressing at least some confidence in AI outputs.
- 41% move to dealer or manufacturer websites after narrowing choices with AI.
How shoppers use AI
- Research vehicles and compare models.
- Get quick price estimates and answers to targeted questions.
- Seek personalization: two-thirds want an AI assistant that tailors recommendations to budget, preferences, and use cases.
Trust and limits
Shoppers value AI’s speed but want validation. Concerns about bias and a desire for vetted information keep established review and car-shopping sites in the loop. AI is acting as a front-end filter rather than a replacement for expert advice.
Behavior across the funnel
- AI’s influence is strongest at the start of the process for discovery and shortlisting.
- After narrowing options, many shoppers transition to brand/dealer sites for details, financing, and final decisions.
- Dealerships remain the preferred channel for financing, trade-ins, and confirming final details.
Insights from Cars.com platform engagement
Users engaging with AI-assisted search spend more time researching and save more listings, indicating deeper consideration of options. Cars.com is expanding AI summaries and comparison tools to simplify complex decisions and shorten the path to a short list.
Implications for dealers and automakers
- Maintain consistent, accurate, up-to-date data across AI tools, listing sites, and dealership pages.
- Expect better-informed shoppers and streamline the handoff from online research to in-store or digital retailing flows.
- Provide transparent pricing and clear trim/feature comparisons to match AI-shaped expectations.
- Explore personalized shopping assistance that aligns with customer priorities (budget, safety, fuel type, cargo needs).
- Train staff to address final-mile questions and financing with clarity and speed.
Bottom line
AI is becoming a standard research companion, accelerating discovery and personalization. Yet human expertise, third-party validation, and dealership support remain critical for financing and final purchase decisions—pointing to a durable hybrid journey from AI-assisted research to human-led closing.
