CarGurus Expands “Big Deal” Brand Campaign, Introducing AI-Powered Dealership Mode™ and CarGurus Discover
Rhea-AI Summary
CarGurus (NASDAQ: CARG) expanded its “Big Deal” brand campaign on Feb 11, 2026, unveiling two AI-driven products: Dealership Mode in its top-downloaded app and CarGurus Discover search. The campaign runs across TV, CTV, digital, influencer, audio, and offline channels.
Dealership Mode uses location to tailor the app to a dealer lot, surfacing inventory, all-in price estimates, and AI pros/cons; CarGurus Discover lets shoppers describe priorities in natural language to receive curated matches from U.S. listings.
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Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
CARG was down 0.95% while key peers were mostly higher: ABG up 2.4%, DRVN up 1.61%, KAR up 0.64%, RUSHA up 0.08%, and SAH down 1.98%. Scanner momentum flagged LAD down 4.15% but no broad sector move, pointing to a stock-specific setup for this AI brand/product update.
Previous AI Reports
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 22 | AI innovation update | Positive | +1.5% | Outlined AI roadmap with Discover, Dealership Mode and dealer tools expansion. |
| Dec 09 | AI product launch | Positive | +4.8% | Launched PriceVantage AI pricing with stronger dealer engagement metrics. |
| Dec 03 | AI consumer study | Positive | +1.4% | Released survey on AI, omnichannel car shopping and buyer openness to AI. |
| Jun 09 | AI search rollout | Positive | +0.1% | Introduced AI conversational search to find and compare vehicles on platform. |
Prior AI-related announcements have all seen positive next-day moves, suggesting a history of constructive market reactions to CARG’s AI initiatives.
Recent history shows CarGurus leaning heavily into AI and data-driven innovation. Prior AI-tagged releases highlighted launches of AI car shopping experiences, the PriceVantage pricing tool, and consumer insights on AI adoption, with all four events producing positive moves between 0.13% and 4.83%. Today’s AI-powered campaign and product spotlight extends that narrative of scaling AI across shopper experience and dealer tools.
Historical Comparison
In the past 12 months, CARG issued 4 AI-tagged updates averaging a 1.97% positive move, indicating investors have generally rewarded its AI product and insight announcements.
AI initiatives progressed from launching conversational search, to publishing AI-focused consumer insights, to dealer pricing tools and a broader AI innovation roadmap, which this campaign further amplifies to shoppers and dealers.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement highlights CarGurus’ push to deepen its AI capabilities with Dealership Mode and CarGurus Discover, tying them into a broader “Big Deal” brand campaign. Historically, AI-related updates have coincided with constructive stock reactions and underscore a strategy centered on data-driven tools for shoppers and dealers. Investors may watch adoption trends, engagement metrics, and upcoming earnings on February 19, 2026 for evidence of financial impact.
Key Terms
ai-powered technical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Campaign underscores how the largest car shopping site in the U.S. helps shoppers find
the best deal on their big deal – now with cutting-edge products that empower research
and purchase decisions
BOSTON, Feb. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CarGurus, the No. 1 most visited automotive shopping site in the U.S.¹, today announced the expansion of its “Big Deal” brand campaign, a tribute to the financial and emotional decisions behind buying or selling a car. The newest product spots highlight CarGurus’ recently launched AI-powered innovations that make online research and comparison easier and more personalized, and help shoppers make more confident decisions at the dealership:
- Dealership ModeTM: Available in CarGurus’ No. 1-downloaded app2, Dealership Mode uses location data to tailor the CarGurus app to a specific dealership, helping shoppers navigate their options and make decisions the moment they step onto the lot. Dealership Mode enables shoppers to quickly browse lot inventory, access key car details, and compare options, using AI to highlight the pros and cons of each car and offer an unbiased recommendation. With these features, plus the ability to calculate all-in price estimates, Dealership Mode brings clarity and efficiency to a dealership visit. ™
For dealers, Dealership Mode provides more informed, ready-to-transact shoppers and keeps the focus on the dealer's inventory.
- CarGurus Discover: CarGurus’ new AI-powered search lets car shoppers describe what they want in their own words to research and compare options, and immediately see listings that match. Instead of having to figure out how needs translate into filters and specs, they just share priorities – like budget, lifestyle, or must-have features – and CarGurus Discover returns a curated list of options from the widest selection of new and used cars in the U.S.3
“CarGurus was founded to redefine the car shopping experience for consumers, bringing more transparency with data and technology,” said Dafna Sarnoff, CarGurus Chief Marketing Officer. “Now, as the No. 1 most visited car shopping site, we continue to invest in innovations that help consumers get their best deal with confidence, and enjoy the ‘big deal’ experience of finding a car you love. These new products directly address parts of the journey that our research shows shoppers find most challenging: deciding what kind of car to buy, finding the best available options for their needs, and negotiating a great deal.”
The second installment of the “Big Deal” campaign spotlighting the new products will run across TV networks and connected TV providers starting in early February. The campaign will also come to life in digital, influencer, audio, and offline activations throughout the year.
View the full campaign video library here: https://cargur.us/1l9T_X.
Creative Credits:
CarGurus
- Dafna Sarnoff, Chief Marketing Officer
- Evan Jones, Creative Director
- Allison Conroy, Brand Marketing Sr. Director
- Carli Riibner, Brand Marketing Manager
- Maggie Meluzio, Director of Public Relations
Creative and Production - Bindery
- Carter Collins, Partner, Managing Director
- Kim Devall, Executive Creative Director
- Laura Hockstad, Producer
- Chris Hilk, Editor
- Jess Stewart, Creative Director
Production - JOJX
- Director: Jake Dypka
- JOJX EPs: Jackson Morton, Joe Care, Sevasti Buford, Harry Joseph
- Line Producer: Becky Brown
- DP: Kai Saul
- Prod Designer / Art Director: Ian Pesta
Color - Color Collective
- Mike Howell, Colorist
- Claudia Guevara, Executive Producer
VFX & Animation - NoLabel
Sound - Loud Color
About CarGurus, Inc.
CarGurus (Nasdaq: CARG) is the leading multinational automotive platform helping consumers and dealers confidently buy and sell vehicles. Founded in 2006 with a mission to bring more trust and transparency to car shopping, CarGurus is the No. 1 visited automotive shopping site in the U.S.1 with the largest selection of inventory and network of dealers.3 CarGurus’ unmatched selection, trusted automotive insights, and data-driven products and solutions support each shopper’s journey — from online research and shopping to in-dealership decisions — to empower them at every step. And, by translating data from billions of monthly site interactions, CarGurus provides dealers a personalized, predictive intelligence platform with software solutions that helps them run their businesses more efficiently and profitably at all stages of inventory acquisition and pricing, marketing, and conversion to sale.
CarGurus operates online marketplaces in the U.S., U.K., and Canada. The company’s network of brands includes PistonHeads, the largest online motoring community in the U.K.4, and Autolist, a U.S.- based online marketplace.
To learn more about CarGurus, visit www.cargurus.com.
CarGurus® is a registered trademark of CarGurus, Inc.
All other product names, trademarks, and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
1Similarweb: Traffic and Engagement Report {Cars.com, Autotrader.com, TrueCar.com, CARFAX.com Listings (defined as CARFAX.com Total Visits minus Vehicle History Reports)), Q3 2025, U.S.
2Sensor Tower Data: #1 downloaded Automotive Marketplace & Retailers app across all active markets (US, CA, and UK) for the last eight consecutive quarters.
3Compared to Autotrader.com (YipitData July/August 2025), Cars.com, TrueCar.com (YipitData as of September 30, 2025), and CARFAX (Joreca as of September 30, 2025).
4Similarweb: Traffic Insights, Q3 2025, U.K.
Media Contact:
Maggie Meluzio
Director, Public Relations & External Communications
pr@cargurus.com
Investor Contact:
Kirndeep Singh
Vice President, Head of Investor Relations
investors@cargurus.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b9e9d503-38b4-4a6d-8b11-7a03f7fae289.
FAQ
What is Dealership Mode from CarGurus (CARG) and how does it work?
How does CarGurus Discover (CARG) improve car search compared to filters?
When and where will the expanded “Big Deal” campaign for CARG run?
Will Dealership Mode (CARG) benefit dealers and shoppers during lot visits?
Does CarGurus claim its app is a leading download and how is that relevant to CARG?
