Cars.com Survey Reveals AI's Growing Influence on Car Shopping: 97% of AI Users Say it Will Impact Purchase Decisions and Almost Half Have Already Leveraged the Tech for Car Shopping

Rhea-AI Summary

Cars.com (NYSE:CARS) released survey results on Nov 20, 2025 showing AI's growing role in car shopping. Key findings: 44% of consumers use AI-powered search tools, 97% say AI will influence purchase decisions, and Carson currently assists ~15% of web and mobile searches. Carson users return 2x more, save 3x more vehicles and generate 2x more leads. The survey fielded Nov 4–10, 2025 with 936 responses; a prior July study had 347 respondents. The release highlights consumer trust levels, time-savings, desire for personal AI assistants, and concerns about biased recommendations, while noting Cars.com’s high citation rate across third-party AI tools.

Positive

• 44% of consumers use AI-powered car search tools
• 97% of AI users say AI will influence purchase decisions
• Carson handles ~15% of web and mobile searches on Cars.com
• Carson users return 2x more and save 3x more vehicles
• Carson-generated interactions produce 2x more leads

Negative

• 63% of shoppers worry AI might recommend cars in a biased manner
• Only 30% of users say AI delivers a satisfactory final answer

New Cars.com Research Shows 44% of Consumers Opt to Use AI-powered Car Search Tools 

CHICAGO, Nov. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Following the successful launch of its AI-powered search experience Carson™, car shopping marketplace Cars.com Inc. (NYSE: CARS) today released findings from its "AI in Car Shopping Consumer Survey¹," revealing that AI is transforming how Americans shop for vehicles. The survey, conducted among in-market shoppers and recent vehicle buyers, demonstrates strong consumer confidence in AI technology, with 44% of consumers opting to use AI-powered car search tools on marketplaces like Cars.com to shop for a car.

"These survey results confirm what we're seeing with Carson's performance on our marketplace," said Matt McDonald, Senior Director of Product Management at Cars.com Inc. "Car shoppers aren't treating AI as a novelty — they're using it as a trusted co-pilot in their research. When 97% of consumers say AI will influence their purchase decision, it's clear we're entering a new era of discovery in auto retail."

With the rise of AI in car shopping, Cars.com continues to support car shoppers on and off site through its leading editorial and brand expertise. According to third party data from Semrush, Cars.com is the most cited public automotive marketplace across AI tools like Google AI Overviews and ChatGPT, with double the citations of its closest peer.²

Finding a Good Fit at a Fair Price, Faster
The survey found that about three-quarters of AI users (73%) say it's a time-saver to have AI turn conversational queries into targeted search results during the car research process, but two-thirds want even more: an AI-powered personal car shopping assistant. AI tools are most frequently used to identify and compare models matching shopper needs, find price estimates or answer a direct question about a vehicle, such as its record of reliability. And while 59% of users consider it a starting point for further research, 30% find that AI delivers a satisfactory final answer.

A Source of Confidence
Overall, 71% of respondents have at least a moderate amount of trust in AI tools to provide unbiased and accurate vehicle information, but the survey also revealed important insights about consumer preferences. While about half of regular AI users indicate they are comfortable with AI recommending a specific car and price – and only 22% say they would double-check AI's findings – 63% of shoppers expressed concern that AI tools might recommend cars in a biased manner, underscoring the importance of transparency and verified data sources. For two-thirds of shoppers, the most trusted resources for objective and unbiased information are car shopping and review sites like Cars.com.

After the AI Search
Once initial questions are answered on AI tools such as Cars.com's Carson, shoppers are most likely (41%) to visit a cited dealer or manufacturer's website next. When the vehicle search has narrowed and they take their AI-researched recommendations to the lot, at least 64% of consumers said they would be open to additional vehicle recommendations directly from a salesperson. However, when research and shopping turn into imminent purchase, the majority of shoppers prefer to transition from AI tools to direct dealer interaction for budget and financing.

"A car purchase is still one of the most significant financial decisions consumers make, and they want technology that helps them navigate complexity while maintaining control," McDonald said. "AI tools like Carson are designed to do exactly that – simplify the search process, provide trustworthy recommendations based on verified data and seamlessly connect shoppers with dealerships when they're ready to move forward."

Carson's Initial Impact
Since its launch, Carson has demonstrated strong engagement metrics, with users returning to Cars.com 2x more than other shoppers, saving 3x more vehicles, and generating 2x more leads³. Carson currently assists approximately 15% of web and mobile web searches on Cars.com⁴ and continues to evolve with new features including AI summaries, search refinement prompts and personalized comparisons.

Cars.com has solidified a position at the forefront of automotive innovation and promised a more efficient, intelligent and user-friendly experience for consumers, automotive brands and dealerships.

For more information about Carson and to experience AI-powered car shopping, visit Cars.com.

Cars.com Usage of AI in Car Shopping Consumer Survey Methodology
The insights shared in this press release, unless otherwise noted, are from the Cars.com "AI in Car Shopping Consumer Survey." An online survey was sent to the Cars.com Consumer Community, the "Driver's Seat," as well as a sample of general population in-market car shoppers or recent car buyers that have used AI. The purpose of the survey was to understand how AI is used in the car shopping process and identify areas of opportunity for product development. The survey fielded from November 4-10, 2025 and received 936 responses.

Data was also used from a Cars.com study with in-market and recent car shoppers regarding general attitudes toward AI, levels of trust toward AI in various scenarios, and how trust may change across different touch points within the car shopping journey. The second study included 347 respondents and fielded from July 11-28, 2025.

¹ Cars.com "AI in Car Shopping Consumer Survey" fielded in the Cars.com Driver's Seat Consumer Community, November 4-10, 2025 (936 respondents) and Cars.com General Attitudes Towards AI Survey fielded in the Cars.com Driver's Seat Consumer Community, July 11-28, 2025 (347 respondents).
²Aggregated citation volume across ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Google AI Mode. Comparing Cars.com, Edmunds, Autotrader, CarGurus, KBB, Carfax, TrueCar, Carvana, and Carmax. Semrush, September 2025.
³ Cars.com data, October 2025
⁴ Cars.com Inc. Q3 2025 Earnings Report

ABOUT CARS.COM^®
Cars.com  is the No. 1 most recognized automotive marketplace. Launched in 1998 and headquartered in Chicago, Cars.com empowers shoppers with the data, resources and digital tools needed to make informed buying decisions and seamlessly connect with automotive retailers. Cars.com is the flagship offering from Cars.com Inc. (d/b/a Cars Commerce), an audience-driven technology company empowering automotive that simplifies everything about buying and selling cars.

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SOURCE Cars.com Inc.

FAQ

What did Cars.com (CARS) report about consumer use of AI on Nov 20, 2025?

Cars.com reported 44% of consumers use AI-powered car search tools and 97% say AI will influence purchase decisions.

How much of Cars.com search traffic does Carson (CARS) currently assist?

Cars.com says Carson assists approximately 15% of web and mobile searches.

What engagement improvements did Cars.com (CARS) attribute to Carson?

Cars.com reported Carson users return 2x more, save 3x more vehicles, and generate 2x more leads.

How many respondents participated in Cars.com's Nov 2025 AI survey (CARS)?

The survey fielded Nov 4–10, 2025 received 936 responses.

What consumer concerns did Cars.com (CARS) find about AI recommendations?

The survey found 63% of shoppers expressed concern that AI tools might recommend cars in a biased manner.

After using AI tools like Carson, where do shoppers typically go next according to Cars.com (CARS)?

About 41% of shoppers next visit a cited dealer or manufacturer's website; most prefer dealer interaction for budget and financing.