Meet "Carson™": Cars.com's New AI Engine for Car Shopping

Rhea-AI Summary

Cars.com (NYSE: CARS) on November 6, 2025 launched Carson™, a multilingual AI search engine that converts conversational queries into targeted vehicle results to simplify filter-driven shopping.

Early performance metrics reported: Carson handles ~15% of web searches, users return 2x more, save 3x more vehicles, generate 2x more leads, and show a ~30% higher conversion from search results to vehicle detail pages. Carson surfaces Cars.com Award winners and understands practical, emotional, lifestyle and specific automotive queries. Planned enhancements include AI summaries, refinement prompts, filter suggestions and personalized comparisons.

Positive

• 15% of web searches now assisted by Carson
• Users return 2x more after using Carson
• Users save 3x more vehicles when using Carson
• Carson users generate 2x more leads
• ~30% higher conversion from search to vehicle detail pages

Negative

• None.

Cars.com Leverages AI to Help its 25 Million Monthly Shoppers¹ Find the Perfect Car

CHICAGO, Nov. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Car shopping marketplace Cars.com Inc. (NYSE: CARS) today announced the launch of Carson™, a new multilingual AI-powered search experience that converts conversational queries into targeted search results, eliminating the need for complex filter-based navigation, helping undecided shoppers navigate between brands and lifestyle decisions. Carson is also inspiring deeper engagement from car shoppers.

Early performance results show:

• Strong Usage: Carson currently assists approximately 15% of web and mobile web searches on Cars.com.¹
• Increased Repeat Visitation: Consumers using Carson return to Cars.com 2x more than other shoppers.²
• More Vehicles Saves: Consumers using Carson save 3x more vehicles than other shoppers.²
• Higher Conversion: Consumers using Carson have a nearly 30% higher rate of conversion from Search Results Pages to Vehicle Detail Pages.²
• Increased Leads: Generates 2x more leads compared to other shoppers.²

"AI has the opportunity to speed and enhance car shopping and selling," said Matt McDonald, Senior Director of Product Management at Cars.com Inc. "Cars.com is seeing record traffic on our marketplace this year² and we aim to deliver the best online experience that helps car buyers connect with dealerships and brands and find what they're looking for quickly. Carson is a great example of our commitment to leveraging the latest technology to simplify complex processes within the automotive industry, vastly improve the car shopping experience and deliver more value to our partners."

More than 70% of Cars.com shoppers report that they are undecided about make and model when they start the shopping process³. Carson now offers an additional way to search by allowing natural language queries such as, "I need something reliable for my family of 5 that won't break the bank" or "Great deal on a used truck under $30k that can tow." Once prompted, Carson immediately delivers results, including relevant information about Cars.com Award winners from annual proprietary reports such as Best Of Awards and American-Made Index–something that's impossible with traditional search.

So, what are consumers searching for?

The "Top AI searches on Cars.com" since the launch of Carson include:

1. Practical Searches: Shoppers are prompting Carson with practical needs such as "reliable" or "safe" or "high resale."
2. Emotional Searches: Shoppers are prompting Carson with emotional needs such as "cool" or "flashy" or "fast."
3. Lifestyle Searches: Shoppers are prompting Carson with lifestyle needs such as "good for a new teen driver" or "fit my family and dog."
4. Specific Searches: Shoppers are prompting Carson with specific needs such as "c6 vette" and using other automotive lingo that Carson understands.

Carson will continue to evolve, soon providing shoppers with AI summaries that include search refinement prompts, suggestions on which filters to use and personalized options and comparisons for each user. Carson is just one of the new AI-powered offerings coming from Cars.com and its parent company, Cars Commerce, solidifying its position at the forefront of automotive innovation, promising a more efficient, intelligent, and user-friendly experience for automotive brands, dealerships and consumers.

¹ Cars.com Inc. Q3 2025 Earnings Report 
² Cars.com data, October 2025
³ Cars.com Consumer Metrics Survey, Q3 2025

ABOUT CARS.COM^®
Cars.com  is the No. 1 most recognized automotive marketplace visited by more than 26 million in-market consumers each month. 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 is Carson from Cars.com (CARS) and when did it launch?

Carson is a multilingual AI search engine launched on November 6, 2025 to convert conversational queries into targeted vehicle results.

How much of Cars.com web search traffic does Carson handle (CARS)?

Early results show Carson currently assists approximately 15% of web and mobile web searches on Cars.com.

What engagement improvements has Cars.com reported for Carson (CARS)?

Cars.com reports Carson users return 2x more, save 3x more vehicles, and generate 2x more leads versus other shoppers.

Does Carson improve conversion on Cars.com (CARS)?

Yes — Carson users show a reported ~30% higher conversion from Search Results Pages to Vehicle Detail Pages.

What kinds of queries does Carson on Cars.com understand (CARS)?

Carson handles practical, emotional, lifestyle and specific automotive queries such as reliability needs, family fit, or model shorthand.

What features will Carson add next on Cars.com (CARS)?

Planned enhancements include AI summaries with search-refinement prompts, filter suggestions, and personalized comparisons for each user.