Following the successful launch of its AI-powered search experience Carson, car shopping marketplace Cars.com Inc. on Nov. 20 released findings from its “AI in Car Shopping Consumer Survey,” 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.
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.
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.
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.”
