Fullpath, an automotive AI and Customer Data Platform, on Feb. 24 released its Auto Intelligence Index for January 2026, an analysis of key automotive retail trends across its nationwide network of franchised dealerships.
The data reveals a fundamental shift in how consumers discover car buying opportunities online, uneven inventory supply recovery across brands, and diverging OEM investment strategies in early 2026.
Total traffic to dealer websites originating from generative AI platforms including ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, and Grok grew more than 15x year-over-year (YoY), underscoring a rapid shift in how shoppers are researching vehicle purchases. While total AI referrals dipped roughly 2% month-over-month (MoM) from December’s holiday-season peak, the long-term trend remains unmistakable.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT continues to hold the top spot as the most dominant traffic source among AI platforms, accounting for approximately 89% of all AI referrals, though its share has eased from a peak of nearly 95% last September as competitors gain ground. Notably, Google Gemini posted the strongest monthly surge, growing over 50% MoM to bring its share of AI traffic from 4% to 6.5% between December and January. Perplexity held a 4% share, down from nearly 19% just a year ago as the overall market expanded dramatically around ChatGPT, while Claude and Grok have established nascent footholds that did not exist in the twelve months prior.
Dealer website traffic showed healthy momentum across nearly every OEM group in the start of 2026. Stellantis led the pack with roughly 29% YoY and 18% MoM growth, marking the strongest performance on both measures. Hyundai and Honda continued to outpace the broader market with 34% and 23% YoY growth, respectively.
Dealership marketing budgets shifted meaningfully across OEMs, suggesting different strategic approaches heading into 2026. Toyota dealers implemented the most aggressive ramp-up with budget increases of roughly 24% MoM and 27% YoY, while Daimler (Mercedes-Benz) dealers posted the single largest monthly jump with an approximate 58% increase. Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) budgets more than doubled year-over-year from 2025 to 2026, reflecting an expanded commitment to digital investment.
“AI is quickly becoming the new front door to automotive retail,” said Aharon Horwitz, CEO & Co-founder of Fullpath. “A 15x increase in AI referral traffic in a single year isn’t just a trend, it signals a fundamental behavioral shift in how consumers begin their car-buying journey. At the same time, days supply tells you who holds leverage in the market. As inventory rebuilds unevenly across brands, pricing power, incentive strategy, and marketing investment will increasingly diverge. Dealers who monitor and align their digital strategy with real-time inventory conditions won’t just capture demand; they’ll protect margin in a more competitive environment.”
