The Car Buying Journey has Become a Conversation…With AI 

AI-assisted shopping may still be relatively new, but car buyers are already using AI-powered tools to research vehicles, compare options, and gather information before visiting a dealership. According to Cox Automotive’s 2025 Car Buyer Journey report, 59% of buyers reported high satisfaction after using AI-powered tools during the shopping process.  

Key Findings From the Report:

• 19% of all buyers used AI tools before purchasing a vehicle  
• 25% of new-car buyers used AI tools during the shopping process  
• 83% of buyers believe AI will impact the future of car buying  

For dealerships, this shift creates new opportunities to connect with shoppers earlier in the buying process and deliver more personalized digital experiences. 

Which Car Buyers are Using AI?

So which members of your customer base are using ChatGPT to find their next ride?  Younger buyers who already use AI tools in everyday life are naturally more comfortable using them during large purchase decisions like buying a vehicle. Other core groups switching to AI car-buying research:

• Gen Z Shoppers
• Millennials
• Multicultural Buyers
• Households with Children

Why? Younger shoppers and busy households are turning to AI because it simplifies the research process, offers personalized feedback, and saves time.

How Are Car Shoppers Using AI?

As a sales consultant! Buyers are asking AI platforms detailed questions about vehicle comparisons, features, pricing, financing, and dealership recommendations.

But this behavior doesn’t add an extra step to the car-buying journey. It augments or replaces the extensive research phase that car buyers already do online. Now, instead of relying on traditional search engines, buyers are asking AI platforms direct questions and receiving customized answers. And most users still verify their answers online.

That shift makes Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) increasingly important alongside traditional SEO and advertising strategies.

How Should Dealerships Adjust for AI-Assisted Car Shopping?

Even as AI usage grows, traditional search behavior still dominates the automotive shopping journey. Dealerships should continue investing heavily in strong SEO strategies, quality website content, and visibility across traditional search engines.

At Strong Automotive, we help dealerships build digital strategies designed for how consumers shop today and how they’ll shop tomorrow. Through SEO, paid social, video, streaming, audience targeting, and AI-informed marketing strategies, we help dealers improve visibility across both traditional and emerging search experiences as consumer behavior continues to evolve.