Omnichannel and AI help drive higher car buyer satisfaction

On the Dash:

• Car buyer satisfaction is rising, driven by omnichannel flexibility and faster, more efficient experiences.
• Omnichannel retail saves buyers time, but gaps remain between what consumers want to do online and what they can complete digitally.
• AI tools are improving research and satisfaction, while affordability remains the biggest concern for most car shoppers.

The car-buying journey is becoming more enjoyable, with more customers reporting smoother, more pleasant experiences. Seventy-one percent of customers who recently purchased a vehicle said they were “highly satisfied” with their experience, according to Cox Automotive’s Car Buyer Journey. That increase was driven primarily by the flexibility enabled by omnichannel experiences and by growing AI adoption, both of which improve efficiency and speed.

Overall, car buyer satisfaction rose from the prior year, and only 6% of customers said their most recent purchase was worse than previous ones. Satisfaction was highest among new-vehicle buyers. Seventy-six percent reported high satisfaction, marking the strongest result in the survey’s 16-year history.

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The versatility of omnichannel retail continues to play a central role in that improvement. Most consumers (63%) said they prefer a flexible shopping experience that blends online steps with in-person interactions. Fully digital purchases remain limited, however. Only 7% of customers bought a vehicle entirely online, though more than a quarter (28%) said they would like to do so in the future.

One of the biggest benefits of the omnichannel retail is time savings. On average, the survey found that shoppers who completed steps online saved roughly 41 minutes at the dealership compared to all-in-store experiences.

Despite that progress, gaps remain between what consumers want and what they experience. Nearly half (48%) of customers expressed interest in applying for credit online, but only 33% actually did. Similarly, 40% said they would like to select financing and insurance products online, yet just 16% completed that step digitally.

AI adoption is still emerging, but it shows promise for enhancing the shopping experience. About one-quarter of buyers used artificial intelligence at some point during their car-buying journey. Among those users, 64% used AI primarily for vehicle research. Satisfaction levels were higher among those shoppers, with 58% reporting high satisfaction across all aspects of their experience. Looking ahead, 83% of consumers believe AI-powered technology will change how they purchase vehicles over the next decade.

Affordability, however, remains a persistent challenge. With average new-vehicle prices hovering above $50,000, 62% said owning or leasing a vehicle is becoming too expensive. Seventy percent cited vehicle prices as their biggest financial concern, followed by fuel prices at 60% and insurance costs at 57%.

As digital tools and AI continue to reshape the customer journey, data suggests that convenience and transparency are driving higher satisfaction, while cost pressures remain a critical hurdle. Dealers who close the gap between customer expectations and execution, particularly in digital financing and AI-enabled tools, will be better positioned to improve customer experiences.