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US Automotive Dealerships - PPC Market Share Analysis May 2026

Leveraging Adthena’s Whole Market View, this analysis explores recent trends in Google Ads for the US Dealerships category from the last month. Our Data Analyst, Ask Arlo provides commentary on key findings.

Dealerships – US

Google AI Overview visibility for Automotive Dealerships US

See how often AIOs appear and how search intent is distributed across buying signals.

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AIO Frequency

How often a Google AI overview appears on search terms relevant to this category.

Frequency Percentage
Frequency 19.8241753566
80.1758246434
19%

Complex Query Frequency

A complex query is a longer, more detailed search that often contains multiple keywords, specific conditions, or multi-part questions.

Frequency Percentage
Frequency 45
55
45%

Search Intent Distribution

Breakdown of search queries by their underlying goal.

Intent Distribution
Investigational 11%
Transactional 42%
Navigational 1%
Seasonal 0%
Local 8%
Problem Solving 8%

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Market Exposure

Share of Clicks for top 10 US Automotive Dealerships brands

Here are the Top 10 competitors in the industry by Share of Clicks for the last month.

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Share of Clicks - Last month
Share of Clicks - Last month
Domain Share of clicks
cargurus.com 19.9
autotrader.com 11.81
carvana.com 11.22
carmax.com 9.87
cars.com 4.74
carfax.com 4.66
bmwusa.com 1.49
autonation.com 1.48
enterprisecarsales.com 1.09
carbravo.com 1.06
others 32.68
  • cargurus.com - 19.9%
  • autotrader.com - 11.81%
  • carvana.com - 11.22%
  • carmax.com - 9.87%
  • cars.com - 4.74%
  • carfax.com - 4.66%
  • bmwusa.com - 1.49%
  • autonation.com - 1.48%
  • enterprisecarsales.com - 1.09%
  • carbravo.com - 1.06%
  • others - 32.68%

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In the automotive PPC landscape, Cargurus leads with 19.9% click share, followed by Autotrader at 11.81%. Others collectively dominate with 32.68%, highlighting diverse competition.

Market Exposure

Share of Spend for the top 10 US Automotive Dealerships brands

Curious about your market position? Here you can see the Top 10 competitors in the industry by Share of Spend for the last month. 

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Share of Spend - Last Month
Share of Spend - Last Month
Date cargurus.com carvana.com carmax.com cars.com autotrader.com carbravo.com chevrolet.com carfax.com drivetime.com autonation.com
2026/05/01 8.15% 15.75% 10.94% 3.48% 3.57% 0.36% 0.72% 4.6% 1.75% 2.04%
2026/05/02 7.87% 16.27% 10.63% 3.17% 4.13% 0.43% 0.75% 5.05% 2.35% 1.87%
2026/05/03 8.58% 16.06% 9.37% 2.99% 4.17% 0.33% 0.93% 4.12% 2.77% 2.5%
2026/05/04 8.36% 16.78% 9.8% 3.35% 4.16% 0.35% 1.03% 3.65% 2.87% 1.81%
2026/05/05 8.09% 16.83% 9.81% 4.07% 4.22% 0.95% 1.03% 2.37% 1.91% 1.93%
2026/05/06 7.27% 17.12% 9.58% 4.73% 4.6% 0.88% 0.73% 2.63% 2.16% 1.98%
2026/05/07 7.53% 16.16% 9.46% 4.32% 4.68% 1.19% 0.74% 2.74% 1.65% 2.49%
2026/05/08 6.6% 17.6% 10.01% 4.32% 4.54% 0.95% 0.72% 3.32% 1.46% 2.34%
2026/05/09 7.09% 18.63% 9.79% 3.57% 3.88% 1.04% 0.77% 2.95% 1.8% 1.88%
2026/05/10 6.92% 17.71% 9.66% 3.43% 4.63% 0.71% 0.8% 3.14% 1.81% 2.78%
2026/05/11 9.19% 26.87% 10.66% 4.81% 6.76% 0.7% 0.48% 5.66% 1.21% 4.32%
2026/05/12 8.67% 27.74% 10.8% 4.53% 6.27% 0.78% 0.51% 7.36% 1.18% 3.51%
2026/05/13 7.97% 21.83% 10.85% 3.44% 4.69% 1.18% 1.08% 3.84% 1.38% 1.95%
2026/05/14 6.62% 15.9% 9.68% 3.92% 4.12% 2.57% 1.58% 0.68% 1.95% 0.82%
2026/05/15 6.52% 17.4% 9.89% 4.27% 4.48% 0.94% 0.71% 3.29% 1.44% 2.33%
2026/05/16 7.5% 15.13% 11.59% 3.42% 3.84% 2.1% 1.77% 0.87% 2.19% 1.05%
2026/05/17 9.58% 16.42% 11.29% 3.78% 3.58% 2.02% 1.69% 1.16% 1.82% 0.74%
2026/05/18 9.66% 14.97% 10.2% 3.56% 3.36% 2.78% 1.27% 0.9% 2.13% 0.88%
2026/05/19 11.19% 12.3% 10% 3.27% 3.59% 1.73% 1.54% 1% 2.17% 1.05%
2026/05/20 9.75% 13.92% 8.66% 3.6% 3.92% 2.61% 1.67% 0.92% 2.93% 0.86%
2026/05/21 12.16% 15.03% 8.78% 2.57% 3.62% 2.18% 1.8% 1.05% 2.37% 0.96%
2026/05/22 12.05% 13.61% 9.19% 2.45% 4.21% 2.94% 1.56% 1.06% 2.58% 0.63%
2026/05/23 11.36% 16.67% 9.18% 2.52% 4.59% 2.12% 2.03% 1.11% 2.16% 0.81%
2026/05/24 9.22% 16.62% 9.3% 2.05% 4.4% 3.17% 1.83% 1.12% 2.28% 0.53%
2026/05/25 11.56% 13.85% 9.27% 3.38% 4.12% 2.59% 2.2% 1.12% 2.03% 0.71%
2026/05/26 10.96% 15.57% 8.78% 4.01% 4.06% 2.26% 2.13% 1.93% 1.9% 0.54%
2026/05/27 10.2% 16.37% 7.32% 3.7% 3.74% 2.69% 1.8% 1.52% 2.29% 0.71%
2026/05/28 8.43% 17.49% 7.99% 2.46% 3.88% 2.65% 1.64% 1.48% 1.87% 0.66%
2026/05/29 8.4% 15.88% 8.46% 3.36% 3.8% 2.67% 1.57% 1.17% 1.83% 0.56%
2026/05/30 9.71% 14.51% 9.43% 3.86% 4.31% 2.28% 1.93% 1.43% 1.65% 0.51%
2026/05/31 11.99% 11.86% 9.51% 4.85% 4.8% 2.57% 1.71% 1.59% 1.49% 0.65%
  • cargurus.com
  • carvana.com
  • carmax.com
  • cars.com
  • autotrader.com
  • carbravo.com
  • chevrolet.com
  • carfax.com
  • drivetime.com
  • autonation.com

Copyright © Adthena. All rights reserved.

In May 2026, Carvana led with a peak spend share of 27.74% on May 12. CarGurus saw a notable rise, reaching 12.16% on May 21. Carfax experienced fluctuations, peaking at 7.36% on May 12. The month concluded with Carvana maintaining dominance, while CarGurus and Carfax showed significant activity.

Market Exposure

Competitor Count for US Automotive Dealerships

Ever wondered how many competitors you’re up against in your industry? Well look no further, here we can see the number of advertisers bidding over the last month. 

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Competitor Count - Last month
Competitor Count - Last month
Date Competitor Count
2026/05/01 3657
2026/05/02 3587
2026/05/03 3728
2026/05/04 3896
2026/05/05 3799
2026/05/06 3778
2026/05/07 3857
2026/05/08 3897
2026/05/09 3622
2026/05/10 3828
2026/05/11 7624
2026/05/12 7767
2026/05/13 6675
2026/05/14 6315
2026/05/15 3897
2026/05/16 6430
2026/05/17 6524
2026/05/18 6192
2026/05/19 5902
2026/05/20 5840
2026/05/21 5960
2026/05/22 5922
2026/05/23 5994
2026/05/24 6234
2026/05/25 5983
2026/05/26 6326
2026/05/27 6481
2026/05/28 6125
2026/05/29 6252
2026/05/30 6311
2026/05/31 6298

Copyright © Adthena. All rights reserved.

In May 2026, advertiser numbers fluctuated, peaking at 7,767 on May 12. The month concluded with 6,298 advertisers, reflecting a dynamic landscape.

Campaign Efficiency

Market Loss & Market Gains for US Automotive Dealerships

Here we’re looking at the Top 10 biggest industry movers by market share gains and losses for the last 30 days.

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Market Loss & Market Gains - Last month
Market Loss & Market Gains - Last month
Name Market Trend
cargurus.com 3.97%
sca.auction 1.07%
carbravo.com 1.01%
ford.com 0.77%
kbb.com 0.69%
cars.com -1.18%
autonation.com -1.4%
carmax.com -1.51%
carfax.com -3.33%
carvana.com -4.32%

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Carvana.com and Carfax.com saw significant declines in click share, dropping by 4.32% and 3.33% respectively. Meanwhile, Cargurus.com experienced a notable increase, gaining 3.97%.

Campaign Efficiency

US Automotive Dealerships Share of Impressions

Take a look at the Top 10 competitors in the industry by Share of Impressions over the last month.

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Date cargurus.com carvana.com carmax.com autotrader.com cars.com truecar.com carbravo.com carfax.com drivetime.com autonation.com
2026/05/01 11.21% 17.19% 11.09% 5.01% 4.7% 1.34% 0.42% 5.68% 1.06% 2.3%
2026/05/02 11.25% 16.34% 11.18% 5.79% 4.64% 1.39% 0.39% 6.55% 1.38% 2.11%
2026/05/03 11.82% 16.91% 10.17% 5.73% 4.6% 1.25% 0.31% 5.72% 1.92% 2.63%
2026/05/04 12.13% 17.48% 9.39% 6.17% 5.39% 1.26% 0.32% 5.39% 1.8% 1.97%
2026/05/05 11.67% 17.07% 9.24% 6.09% 6.04% 2.03% 0.79% 3.27% 1.12% 2.22%
2026/05/06 10.5% 18.12% 8.97% 6.87% 6.76% 1.73% 0.82% 4.07% 1.24% 2.09%
2026/05/07 10.99% 17.85% 8.7% 7.13% 6.48% 1.92% 0.88% 4.32% 1.01% 2.51%
2026/05/08 9.48% 18.92% 10.28% 6.24% 5.93% 1.39% 0.79% 4.62% 0.85% 2.64%
2026/05/09 9.99% 18.7% 10.03% 5.65% 5% 1.77% 0.96% 4.21% 1.23% 2.31%
2026/05/10 9.79% 18.71% 10.44% 6.16% 5.41% 1.46% 0.6% 4.76% 1.23% 3.02%
2026/05/11 9.42% 22.72% 9.69% 7.5% 5.03% 1.01% 0.69% 5.29% 0.75% 3.63%
2026/05/12 9.23% 23.62% 10.19% 6.9% 5.04% 0.87% 0.75% 7.12% 0.76% 2.93%
2026/05/13 10.34% 20.44% 9.62% 5.95% 5.22% 1.3% 0.98% 4.62% 0.64% 1.78%
2026/05/14 9.15% 13.83% 8.07% 5.41% 5.71% 1.74% 2.53% 0.94% 0.91% 0.95%
2026/05/15 9.48% 18.92% 10.27% 6.24% 5.93% 1.39% 0.79% 4.63% 0.85% 2.64%
2026/05/16 10.98% 13.19% 9.53% 5.04% 5.21% 2.74% 2.17% 1.23% 1.07% 1.14%
2026/05/17 12.18% 14.85% 9.59% 4.72% 4.91% 2.25% 2.2% 1.49% 0.97% 0.7%
2026/05/18 12.96% 13.17% 8.38% 4.65% 4.59% 2.38% 3% 1.26% 1.03% 0.89%
2026/05/19 13.98% 11.29% 8.65% 4.93% 4.41% 3.18% 1.75% 1.3% 1.02% 1.07%
2026/05/20 13.49% 12.69% 7.37% 4.93% 4.6% 2.69% 2.11% 1.29% 1.33% 1.03%
2026/05/21 14.73% 13.99% 7.44% 4.78% 3.19% 2.27% 2.26% 1.33% 1.27% 0.85%
2026/05/22 14.48% 12.53% 7.96% 5.38% 3.02% 1.78% 2.99% 1.47% 1.32% 0.69%
2026/05/23 13.74% 14.82% 7.91% 5.72% 3.1% 1.72% 2.03% 1.49% 1.34% 0.86%
2026/05/24 11.88% 15.16% 7.94% 5.42% 2.57% 1.82% 3.06% 1.52% 1.25% 0.53%
2026/05/25 13.69% 12.33% 7.86% 5.18% 3.9% 1.73% 2.86% 1.4% 1.04% 0.64%
2026/05/26 12.66% 14.37% 7.91% 5.05% 4.5% 1.67% 2.5% 2.06% 0.87% 0.68%
2026/05/27 11.71% 15.2% 6.56% 4.56% 4.3% 1.7% 2.62% 1.92% 1% 0.82%
2026/05/28 11% 15.57% 7% 4.98% 3.61% 2.38% 2.88% 1.99% 0.85% 0.74%
2026/05/29 10.76% 14.4% 7.87% 5.1% 4.08% 1.98% 2.49% 1.62% 0.82% 0.64%
2026/05/30 11.64% 13.68% 8.64% 5.21% 4.53% 2.18% 2.26% 1.82% 0.84% 0.61%
2026/05/31 13.54% 11.47% 8.6% 5.56% 5.29% 2.49% 2.31% 2.05% 0.74% 0.71%
  • cargurus.com
  • carvana.com
  • carmax.com
  • autotrader.com
  • cars.com
  • truecar.com
  • carbravo.com
  • carfax.com
  • drivetime.com
  • autonation.com

Copyright © Adthena. All rights reserved.

In May 2026, Carvana led with a peak impression share of 23.62% on May 12. CarGurus saw a steady rise, ending at 13.54%. CarMax fluctuated, closing at 8.6%. AutoTrader and Cars.com showed modest gains, while TrueCar and CarBravo had minor increases. Carfax and DriveTime experienced declines, with AutoNation trailing.

Campaign Efficiency

Google Text Ad Copy Insights & Creative Trends for US Automotive Dealerships

Ever wondered how your rivals’ ads are doing? Here we can see the top-performing ads in the industry over the last month.

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Google Text Ad Copy Insights & Creative Trends for US Automotive Dealerships - Last month
  1. 1
    Used Cars for Sale Near Me - CarGurus https://www.cargurus.com

    Search used car listings to find the best deals. Use the best tools & resources to help with your purchase. We analyze millions of used cars daily.

  2. 2
    Used cars for sale https://www.carmax.com

    Used cars for sale on carmax.com. Search used cars, research vehicle models, and compare cars, all online at carmax.com

  3. 3
    Used Cars for Sale https://www.cars.com

    Official Cars.com Site — Cars.com - Your One-Stop-Shop for Buying and Selling Cars. 2M+ Vehicles Available! Choose From...

  4. 4
    Search Used Cars For Sale https://www.carvana.com › used-cars

    Buy, Sell, or Trade-in Online — Find The Right Used Car For You. Search By Price, Make, Model, Mileage And More! 100% Online Used...

  5. 5
    TrueCar® Official Site | Find New & Used Cars for Sale https://www.truecar.com

    Find the perfect car by comparing trims, pictures & reviews for every make & model. Get an upfront...

Copyright © Adthena. All rights reserved.

In the competitive landscape of automotive PPC ads, CarGurus, CarMax, Cars.com, Carvana, and TrueCar dominate with compelling narratives. CarGurus emphasizes deal-finding tools, CarMax highlights comprehensive online research, Cars.com offers a vast vehicle selection, Carvana promotes a seamless online experience, and TrueCar focuses on detailed comparisons.

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Get the full picture

See this data specific to your brand performance

The data on this page is just a sample of the billions of data points we hold at Adthena. The insights generated by Ask Arlo, leverage real-time GenAI to answer questions about your search data.

Our search consultants can introduce you to Whole Market View data that is specific to your organization, based on the size of the relevant search term and competitor universe, and the locations that you need monitoring.

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