Research Reports

Customer relationship management (CRM) automotive system data often depicts a contrary account of car-buying behavior than behavioral research shows. In an attempt to better understand this disparity, an independent market research firm compared proprietary CRM data from select partner companies with post-purchase survey research of 4,700 car buyers.

The digital audience analysis looks at the online behavior of more than 3 million car shoppers across 1,300 dealers and reveals key insights about the role and influence of third-party sites and search engines during the car shopping process.

68% more car buyers travel 30+ miles when third-party sites were used versus car buyers that didn't use the Internet at all. This white paper reveals how these numbers were derived and their implications for dealers in understanding that Internet-savvy car buyers are willing to travel for their next car.

The sight of someone driving while texting can be pretty terrifying when you're the likely victim of their distraction. But while the majority of drivers believe there should be a ban on texting while driving, a surprising number of us don't practice what we preach.

Who bought your first car? You or your parents? Over 40% of parents report that they purchased their child's first car, up from 14%. Is it more helicopter parenting or because cars are simply unaffordable? Find the answer in our latest Trend Engine report as well as 10 cars that offer parents great value and peace of mind.

Does "Made in America" mean buy an American car or buy an American-made car? Find the answer in our latest Trend Engine report, along with what the Top 10 cars built by U.S. workers are, plus more.

Find out how shoppers currently feel about the economy, what their preferred mode of transportation is for summer travelers in 2012, what vehicle features are most important, and eight great summer vacation vehicles.

According to a study commissioned by AutoTrader.com of how used car buyers first contact the dealer, nearly two-thirds do so by simply walking into the dealership with no prior contact. Learn more, and find out what influences shoppers to choose specific dealerships.

Economic factors are driving strong interest in CPO vehicles, and CPO Sales are reaching new heights. Get the research behind it, and find out the Top 10 Most-Viewed CPO Vehicles on AutoTrader.com in March 2012.

The AutoTrader.com Dealer Sourcing Studies reveal how New Car Buyers make first contact with the dealership and what influences them to choose specific dealerships. AutoTrader.com commissioned KS&R, an independent market research firm based in Syracuse, New York, to conduct the studies among New Car Buyers of AutoTrader.com dealer customers. 72,617 New Car Buyers who purchased between March 2010 and March 2012 were surveyed.

This research study, conducted by Polk on behalf of AutoTrader.com, examines what motivates high customer loyalty among luxury brands and the reasons luxury buyers defect to other luxury brands.

Northwood University and AutoTrader.com examine how walk-in customers establish first contact with dealers.

This special report from R.L. Polk & Co. examines how the Internet influences the purchase decisions of New and Used car buyers.

Learn what sources influence car buyers to visit dealerships, how and where they are spending time during the shopping process, and more.