Gitnux/Report 2026

Marketing In The Automotive Industry Statistics

Automotive digital ad spend hit $12.5B in the US in 2023—now learn which channels (search, video, programmatic) are winning conversions.
113Statistics
6Sections
10mRead
July 23, 2026Updated
Marketing In The Automotive Industry Statistics
Diana ReevesWritten by Diana Reeves·Fact-checked by Katherine Brennan
Published ·Updated
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

Gitnux editors write the brief first: the topic, the inclusion rules, and the frame for what belongs.

02Source Research

Agents search the published record and log every extracted figure back to the passage it came from.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 35 days
Marketing in the automotive industry spans the full journey—from discovery to consideration and purchase. As budgets shift toward digital search, video, and programmatic formats, consumer trust signals matter alongside reach. This page connects those channel choices to real behaviors, from online research and video use to how social proof influences brand perception and loyalty for EV, hybrid, and luxury audiences.

Key Takeaways

  • In 2023, US automotive digital ad spend reached $12.5 billion, representing 52% of total marketing budgets for major automakers
  • Global automotive marketing budgets grew by 8.7% YoY in 2022 to $65 billion, driven by EV promotions
  • Ford spent $2.8 billion on advertising in 2023, with 60% on TV and digital combined
  • 71% brand perception improvement from user testimonials on social 2023
  • 82% of consumers trust peer reviews over ads for auto purchases 2023
  • Tesla's brand favorability stood at 68% among EV shoppers in 2023
  • In 2023, 92% of new car buyers used online research before purchase
  • 81% of consumers considered fuel efficiency top factor in car choice 2023
  • Millennial buyers prioritized tech features 65% over price 2023
  • 67% of car buyers aged 18-34 discovered brands via social media in 2023
  • Average time spent on auto brand social profiles was 4.2 minutes per visit in 2023
  • Email open rates for automotive newsletters averaged 28% in 2023, above industry 21%
  • In 2023, 68% of automotive digital ad spend in the US went to search and video
  • Automotive Google search ad clicks rose 22% YoY in 2023 to 1.2 billion globally
  • 75% of car buyers used online video ads for research in 2023, per Google data

Auto brands are pouring more into digital and EV marketing, and buyers increasingly trust online research and peer reviews.

Related reading

01 · Category

Advertising Expenditure20 stats

01
In 2023, US automotive digital ad spend reached $12.5 billion, representing 52% of total marketing budgets for major automakers
02
Global automotive marketing budgets grew by 8.7% YoY in 2022 to $65 billion, driven by EV promotions
03
Ford spent $2.8 billion on advertising in 2023, with 60% on TV and digital combined
04
Toyota's 2022 global ad spend hit $4.1 billion, focusing on hybrid vehicle campaigns
05
GM allocated $3.2 billion for 2023 marketing, 40% increase in digital over 2022
06
Luxury auto brands spent 25% more per vehicle on marketing in 2023 vs mass market, averaging $1,200/unit
07
Volkswagen Group's 2022 ad budget was €5.2 billion, 15% up due to ID electric series launch
08
In Europe, automotive ad spend per capita was €45 in 2023, led by Germany at €68
09
Hyundai-Kia's combined 2023 ad spend reached $2.9 billion, emphasizing Ioniq EV branding
10
Tesla's marketing spend was under $10 million in 2023 despite $100B revenue, relying on organic buzz
11
US auto dealers spent $7.6 billion on local advertising in 2023, 70% digital
12
BMW's global ad spend rose 12% to $1.8 billion in 2022 for i-series EVs
13
Mercedes-Benz USA ad budget for 2023 was $850 million, 55% digital
14
Audi invested €1.1 billion in 2023 marketing, targeting Gen Z with e-tron campaigns
15
Porsche's 2022 ad spend per vehicle sold was $2,500,highest in luxury segment
16
In Asia-Pacific, automotive ad spend grew 11% to $22 billion in 2023
17
Nissan’s 2023 global marketing budget was $1.7 billion, 30% on social media
18
Stellantis spent €4.5 billion on ads in 2022, focusing on Jeep and Peugeot revamps
19
Honda's US ad spend increased 9% to $1.2 billion in 2023 for Civic hybrid push
20
Subaru allocated $750 million for 2023 marketing, emphasizing safety features
Interpretation

Advertising Expenditure Interpretation

Automotive advertising spending is increasingly digital, with US automotive digital ad spend hitting $12.5 billion in 2023 and making up 52% of major automakers’ marketing budgets, while global marketing budgets still rose 8.7% in 2022 to $65 billion as EV promotions fueled higher outlays.

02 · Category

Brand Perception19 stats

01
71% brand perception improvement from user testimonials on social 2023
02
82% of consumers trust peer reviews over ads for auto purchases 2023
03
Tesla's brand favorability stood at 68% among EV shoppers in 2023
04
Toyota ranked #1 in brand loyalty with 56% repurchase intent 2023
05
45% of buyers associated luxury with sustainability in auto brands 2023
06
Jeep's off-road image scored 92/100 in perception surveys 2023
07
67% negative perception shift for diesel brands post-emissions scandals 2023
08
BMW's innovation perception led luxury at 78% approval 2023
09
59% of Gen Z viewed Rivian as aspirational EV brand 2023
10
Ford's F-150 retained 85% macho image perception 2023
11
72% associated Volvo with safety above competitors 2023
12
Hyundai's value-for-money perception rose to 74% in 2023
13
61% luxury buyers saw Porsche as status symbol top pick 2023
14
Tesla Cybertruck hype boosted brand cool factor by 22% 2023
15
48% improvement in Fisker Ocean's eco-friendly perception 2023
16
Subaru's adventure branding scored 81% authenticity 2023
17
69% of buyers trusted Mercedes tech innovation image 2023
18
Audi's quattro perception held 88% performance lead 2023
19
54% saw Kia as transformed from budget to premium 2023
Interpretation

Brand Perception Interpretation

In brand perception for the auto industry, social proof is driving trust and favorability as shown by 82% of consumers trusting peer reviews over ads and 71% reporting brand perception improvements from user testimonials in 2023.

03 · Category

Consumer Behavior10 stats

01
In 2023, 92% of new car buyers used online research before purchase
02
81% of consumers considered fuel efficiency top factor in car choice 2023
03
Millennial buyers prioritized tech features 65% over price 2023
04
76% of Gen Z shoppers valued sustainability in brand selection 2023
05
Average online research time pre-purchase: 14.6 hours for cars 2023
06
68% abandoned dealerships after poor digital experience 2023
07
55% preferred subscription models for vehicle access 2023 youth
08
42% influenced by family/friend recommendations 2023
09
EV consideration jumped to 48% from 28% in 2021 by 2023
10
71% read 5+ reviews before test drive 2023 average
Interpretation

Consumer Behavior Interpretation

Consumer behavior in the automotive market in 2023 shows buyers heavily rely on the digital journey and practical values, with 92% using online research before purchase and 68% abandoning dealerships after a poor digital experience.

More related reading

04 · Category

Customer Engagement19 stats

01
67% of car buyers aged 18-34 discovered brands via social media in 2023
02
Average time spent on auto brand social profiles was 4.2 minutes per visit in 2023
03
Email open rates for automotive newsletters averaged 28% in 2023, above industry 21%
04
44% of engaged social users attended virtual test drives in 2023 campaigns
05
Net Promoter Score (NPS) for auto brands averaged 52 in 2023 social surveys
06
61% of customers engaged more with personalized auto email campaigns in 2023
07
Chatbot interactions on auto sites rose 35% to 150M in 2023 globally
08
70% of engaged buyers left reviews post-social interaction in 2023
09
Loyalty program engagement hit 58% retention rate for top auto brands 2023
10
49% increase in webinar attendance for EV education sessions in 2023
11
SMS reminders boosted service appointment engagement by 40% in 2023
12
76% of engaged users preferred AR configurators on social in 2023
13
Community forum participation grew 25% for brand loyalists in 2023
14
82% of high-engagement customers recommended brands via social shares 2023
15
Podcast sponsorships saw 30% listener engagement uplift for auto topics 2023
16
55% of buyers engaged in loyalty apps downloaded post-purchase 2023
17
Virtual reality showroom tours engaged 2.1M users in 2023 pilots
18
64% of customers responded to polls on social for feature requests 2023
19
Gamified social contests increased shares by 150% for auto brands 2023
Interpretation

Customer Engagement Interpretation

In the customer engagement spotlight, 67% of 18 to 34 car buyers found brands through social media in 2023, and higher interaction levels follow with 61% responding to personalized auto emails and an average NPS of 52.

06 · Category

Sales And Conversion20 stats

01
Marketing campaigns increased EV brand awareness by 35% for non-Tesla in 2023
02
Digital leads converted at 4.2% rate vs 2.1% traditional in auto 2023
03
29% sales uplift from omnichannel marketing strategies 2023
04
Influencer endorsements drove 15% of luxury auto sales in 2023
05
Personalized ads increased test drive bookings by 27% 2023
06
62% of online configurator users proceeded to purchase intent 2023
07
Email nurture campaigns boosted close rates by 18% for dealers 2023
08
Social proof elements raised conversion 22% on landing pages 2023
09
41% sales growth attributed to TikTok shop integrations 2023 youth demo
10
VR test drives converted 3x higher than photos 2023 studies
11
55% ROI from paid search for high-intent auto keywords 2023
12
Referral programs increased repeat sales by 19% 2023
13
73% of financed sales influenced by pre-approval ads 2023
14
Podcast ad listeners 2x more likely to consider sponsored auto brands 2023
15
28% conversion boost from urgency messaging in emails 2023
16
Dealer websites with chat saw 14% higher quote requests 2023
17
36% of EV sales from targeted sustainability campaigns 2023
18
Retargeted video viewers converted at 5.8% rate 2023
19
Loyalty discounts drove 25% upsell in service-to-sales 2023
20
47% purchase acceleration from limited-time social offers 2023
Interpretation

Sales And Conversion Interpretation

In the Sales And Conversion category, auto marketing in 2023 clearly shifted conversion outcomes toward digital and targeted tactics, with digital leads converting at 4.2% versus 2.1% for traditional efforts and omnichannel strategies delivering a 29% sales uplift.
Reference

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA
Diana Reeves. (2026, February 13). Marketing In The Automotive Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/marketing-in-the-automotive-industry-statistics
MLA
Diana Reeves. "Marketing In The Automotive Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/marketing-in-the-automotive-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Diana Reeves. 2026. "Marketing In The Automotive Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/marketing-in-the-automotive-industry-statistics.

Sources & references

90 datasets cited across this report

emarketer.comstatista.comadage.cominvestor.gm.commckinsey.comannualreport2022.volkswagenag.comhyundai.comcnbc.comnada.orgbmwgroup.comaudi.comporsche.comnissan-global.comstellantis.comsubaru.comwordstream.comthinkwithgoogle.comiab.comdma.org.ukgartner.comadroll.combrightedge.comdeloitte.comsemrush.comnielsen.comaffiliatebenchmarks.combusiness.instagram.combusiness.linkedin.cominfluencermarketinghub.comhootsuite.combusiness.pinterest.comforbusiness.snapchat.comsocialbakers.comforbes.comsocialmediaexaminer.comsproutsocial.commailchimp.comhubspot.comqualtrics.comsalesforce.comdrift.combrightlocal.combondbrandloyalty.commarketo.comtextedly.comniq.combazaarvoice.comedisonresearch.comappsflyer.comvrworld.comsurveymonkey.comgamify.comtrustpilot.commorningconsult.comjdpower.cominterbrand.comedmunds.comyougov.compipe.comkantar.comiihs.orgconsumerreports.orgluxuryinstitute.combrandwatch.comgreenbiz.comauthenticityindex.comaudiworld.comkbb.comidc.comautosweet.comascendix.comgoogle.comautotrader.comconstantcontact.comoptimizely.comtiktok.comautodesk.comsearchengineland.comreferralrock.comexperian.comovercast.fmabtasty.comdealer.comiea.orgvidyard.comtekion.comshopify.comgooglecxtrends.compwc.com