How popular isCars.com in search?
In August 2026, there were an estimated 450K branded searches for Cars.com worldwide which held steady over the last 11 months. Cars.com holds 2.2% estimated Share of Search among used car marketplaces worldwide and is ranked 5th of 6 competitors for search popularity. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
AutoScout2436.2%
CarGurus19.8%
CarMax19.8%
Carvana19.8%
Cars.com2.2%Carwow2.2%
Follow Cars.com and get free monthly updates on what changed
By continuing you'll get index updates and occasional product news from Brandwave. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy
Which used car marketplaces compete with Cars.com?
Share of Search by month for AutoScout24, CarGurus, CarMax, Carvana, Cars.com, Carwow. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | AutoScout24 | CarGurus | CarMax | Carvana | Cars.com | Carwow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 42.5% | 19% | 19% | 15.6% | 2.1% | 1.7% |
| Nov 2025 | 45.9% | 16.8% | 16.8% | 16.8% | 1.8% | 1.8% |
| Dec 2025 | 40.8% | 18.3% | 18.3% | 18.3% | 2.5% | 2% |
| Jan 2026 | 42.4% | 19% | 19% | 15.5% | 2.1% | 2.1% |
| Feb 2026 | 42.4% | 19% | 19% | 15.5% | 2.1% | 2.1% |
| Mar 2026 | 41% | 18.3% | 18.3% | 18.3% | 2% | 2% |
| Apr 2026 | 36.2% | 19.8% | 19.8% | 19.8% | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| May 2026 | 36.2% | 19.8% | 19.8% | 19.8% | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| Jun 2026 | 39.2% | 17.6% | 21.4% | 17.6% | 2.4% | 1.9% |
| Jul 2026 | 37.7% | 16.9% | 20.6% | 20.6% | 2.3% | 1.9% |
| Aug 2026 | 36.2% | 19.8% | 19.8% | 19.8% | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Rank | Brand | Share of Search | Estimated monthly branded searches | vs prior month | Share change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1, held 1st | 36.2% | 7.5M | 0% | -1.5 points | |
| 2, moved from 4th to 2nd | 19.8% | 4.1M | +22.1% | +2.9 pointsmoved from 4th to 2nd | |
| 3, moved from 2nd to 3rd | 19.8% | 4.1M | 0% | -0.8 pointsmoved from 2nd to 3rd | |
| 4, moved from 3rd to 4th | 19.8% | 4.1M | 0% | -0.8 pointsmoved from 3rd to 4th | |
| 5, held 5th | 2.2% | 450K | 0% | -0.1 points | |
| 6, held 6th | 2.2% | 450K | +22.3% | +0.3 points |
36.2%
Held 1st. 7.5M estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share -1.5 points.
2.
CarGurus19.8%
Moved from 4th to 2nd. 4.1M estimated branded searches, +22.1% vs prior month. Share +2.9 points.
3.
CarMax19.8%
Moved from 2nd to 3rd. 4.1M estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share -0.8 points.
4.
Carvana19.8%
Moved from 3rd to 4th. 4.1M estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share -0.8 points.
5.
Cars.com2.2%
Held 5th. 450K estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share -0.1 points.
6.
2.2%
Held 6th. 450K estimated branded searches, +22.3% vs prior month. Share +0.3 points.
Compare search popularity between Cars.com and its closest rivals
How has branded search demand for Cars.com changed worldwide over the last 12 months?
2 findings
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, estimated monthly branded searches for Cars.com worldwide held steady at 450K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Cars.com’s estimated Share of Search among used car marketplaces worldwide held steady, from 2.1% to 2.2%.
How did search popularity change for used car marketplaces worldwide in August 2026?
5 changes
In August 2026, CarGurus overtook CarMax to rank 2nd among used car marketplaces worldwide, at 19.8%.
In August 2026, AutoScout24 lost estimated Share of Search among used car marketplaces worldwide, from 37.7% to 36.2%.
In August 2026, CarMax lost estimated Share of Search among used car marketplaces worldwide, from 20.6% to 19.8%.
In August 2026, Carvana lost estimated Share of Search among used car marketplaces worldwide, from 20.6% to 19.8%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Carwow worldwide rose 22.3% over 11 measured months, from 368K to 450K in August 2026.
Where does Cars.com compete?
| Competitor set | Rank | Share of Search | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Used car marketplaces | 5th of 6 | 2.2% | Shown above |
| Car marketplaces | 4th of 5 | 3.5% | Show ranking |
How is Cars.com measured?
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Cars.com’s name. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for this branded term can be used to understand whether interest in the brand is growing, holding steady, or fading.
1 branded search term
- cars.com
Do you work for Cars.com? To request corrections or removal please contact us via our support page and we will be happy to assist.
Is Cars.com your brand?
Put your own campaigns, spend and outcomes next to this demand line, so you can see which of your marketing lined up with the movements above.