Learn which automotive review sites influence car buyers and how to manage them effectively.
Online reviews are no longer optional. Nearly every car buyer today checks reviews before they ever step foot on a dealership lot. Studies show that 95% of car buyers use digital sources to research vehicles, and reviews are one of the top factors influencing where they choose to shop.
If you’re a dealership owner wondering where to even begin with review management—Google? DealerRater? Yelp? All of them?—you’re not alone. The review landscape is vast and constantly evolving. With limited time and resources, it can be overwhelming to know where to focus your efforts.
That’s where Widewail comes in. We help dealerships like yours build trust, improve visibility, and grow sales through tech-powered review monitoring and response strategies. In this post, we’ll break down the 9 of the top automotive review sites to pay attention to and how to make the most of them:
How to Manage Reviews Effectively
If you focus on just one review site, let it be Google. It’s the most visible, most trusted, and has the greatest influence on your dealership’s local search ranking.
Google reviews directly affect where you appear in search results and on Google Maps. They also shape a customer’s first impression—often before they even visit your website. Positive, recent reviews can be the difference between a customer choosing you or scrolling to a competitor.
Automate review requests after every sale and service visit via SMS and email. Prioritize fresh, high-quality reviews with keywords like “easy buying experience” or “great service”—these directly influence your local search ranking and buyer trust.
[Get your copy of the free “How to Optimize your Google Business Profile Guide” here]
As one of the top review platforms built specifically for car dealerships, DealerRater plays a key role in customer decision-making. It offers detailed reviews that highlight individual staff members, helping you put your best people forward and build customer trust.
Ask customers to mention specific staff members in their reviews. Highlighting your team builds personal connections, boosts DealerRater scores, and can even impact OEM program evaluations and lead provider partnerships.
Customers shopping inventory on Cars.com are in buying mode. That’s why reviews here carry real influence. Engaging with reviews here shows that your dealership values transparency and customer service.
Request reviews right after closing deals with inventory shoppers from Cars.com. Timely, specific feedback helps influence active buyers browsing similar listings and reinforces your dealership’s transparency and service-first approach.
Known best for expert vehicle reviews, Edmunds also features customer reviews of dealerships. Shoppers rely on this platform for pricing transparency, verified reviews, and the “Five-Star Dealer” program, which recognizes dealerships that consistently earn high ratings from verified customers.
Target detail-oriented shoppers by encouraging reviews that mention pricing clarity, trade-in value, and overall buying experience. Aim for verified reviews to qualify for Edmunds’ “Five-Star Dealer” designation and boost credibility with serious buyers.
While not auto-specific, Yelp has a loyal user base and ranks high in search results. Its algorithm can be tricky—often filtering out reviews it deems unnatural—but it’s a platform where authenticity pays off.
With Widewail, you can encourage legitimate, high-quality customer reviews that are more likely to stick—and we’ll help you manage your Yelp presence without the stress.
Focus on in-store experiences—ask happy service and sales customers to leave candid Yelp reviews in their own words. Authenticity is key here; Yelp’s filter favors natural, unforced feedback from real local customers.
Check out the complete Guide to Online Reputation Management for more details on how to handle Yelp reviews like a pro.
Used car buyers trust Carfax for vehicle history, but many overlook the fact that Carfax also hosts dealership reviews. For buyers evaluating pre-owned inventory, reviews on Carfax help reinforce trust and reliability.
Proactively request reviews from used car buyers post-sale, especially those praising vehicle condition, transparency, and trust. This aligns perfectly with Carfax’s brand promise and reassures shoppers concerned about used inventory quality.
With a deal-rating system and verified customer reviews, CarGurus appeals to price-sensitive and research-driven customers.
Encourage reviews that highlight pricing fairness, deal ratings, and the absence of hidden fees. Customers shopping on CarGurus are comparison-driven—strong reviews here build trust and give your listings more weight in their decision-making.
Social proof is powerful, and Facebook reviews appear right on your business page. With so many buyers checking out social media before making a purchase, a good reputation here can influence buying behavior and lead to referrals.
Leverage your social audience—ask satisfied buyers to post quick reviews with photos or videos of their new vehicles. Visual, personal reviews resonate with local followers and amplify your dealership’s word-of-mouth referrals.
While Google gets most of the attention, Bing powers search for millions of users—especially through Microsoft products like Windows, Edge, and Cortana. Maintaining strong reviews on Bing helps ensure your dealership shows up well across the entire search ecosystem, not just on Google.
Capture Bing reviews by integrating review requests into your post-sale follow-up for Windows/Edge users (often overlooked by competitors). Every review improves your visibility in Microsoft-powered search results, reaching an audience your rivals might ignore.\
Timely, thoughtful responses show you value customer feedback. Whether it’s a five-star rave or a frustrated complaint, your response reflects your dealership’s professionalism and customer-first mindset.
With Widewail’s Engage and Engage Plus service, our team responds on your behalf using tone-matching and personalized messaging—saving you time while protecting your brand.
Most people are only inclined to leave reviews when they are upset—unless you ask. Train your team to ask for reviews at key moments (after purchase, post-service, etc.) and make it simple with SMS, email, or QR code prompts.
Widewail’s Invite product automates this process and ensures your happy customers are heard.
Managing reviews across nearly a dozen platforms manually? That’s not scalable. Integrating review management into your dealership’s CRM allows you to automate responses, track sentiment, and identify service gaps before they become reputation issues.
Widewail seamlessly plugs into your existing systems, giving you one central hub for review strategy.
[See Widewail's full list of integrations.]
Your potential customers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations—and the dealerships that prioritize online reputation are the ones closing more deals. By monitoring and managing your presence across these nine key platforms, you build credibility, stand out from competitors, and turn online browsers into buyers.
At Widewail, we help auto dealers streamline the entire process, from collecting reviews to responding at scale. Your online reputation should be a revenue driver, not a burden.
Ready to take control of your dealership’s online presence? Start by evaluating where you stand on these nine platforms—and let Widewail help take it from there.
Schedule a demo today!
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