Review activity is accelerating at a record-setting pace across the industry. Based on momentum from the first half of the year, U.S. dealerships are on track to generate 5.4 million Google reviews in 2025—up from 4.4 million in 2024. That’s nearly 1 million additional reviews, marking a 21% year-over-year increase.
This surge isn’t the result of one-time events or short-term spikes. It’s driven by steady, systemic change: more dealers are proactively requesting feedback, and more customers see reviews as a routine part of the dealership experience.
Reputation building is no longer a grand, post-sale gesture of support. It is now a standard part of the customer journey.
The second half of the year may bring new challenges. Tariff-driven pricing will begin to show up as the 2026 models hit the market, and the expiration of the federal EV tax credit could soften sales activity in Q4. But with 55% of all reviews originating from service visits, the overall trajectory may remain stable. Fixed ops could provide a critical buffer, keeping review growth resilient even if showroom traffic dips.
Read the full fixed-ops section, found in the Q2 report
