At a glance
8.28%
Avg CTR, automotive Google Ads
| Segment | CTR | CPC | CVR | CPL / CPA | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Car (Dealer) | 7.72% | $2.76 | 5.4% | $75.28 | OEM co-op funds available; target in-market audiences |
| Used Car (Dealer) | 9.73% | $1.78 | 7.2% | $36.28 | High intent; inventory feed ads outperform generic |
| Car Financing / Auto Loans | 6.91% | $3.50 | 4.8% | $107.38 | High LTV; target by income and purchase timeline |
| Auto Service / Repair | 10.53% | $1.53 | 8.8% | $25.58 | Emergency and routine; LSAs ideal here |
| Oil Change / Tire Service | 12.94% | $1.04 | 11.4% | $13.42 | High volume, low ticket; optimize for visit count |
| Auto Parts / Accessories | 7.72% | $1.09 | 5.4% | $29.57 | Shopping ads dominant; feed quality critical |
| EV / Electric Vehicle | 6.91% | $3.01 | 4.8% | $92.15 | Fastest growing; strong in CA, WA, CO — geo-target |
| Auto Insurance (quoted separately) | 8.28% | $4.74 | 6.4% | $108.84 | See Google Ads Financial Services benchmark for detail |
| Car Rental | 8.92% | $1.78 | 7.8% | $33.56 | Travel intent; seasonal; compete on price transparency |
| Motorcycle / Powersports | 7.72% | $1.78 | 5.8% | $44.99 | Seasonal peak: spring/summer; passionate audience |
| Campaign Type | CTR | CPC | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Branded Search (dealership name) | 8.44% | $0.84 | Protect from OEM and competitor conquest ads |
| VDP Traffic (vehicle detail pages) | 4.84% | $1.64 | Dynamic inventory ads with specific make/model/year |
| Local Service Ads (auto service) | Top slot | $N/A | Pay per verified lead; avg $8–$20 per contact |
| Performance Max (dealership) | 3.44% | $2.14 | Use Google Automotive feed for best results |
| Display Remarketing | 0.14% | $0.32 | Re-engage VDP visitors; strong for high-consideration buys |
| YouTube (test drive intent) | 0.44% | $1.44 | Model review content; high research intent audience |
| Competitor (other dealer/brand) | 2.44% | $2.84 | Target competitor brand + "[city]" for conquest |
Index: 100 = average month. Higher = more search volume and CPC competition.
These benchmarks are drawn from a multi-source benchmark cohort aggregated across industries and regions, covering the period Q1 2023 – Q4 2024. Figures on this page come from the Benchmarketing benchmark dataset: thousands of curated benchmark observations spanning channels, industries, and US metro areas, refreshed on a published schedule. Every statistic traces to a named source — no anonymous “studies show.” Data is sourced from:
The Benchmarketing 4-Band Method reads every marketing metric against four percentile bands — P25 (bottom quartile), median, P75 (top quartile), and elite (top ~10%) — for a specific industry and channel, instead of a single cross-industry average. Averages blend brand and non-brand campaigns, $500/month and $500,000/month accounts, and unrelated industries into a number almost nobody actually has.
Benchmarks reflect median values across large sample sets. Your industry, business model, and account maturity will cause variation. Use P25/P75 ranges to understand realistic distribution.
Read full methodologyAuto service keywords average $0.84–$1.44 CPC. Dealer/car purchase keywords average $1.44–$2.44. Auto financing averages $2.84. These are well below other high-ticket categories (legal, financial) because the purchase intent is distributed across many searches early in the funnel. The key CPC to monitor is your brand terms — if competitors are bidding on your dealership name, expect to pay more to defend your own brand.
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All-channel benchmarks for automotive
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Every statistic on this page traces to a named source below. Benchmarketing does not publish anonymous "studies show" figures. Rows labeled Benchmarketing are our own aggregated, curated benchmark data.
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Written by
Benchmarketing Research Team
Data & Analytics
Reviewed by
Performance Marketing Editorial
Senior Review
Last updated
Reviewed March 2026
Observation period: Q1 2023 – Q4 2024