With 67% of Students Returning to Full-Time, In-Person Learning This Year and Concerns High About the Delta Variant, Cars.com Offers Five Tips for a Safe and Successful School Drop-Off

CHICAGO, August 19, 2021 — Cars.com (NYSE: CARS), a leading digital automotive marketplace and solutions provider, finds that 67% of parents in a recent national survey conducted by Cars.com say they will send their kids to in-person school in the fall, compared to just 39% in 2020. For those returning to the classroom, school buses and public transit continue to take a backseat as many parents opt to transport their children to school by car, citing COVID-19 concerns as the primary decision driver. 

“While many parents are eager for the return of in-person learning this fall, nearly 90% are concerned about the delta variant and, as a result, are choosing different modes of transportation for their school-aged children,” said Jenni Newman, editor-in-chief for Cars.com and mom of two boys. “It’s not surprising that parents are prioritizing health and safety, and by driving their kids themselves, parents feel they can better protect their family — even if it means longer drop-off lines or for many, a disruption to their family’s daily routine.”

Compared to the 54% of parents who will drive kids to school themselves this fall, 38% plan to send their kids on the school bus, 12% will walk, 9% are part of a carpool and 7% will use public transit. For the parents who previously took advantage of the school bus, 55% cite COVID-19 as the main driver in their decision to find alternative transportation, and nearly a quarter of respondents are using their personal vehicles even though it negatively impacts their daily routine.

For those planning to carpool or send their children on public transit, 78% of respondents/parents will sanitize their car and use hand sanitizer, up from 68% in 2020.

• -69% will wear masks, down from 79% in 2020.

• -27% will travel with fewer people in the car, compared to 50% who said the same in 2020.
   

As parents plan for the start of school — whether they are driving their own children or carpooling with neighbors — Newman shares the following top vehicle features to ensure a safe ride this school season:

• -Consider vehicles with captain’s seats — keep them separated, such as in the 2022 Nissan Pathfinder. 
• -Embrace hands-free sliding doors so passengers don’t have to touch the handle like the one found in Cars.com’s best minivan for 2021, the 2022 Kia Carnival.
• -Look for cars with ample storage so that you can keep a small cleanliness kit next to each seat like the 2021 Honda Odyssey, which ran away with this category in the 2021 Minivan Challenge.

To find and connect with a local dealer to sell your car or get more carpooling tips, visit Cars.com. 

1 Cars.com survey conducted July 28, 2021; 1,050 responses.

About Cars.com

CARS is a leading digital marketplace and solutions provider for the automotive industry that connects car shoppers with sellers. Launched in 1998 with the flagship marketplace site Cars.com and headquartered in Chicago, the Company empowers shoppers with the data, resources and digital tools needed to make informed buying decisions and seamlessly connect with automotive retailers. In a rapidly changing market, CARS enables dealerships and OEMs with innovative technical solutions and data-driven intelligence to better reach and influence ready-to-buy shoppers, increase inventory turn and gain market share.

In addition to Cars.com, CARS brands include Dealer Inspire, a technology provider building solutions that future-proof dealerships with more efficient operations and connected digital experiences; FUEL, which gives dealers and OEMs the opportunity to harness the untapped power of digital video by leveraging Cars.com's pure audience of in-market car shoppers, and DealerRater, a leading car dealer review and reputation management platform.

The full suite of CARS brands include Cars.com™, Dealer Inspire®, FUEL™, DealerRater®, Auto.com™, PickupTrucks.com™ and NewCars.com®. For more information, visit www.Cars.com.

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Car Supply Shortage Squeezes Sellers and Shoppers as Cars.com Finds Nearly 1 in 3 Recent Buyers Drove 100 Miles or More for the Car They Want1 

CHICAGO, June 10, 2021 — According to recent research from leading digital automotive marketplace and solutions provider Cars.comTM (NYSE: CARS), nearly 10% of recent car buyers drove out of state to purchase their desired vehicle, with more than half (52%) of those traveling 25 miles, nearly 20% traveling 50 miles and 13% of buyers traveling more than 250 miles to a dealership due to ongoing new- and used-car inventory shortages.1 

“With the current auto inventory challenges, recent car buyers are going to great lengths to find the car they want,” said Kelsey Mays, Cars.com assistant managing editor, news. “I don’t anticipate this trend slowing down, either. Of consumers currently in the market and shopping for a car, 65% said they would consider purchasing in another state.”

Additional insights from Cars.com’s recent national consumer survey include: 

• Buying and selling go hand in hand. Good news for used-car shoppers and dealers: Over half (53%) of those currently in the market to buy a car also plan to trade in their current vehicles to local dealerships, which are in need of more cars and, as a result, most are willing to pay a premium for new inventory.2

• Brand loyal. Shoppers are traveling the farthest distance for Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota car brands, with 57% of shoppers who purchased out of state buying a new car, while 43% drove the extra miles for a used car.1  

• Large cities, larger selection. Shoppers expanding their search radius should include larger cities because they have more inventory than their rural counterparts. The top markets with the most inventory listed on Cars.com include New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and Dallas-Fort Worth.3 

• Delivered to your home. With tighter inventory, at-home delivery of vehicles and trading in vehicles from the driveway is growing in popularity. Cars.com has nearly 2 million vehicles available for home delivery from dealers across the country; shoppers only need to select the Home Delivery filter to see which dealers offer the service.3 

Mays added, “My advice to car shoppers is to expand your search radius to include larger, more urban markets when shopping on Cars.com and look for the Delivered to You tags next to vehicle listings on our site to find dealers who will, for a fee, ship a car right to your door.” 

To find and connect with a local dealer to sell your car, visit Cars.com. To learn more about buying a car out of state, visit Cars.com/News
 

1 Cars.com’s survey conducted May 18-24, 2021; 17,119 responses

2 Cars.com’s survey conducted May 25-28, 2021; 2,608 responses

3 Cars.com internal data

About Cars.com

CARS is a leading digital marketplace and solutions provider for the automotive industry that connects car shoppers with sellers. Launched in 1998 with the flagship marketplace site Cars.com and headquartered in Chicago, the Company empowers shoppers with the data, resources and digital tools needed to make informed buying decisions and seamlessly connect with automotive retailers. In a rapidly changing market, CARS enables dealerships and OEMs with innovative technical solutions and data-driven intelligence to better reach and influence ready-to-buy shoppers, increase inventory turn and gain market share.

In addition to Cars.com, CARS brands include Dealer Inspire, a technology provider building solutions that future-proof dealerships with more efficient operations and connected digital experiences; FUEL, which gives dealers and OEMs the opportunity to harness the untapped power of digital video by leveraging Cars.com's pure audience of in-market car shoppers, and DealerRater, a leading car dealer review and reputation management platform.

The full suite of CARS brands include Cars.com™, Dealer Inspire®, FUEL™, DealerRater®, Auto.com™, PickupTrucks.com™ and NewCars.com®. For more information, visit www.Cars.com.

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As inventory levels fall 33% for new and 28% for used cars, local dealers are paying consumers more for their used trade-in vehicles.1

CHICAGO, May 26, 2021 — Car shoppers are ready to take advantage of Memorial Day weekend deals — if they can find them, according to recent research from leading digital automotive marketplace and solutions provider Cars.comTM (NYSE: CARS). However, shoppers may have better luck selling their vehicle to a local car dealership. With vehicle inventory levels falling, the demand for used cars is up, giving consumers a prime opportunity to get substantially more for their current vehicle given used-car list prices have increased 14% since January.2

“Memorial Day weekend is traditionally a very active car-shopping holiday with significant discounts offered across the industry, but the global chip shortage and huge consumer demand continues to impact both new and used dealer inventory,” said Kelsey Mays, Cars.com’s assistant managing editor. “A few attractive deals still exist this holiday among the more than 2 million cars for sale on Cars.com, but now is a prime time for consumers with a little-used extra vehicle sitting in their garage to cash in, as most dealers are relying on trade-ins to maintain their stock.”

Despite new-car list prices increasing by more than 5% since January - April and used-car prices up 14%,2 more than half of shoppers (51%) in Cars.com’s recent national survey say they are willing to pay more this holiday weekend to find the car they want.3

“Buyers with a car to trade in may find some relief from its inflated residual value, which can help take the sting out of a higher-priced replacement vehicle,” Mays said. “That’s especially true if the trade-in is less than 4 years old, a group with the highest dealer-reported shortages. If shopping for a specific model, consumers should expand their search radius on Cars.com to include surrounding ZIP codes, including urban areas. Our dealer surveys suggest urban dealerships in particular may have more inventory in stock.”

Cars.com’s Memorial Day car-buying survey also found:

• Inventory lags buyer demand. Because of current inventory shortages on dealer lots, nearly 40% of shoppers have had trouble finding the car they want.3

• Shoppers want new cars. Most shoppers (61%) plan to buy new, while 24% plan to buy used; 8% want CPO and 8% are undecided.3

• Rooting for U.S. roots. A good portion of car shoppers (48%) plan to buy from brands with historically U.S. roots like Chevrolet, GMC, Ford, Jeep, Chrysler and Tesla.3

• SUVs reign, but sedans are still popular. Most car shoppers (37%) plan to buy an SUV, followed by a close second of 30% planning to buy a sedan and 11% buying a pickup truck.3

• Nearly half of holiday shoppers are considering electric or hybrid. While 45% of shoppers plan to buy a gas-only vehicle, almost the same number (44%) are considering a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or EV model.3 

• Holiday deals are slim but meaningful. While there aren’t as many as in years past, there are still some deals to be had, though they’re muted. Cars.com’s top 2021 Memorial Day deals include discounts on select trims of the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Toyota Camry and Corolla. 

To find and connect with a local dealer to sell your car, visit Cars.com. 

1 Cars.com’s dealer survey conducted May 4-11, 2021; 429 dealer responses

2 Cars.com internal data

3 Cars.com’s survey conducted May 14-17, 2021; 1,012 responses

About Cars.com

CARS is a leading digital marketplace and solutions provider for the automotive industry that connects car shoppers with sellers. Launched in 1998 with the flagship marketplace site Cars.com and headquartered in Chicago, the Company empowers shoppers with the data, resources and digital tools needed to make informed buying decisions and seamlessly connect with automotive retailers. In a rapidly changing market, CARS enables dealerships and OEMs with innovative technical solutions and data-driven intelligence to better reach and influence ready-to-buy shoppers, increase inventory turn and gain market share.

In addition to Cars.com, CARS brands include Dealer Inspire, a technology provider building solutions that future-proof dealerships with more efficient operations and connected digital experiences; FUEL, which gives dealers and OEMs the opportunity to harness the untapped power of digital video by leveraging Cars.com's pure audience of in-market car shoppers, and DealerRater, a leading car dealer review and reputation management platform.

The full suite of CARS brands include Cars.com™, Dealer Inspire®, FUEL™, DealerRater®, Auto.com™, PickupTrucks.com™ and NewCars.com®. For more information, visit www.Cars.com.

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Win a Free 2021 Hyundai Venue: Cars.com Sets Up One Lucky Shopper for the Ride of Their Life

CHICAGO, Feb. 18, 2021 —  Leading automotive digital marketplace and solutions provider Cars.com (NYSE: CARS) names the 2021 Hyundai Venue its inaugural Best Value of 2021 winner, an all-new award category in the company’s annual Best Of awards program. The new award helps consumers find a value vehicle without sacrificing quality and performance. The Venue's overall affordability, combined with its fuel efficiency and variety of safety and technology features, cemented it as Cars.com's Best Value of 2021 award winner for car shoppers. 

The Venue won't be the year's only big winner; Cars.com is giving away a FREE 2021 Hyundai Venue SEL to one lucky car shopper who enters to win at www.bestcarssweepsbycars.com today through April 30. The winner will be announced in May.2  

"With new-car prices reaching over $40,000, some car buyers may feel priced out of the market, but that’s not true — new cars are not out of reach," said Jenni Newman, Cars.com editor-in-chief. "New cars, like the Hyundai Venue, are priced at or below some used cars, deliver more long-term value and offer a bevy of features that are extra-cost options on more expensive vehicles. Shoppers who are flexible and resourceful can find a great value if they think — and research — more broadly using the tools on Cars.com."

The auto industry has seen formidable consumer demand over the last several months, despite strains on inventory. Average new-car prices are up 5% and used-car prices are up approximately 10% year-over-year, averaging $22,600 in January.1 

The Venue’s lineup of tech and safety features ultimately set it apart — all for a suggested starting price of $19,935. Even if shoppers go for a fully loaded Venue, the result is still a sub-$25,000 SUV. Base features include: 

• 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Forward automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection
• Lane keep assist
• Up to three years/36,000 miles of free maintenance
• Lengthy warranties of five years/60,000 miles for bumper-to-bumper and 10 years/100,000 miles for powertrain
   

Newman added, “The Hyundai Venue is packed with must-have tech, critical safety features and a standout warranty, all for less than $20,000. That’s what makes it the winner of our inaugural Best Value award.”

Award Methodology

Cars.com experts chose the Best Value of 2021 winner based on the average price listed, features, warranties and overall performance for the cost.

Cars.com's Best Of awards program includes six different categories: Best Value of 2021, Family Car of the Year, Luxury Car of the Year, Eco-Friendly Car of the Year (announced in April) and the two highest honors, Best Pickup Truck of 2021 and Best of 2021 (announced in March). 

To find out more about the Hyundai Venue, why it’s named Cars.com’s Best Value of 2021 and other 2021 award winners, visit Cars.com/awards. 

1 Cars.com internal data, January 2021

2 NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES (D.C.), 18 YEARS OR OLDER. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Sweepstakes ends 4/30/20. ARV of Grand Prize: $24,800. For Official Rules, prize description and odds disclosure, visit BestCarSweepsByCars.com. Sponsor: Cars.com LLC. Allow 8-10 weeks for delivery of Grand Prize.

ABOUT CARS.COM

CARS is a leading digital marketplace and solutions provider for the automotive industry that connects car shoppers with sellers. Launched in 1998 with the flagship marketplace site Cars.com and headquartered in Chicago, the Company empowers shoppers with the data, resources and digital tools needed to make informed buying decisions and seamlessly connect with automotive retailers. In a rapidly changing market, CARS enables dealerships and OEMs with innovative technical solutions and data-driven intelligence to better reach and influence ready-to-buy shoppers, increase inventory turn and gain market share. 

In addition to Cars.com, CARS brands include Dealer Inspire, a technology provider building solutions that future-proof dealerships with more efficient operations and connected digital experiences; FUEL, which gives dealers and OEMs the opportunity to harness the untapped power of digital video by leveraging Cars.com's pure audience of in-market car shoppers, and DealerRater, a leading car dealer review and reputation management platform.

 The full suite of CARS brands include Cars.com™, Dealer Inspire®, FUEL™, DealerRater®, Auto.com™, PickupTrucks.com™ and NewCars.com®. For more information, visit www.Cars.com.

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Big Game Sees Half the Number of Automakers Advertising Compared to Last Year, Yet Car Shoppers Still Flock to Cars.com for Validation After Viewing Top Auto Commercials

GM’s Ad on Electric Vehicles Causes Triple Digit Surge to its EV Models on Cars.com, Prompts Overall EV Searches on the Marketplace to Increase 77% 

CHICAGO, Feb. 8, 2021 —  Besides Tampa Bay, this year’s big winner was Cadillac with its Edward-Scissorhands-inspired commercial that led to a 194% traffic bump to its respective branded pages on Cars.com™ (NYSE: CARS), a leading digital automotive marketplace and solutions provider.1 GM also saw triple-digit traffic increases to its EV pages on the marketplace while Jeep came in third place at a whopping 93% lift from car-shopping football fans. Overall, auto brands’ Big Game commercials drove a 38% average increase in Cars.com site pageviews as football fans multitasked during the game and sought the marketplace’s trusted third-party input to aid them on their shopping journey. 

“This year’s Big Game saw 50% less OEM advertisers compared to last year, likely due to overall sports viewership down all season,” said Brooke Skinner Ricketts, chief experience officer of Cars.com. “Some automakers favored more targeted, efficient digital media advertising on Cars.com around the Big Game to better reach the millions of active car shoppers who choose our marketplace as a critical destination to research, read reviews and connect with local dealers. As automotive brands continue to focus on this valuable in-market shopper audience, Cars.com is a leading platform for marketers who prioritize impact and efficiency.”

For those brands that opted for a big ticket TV commercial during the game, some ads sparked more action from car shoppers than others. When Will Ferrell portrayed holding a grudge against Norway for the country’s electric vehicle adoption in GM’s comedic commercial, Cars.com saw a 169% increase in consumers flocking to GM’s EV pages to discover more about the automaker’s EV models. In addition, the commercial triggered a 77% increase in total EV searches on Cars.com during the game and a 41% increase for used Hummers. 

Visits to other featured brands’ pages peaked, too:

-93% - Jeep’s ‘The Middle’ featuring Bruce Springsteen 

-13% - Toyota’s Jessica Long story 

-157% - Ford Mach-E, aired in select local markets

Cars.com analyzed site traffic patterns to advertised car model pages during the eight minutes before each spot aired and again eight minutes after.

For more reviews, car-buying advice and tips, visit Cars.com/news.

1Cars.com Internal Data

About CARS

CARS is a leading digital marketplace and solutions provider for the automotive industry that connects car shoppers with sellers. Launched in 1998 with the flagship marketplace Cars.com and headquartered in Chicago, the Company empowers shoppers with the data, resources, and digital tools needed to make informed buying decisions and seamlessly connect with automotive retailers. In a rapidly changing market, CARS enables dealerships and OEMs with innovative technical solutions and data-driven intelligence to better reach and influence ready-to-buy shoppers, increase inventory turn, and gain market share.

In addition to Cars.com, CARS companies include Dealer Inspire, a technology provider building solutions that future-proof dealerships with more efficient operations and connected digital experiences, FUEL, which gives dealers and OEMs the opportunity to harness the untapped power of digital video by leveraging Cars.com’s pure audience of in-market car shoppers, and DealerRater, a leading car dealer review and reputation management platform.

The full suite of CARS properties include Cars.com™, Dealer Inspire®, DealerRater®, FUEL™, Auto.com™, PickupTrucks.com™ and NewCars.com®. For more information, visit www.Cars.com.

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