AI Visibility · National Scoreboard

Mercedes-Benz National Report

Mercedes-Benz dealers across America's top 25 metros

National report · Top 25 US metro areas
AI
VISIBILITY
Find Buy Service
Prepared September 2026Prepared by CarGenius
Overview

Executive summary

In every one of America's 25 biggest metro areas, AI assistants already have a favorite Mercedes-Benz dealer. This report names all 25. In 17 of 25 metros the AI leader is not the metro's biggest store by review count, and the leaders' average Google rating (4.5★) is no better than the field's (4.5★). Store size and Google ratings do not decide who AI recommends. What the winners share is being close to where the shopper asks, and presence on the short list of sources AI reads in nearly every market. And with 21 of 25 metros still a contested race, the leader in most metros can still change.

Measured with identical non-branded Find / Buy / Service questions asked city by city across each metro, with every city's results weighted by its real search demand - so every metro and every dealer is measured the same way. The full method is at the end of this report.

  • 25 metro AI leaders named
  • 68% of metros: the biggest store is not the AI leader
  • 68% of leaders do not hold their metro's highest Google rating
  • 84% of metros are a contested race

The National 25 - who AI recommends, metro by metro

The dealer AI assistants recommend most in each of the nation's 25 biggest metros. Share of voice: of every time AI named a Mercedes-Benz dealer in the metro, how often it named this one. AI visibility: how often AI names the dealer at all. Named first: how often it is the very first dealer named.

  1. New York - Silver Star Motors (based in Long Island City, NY) leads with 23% share of voice, named in 85% of answers, named first 19% of the time. Google 4.5★, Yelp not rated.
  2. Los Angeles - Mercedes-Benz of Los Angeles (based in Los Angeles, CA) leads with 20% share of voice, named in 83% of answers, named first 46% of the time. Google 4.5★, Yelp 5.0★.
  3. Chicago - Mercedes-Benz of Chicago (based in Chicago, IL) leads with 17% share of voice, named in 78% of answers, named first 46% of the time. Google 4.6★, Yelp 3.8★.
  4. Dallas-Fort Worth - Mercedes-Benz of Grapevine (based in Grapevine, TX) leads with 24% share of voice, named in 75% of answers, named first 5% of the time. Google 4.7★, Yelp 3.1★.
  5. Houston - Mercedes-Benz of Houston North (based in Houston, TX) leads with 20% share of voice; a near-tie - the runner-up's share is within 1 point, named in 85% of answers, named first 13% of the time. Google 4.4★, Yelp 3.1★.
  6. Atlanta - RBM of Atlanta (based in Sandy Springs, GA) leads with 23% share of voice, named in 87% of answers, named first 28% of the time. Google 4.1★, Yelp not rated.
  7. Washington DC - Mercedes-Benz of Arlington (based in Arlington, VA) leads with 22% share of voice, named in 76% of answers, named first 67% of the time. Google 4.7★, Yelp 3.0★.
  8. Miami - Mercedes-Benz of Miami (based in Miami Gardens, FL) leads with 22% share of voice, named in 71% of answers, named first 24% of the time. Google 4.3★, Yelp 2.3★.
  9. Philadelphia - Mercedes-Benz of Cherry Hill (based in Cherry Hill Township, NJ) leads with 21% share of voice, named in 63% of answers, named first 16% of the time. Google 4.2★, Yelp 2.2★.
  10. Phoenix - Mercedes-Benz of Gilbert (based in Gilbert, AZ) leads with 22% share of voice, named in 77% of answers, named first 30% of the time. Google 4.7★, Yelp 3.8★.
  11. Boston - Mercedes-Benz of Boston (based in Somerville, MA) leads with 27% share of voice, named in 91% of answers, named first 77% of the time. Google 4.9★, Yelp 3.3★.
  12. Riverside - Mercedes-Benz of Riverside (based in Riverside, CA) leads with 27% share of voice, named in 58% of answers, named first 40% of the time. Google 4.7★, Yelp 5.0★.
  13. San Francisco Bay Area - Mercedes-Benz of Stevens Creek (based in San Jose, CA) leads with 14% share of voice, named in 39% of answers, named first 45% of the time. Google 4.5★, Yelp 3.2★.
  14. Detroit - Mercedes-Benz of Novi (based in Novi, MI) leads with 28% share of voice; a near-tie - the runner-up's share is within 1 point, named in 91% of answers, named first 26% of the time. Google 4.3★, Yelp 2.5★.
  15. Seattle - Mercedes-Benz of Seattle (based in Seattle, WA) leads with 32% share of voice, named in 91% of answers, named first 42% of the time. Google 4.2★, Yelp 2.7★.
  16. Minneapolis-St. Paul - Mercedes-Benz of St. Paul (based in Maplewood, MN) leads with 36% share of voice, named in 97% of answers, named first 54% of the time. Google 4.7★, Yelp 5.0★.
  17. Tampa - Mercedes-Benz Of Tampa (based in Tampa, FL) leads with 28% share of voice, named in 81% of answers, named first 47% of the time. Google 4.8★, Yelp 2.7★.
  18. San Diego - Mercedes-Benz of San Diego (based in San Diego, CA) leads with 30% share of voice; a near-tie - the runner-up's share is within 1 point, named in 88% of answers, named first 59% of the time. Google 4.4★, Yelp 3.3★.
  19. Denver - Mercedes-Benz of Denver (based in Denver, CO) leads with 32% share of voice; a near-tie - the runner-up's share is within 1 point, named in 93% of answers, named first 47% of the time. Google 4.2★, Yelp 2.9★.
  20. Orlando - Mercedes-Benz of Orlando (based in Maitland, FL) leads with 34% share of voice, named in 90% of answers, named first 43% of the time. Google 4.5★, Yelp 3.2★.
  21. Charlotte - Mercedes-Benz of Northlake (based in Charlotte, NC) leads with 34% share of voice; a near-tie - the runner-up's share is within 1 point, named in 95% of answers, named first 32% of the time. Google 4.8★, Yelp 3.4★.
  22. Baltimore - Mercedes-Benz of Hunt Valley (based in Cockeysville, MD) leads with 29% share of voice; a near-tie - the runner-up's share is within 1 point, named in 82% of answers, named first 12% of the time. Google 4.3★, Yelp 2.2★.
  23. St. Louis - Mercedes-Benz of St. Louis (based in St. Louis, MO) leads with 38% share of voice, named in 92% of answers, named first 69% of the time. Google 4.7★, Yelp 2.8★.
  24. San Antonio - Mercedes-Benz of San Antonio (based in San Antonio, TX) leads with 36% share of voice, named in 91% of answers, named first 41% of the time. Google 4.5★, Yelp 2.5★.
  25. Austin - Mercedes-Benz of Austin (based in Austin, TX) leads with 39% share of voice, named in 98% of answers, named first 72% of the time. Google 4.7★, Yelp 3.4★.

Bubble size = monthly brand and model searches across the metro's measured cities. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Where the nation shops

Monthly brand and model searches across each metro's measured cities - the demand AI answers compete for:

  • New York - 24,440 searches per month
  • Los Angeles - 11,770 searches per month
  • Houston - 7,190 searches per month
  • Miami - 6,700 searches per month
  • Dallas-Fort Worth - 5,840 searches per month
  • Chicago - 5,730 searches per month
  • Atlanta - 4,920 searches per month
  • San Francisco Bay Area - 4,830 searches per month
  • Philadelphia - 3,680 searches per month
  • San Diego - 3,630 searches per month
  • Phoenix - 3,130 searches per month
  • Denver - 3,080 searches per month
  • Orlando - 3,060 searches per month
  • Seattle - 2,990 searches per month
  • Washington DC - 2,940 searches per month
  • Charlotte - 2,880 searches per month
  • Tampa - 2,850 searches per month
  • Austin - 2,690 searches per month
  • San Antonio - 2,670 searches per month
  • Boston - 2,510 searches per month
  • Riverside - 2,510 searches per month
  • Minneapolis-St. Paul - 2,440 searches per month
  • Baltimore - 2,400 searches per month
  • Detroit - 1,990 searches per month
  • St. Louis - 1,550 searches per month

What AI reads, nationally

The websites AI cited most when answering shopper questions across the 25 measured metros, as a share of all citations:

  • dealerrater.com - 11.9% of citations
  • cars.com - 7.1% of citations
  • cargurus.com - 5.9% of citations
  • carfax.com - 4.7% of citations
  • kbb.com - 4.6% of citations
  • edmunds.com - 3.0% of citations
  • yelp.com - 2.6% of citations
  • autotrader.com - 1.6% of citations
  • caredge.com - 1.4% of citations
  • benzshops.com - 1.1% of citations
  • capitalone.com - 1.1% of citations
  • mbusa.com - 1.1% of citations
  • truecar.com - 0.8% of citations
  • connectcdk.com - 0.5% of citations
  • autostoday.com - 0.4% of citations

National insights

AI recommends locally. In 18 of 20 metros, a dealer's share of voice falls as its distance from the metro's center grows - the strongest single force we measured, ahead of ratings and store size. The typical metro leader sits 7 miles from the city center; the typical measured store sits 16.

Different dealers win sales and service. In 7 of 25 metros, the dealer AI recommends for service is not the dealer it recommends for buying. In Dallas-Fort Worth, Mercedes-Benz of Plano wins the purchase questions while Mercedes-Benz of Grapevine wins service.

Yelp is a weak spot for some leaders. 9 of the 23 metro leaders with a Yelp listing carry a rating below 3 stars. Yelp is a major review source for AI answers, so the gap matters.

DealerRater ratings vary far more than Google ratings. The metro leaders are tied on Google, but on DealerRater - a review site AI reads in nearly every measured metro - their ratings run from 3.2★ to 4.9★. The widest gap: Mercedes-Benz of Gilbert in Phoenix holds 3.2★ on DealerRater against 4.7★ on Google.

Group and local names win in proportion. Group-branded stores are 1% of the measured field and 0% of the metro leaders - neither side over-performs.

What To Do

Strengthen your profiles on the sites AI reads most. dealerrater.com, cars.com, cargurus.com are among the ten most-cited sources in at least 80% of the metros we measured. Strengthen those first: keep your Google Business Profile complete and actively managed, claim your DealerRater page and respond to its reviews, and take part in the local discussions where shoppers ask about dealers. Then add the review sites AI cites in your own market (the source table above shows the national picture).

Build real pages for the nearby markets you want to win. AI recommends locally: in 18 of 20 metros, the dealers it names most are the ones closest to where the shopper asks. You cannot move the store, but you can make your relevance to each nearby market visible. Give every city you serve its own page with real substance: the inventory you deliver there, the drive time from that city, the services those customers use, and reviews from real customers who live there. Thin copies of one page do not help; give AI real local content to cite.

Work on service visibility separately. In 7 of 25 metros, the dealer AI recommends for service is not the dealer it recommends for buying. Winning the sales conversation does not carry over. Service needs its own footprint: service pages on your website, service reviews, and service questions answered on the same sites.

Publish content only your dealership can offer. Leaders and the field are tied on Google ratings (4.5★ to 4.5★), so generic claims about quality do not separate anyone. Give the sites AI reads specific, factual material to cite: your actual inventory, real customer reviews, and the services your store offers - and keep it current.

Know where you stand. Every metro here was measured with the same non-branded questions real shoppers ask, and 21 of 25 metros are a contested race. You cannot aim any of the steps above without knowing your own position: which questions you win, which you lose, and to whom. That is what a dealer-level measurement shows.

Regional footprint

Who leads each sub-market, and where

The dealer AI names most in each sub-market. Each sub-market is measured at its anchor city - shown with its population - chosen to represent that part of the region; the anchors together span the metro's major population centers. On the map, each anchor's bubble is sized by its monthly shopper search demand, so larger circles are the markets with more search activity.

National footprint

The 25 metros, coast to coast

Each bubble is one of America's 25 biggest metro areas, sized by monthly shopper search demand in its anchor city and numbered by metro rank. The table that follows names the dealer AI recommends most in each.

Market demand

Where the nation shops

Monthly brand and model searches in each metro's anchor city - the demand AI answers compete for. Search demand weights and sizes the markets in this report; it is not a sales figure.

Market demand

What the region is searching for

How many shoppers near the region search for each model every month. This is the demand AI answers compete for, and it sets how much each city counts toward the scores. Search demand weights the cities in this report; it is not a sales figure.

Metro leaderboard

The National 25 - who AI recommends, metro by metro

The dealer AI assistants recommend most in each of the nation's 25 biggest metros, measured with identical non-branded Find / Buy / Service questions in each metro's anchor city.

#MetroDealer cityAI leaderShare of voiceAI visibilityNamed firstGoogleYelp
1New YorkLong Island City, NYSilver Star Motors
23%
85%19%4.5★-
2Los AngelesLos Angeles, CAMercedes-Benz of Los Angeles
20%
83%46%4.5★5.0★
3ChicagoChicago, ILMercedes-Benz of Chicago
17%
78%46%4.6★3.8★
4Dallas-Fort WorthGrapevine, TXMercedes-Benz of Grapevine
24%
75%5%4.7★3.1★
5HoustonHouston, TXMercedes-Benz of Houston North
20%*
85%13%4.4★3.1★
6AtlantaSandy Springs, GARBM of Atlanta
23%
87%28%4.1★-
7Washington DCArlington, VAMercedes-Benz of Arlington
22%
76%67%4.7★3.0★
8MiamiMiami Gardens, FLMercedes-Benz of Miami
22%
71%24%4.3★2.3★
9PhiladelphiaCherry Hill Township, NJMercedes-Benz of Cherry Hill
21%
63%16%4.2★2.2★
10PhoenixGilbert, AZMercedes-Benz of Gilbert
22%
77%30%4.7★3.8★
11BostonSomerville, MAMercedes-Benz of Boston
27%
91%77%4.9★3.3★
12RiversideRiverside, CAMercedes-Benz of Riverside
27%
58%40%4.7★5.0★
13San Francisco Bay AreaSan Jose, CAMercedes-Benz of Stevens Creek
14%
39%45%4.5★3.2★
14DetroitNovi, MIMercedes-Benz of Novi
28%*
91%26%4.3★2.5★
15SeattleSeattle, WAMercedes-Benz of Seattle
32%
91%42%4.2★2.7★
16Minneapolis-St. PaulMaplewood, MNMercedes-Benz of St. Paul
36%
97%54%4.7★5.0★
17TampaTampa, FLMercedes-Benz Of Tampa
28%
81%47%4.8★2.7★
18San DiegoSan Diego, CAMercedes-Benz of San Diego
30%*
88%59%4.4★3.3★
19DenverDenver, COMercedes-Benz of Denver
32%*
93%47%4.2★2.9★
20OrlandoMaitland, FLMercedes-Benz of Orlando
34%
90%43%4.5★3.2★
21CharlotteCharlotte, NCMercedes-Benz of Northlake
34%*
95%32%4.8★3.4★
22BaltimoreCockeysville, MDMercedes-Benz of Hunt Valley
29%*
82%12%4.3★2.2★
23St. LouisSt. Louis, MOMercedes-Benz of St. Louis
38%
92%69%4.7★2.8★
24San AntonioSan Antonio, TXMercedes-Benz of San Antonio
36%
91%41%4.5★2.5★
25AustinAustin, TXMercedes-Benz of Austin
39%
98%72%4.7★3.4★
A share marked * is a near-tie: the runner-up's share is within 1 point, and the ranking follows the unrounded scores. In 6 of the 25 metros the lead is this close.

How to read this. Share of voice: of every time AI named a dealer in this metro, how often it named this one. AI visibility: how often AI names the dealer at all. Named first: how often it is the very first dealer named - kept separate from visibility, as always. Bars are scaled to a 50% share.

Regional leaderboard

The regional leaderboard

Who AI recommends most across the region. Share of voice is the headline: out of every time AI named a dealer, how often it named this one. AI visibility is how often AI names the dealer at all, and named first is how often it is the very first dealer named - a dealer can be named often yet rarely first, so we keep these separate. Cities with more shopper demand count for more.

Winning patterns

The winners are not who you'd expect

The two things dealers invest in as reputation - store size and Google rating - do not separate the AI leaders from the field. Most metros are led by a store that is not the biggest in its market, winning under its own local name.

Where AI's winners rank by store size. Every metro's dealers, ranked by Google review count; the groups below show where each metro's AI leader falls in that size order.

Dealer scorecard

Dealer ranking scorecard

Read each grade cell as two numbers: a bold 0-100 grade, and in grey the share of voice it comes from. The grade is relative - the region's strongest dealer scores 100 and every other dealer is measured against it. Find, Buy and Service are graded on their own and count equally toward the Weighted overall. "Weighted" means busier cities count for more: each city's result is scaled by its monthly search demand before the cities are combined, so how a dealer does where the shoppers are matters most.

AI sources

Top Sources

The websites AI cited most when answering shopper questions across the region - each shown as its share of all the citations AI made. Getting listed and well-reviewed on the sources that rank highest here is how a dealer gets into AI answers.

AI sources

What AI reads, nationally

Store size and ratings do not decide who AI recommends. The clearest national pattern is what AI reads: the same few sources appear in metro after metro. Each website is shown as its share of all the citations AI made across the 25 measured metros. Getting listed and well-reviewed on the sources that rank highest here is how a dealer gets into AI answers.

Market opportunity

Most metros are still up for grabs

The small number next to each metro is the leader's share of voice divided by the runner-up's - 1.0x means the leader and runner-up are tied.

Contested - the runner-up is within striking distance Held - the leader is comfortably ahead Bubble size = market size (monthly searches)

Leader's share of voice

Of every time AI named a dealer in that metro, the percentage that went to the metro's #1 dealer.

Runner-up's share of voice

The same measure for the #2 dealer. The closer the two shares, the closer the race; a leader can never sit below the dashed line, only above it.

Share of voice = a dealer's AI mentions ÷ all dealers' AI mentions in its metro
Striking distance = the runner-up holds at least the leader's share ÷ 1.2
Market opportunity

Share of Voice vs Share of Demand

This chart plots each dealer's Share of Voice (up) against its Share of Demand (across). The dashed line is break-even, where the two are equal. Below it, a dealer's Share of Demand is larger than its Share of Voice - the clearest gaps to close. Bubbles are sized by Google review count.

At or above its opportunity Below its opportunity (a gap) Bubble size = Google review count

Share of Voice

When AI assistants recommend dealers in this region, the percentage of those recommendations that go to this dealer.

Share of Demand

This dealer's slice of the region's shoppers, based on distance: each town's shoppers count toward the stores nearest them, and busier towns count for more.

Share of voice = a dealer's AI mentions ÷ all dealers' AI mentions
Share of demand = a dealer's nearby demand ÷ all dealers' nearby demand
Regional insights

Regional Insights

These patterns stand out when the region's answers are read together. Each one is computed from the measured runs behind this report.

National insights

National insights

Beyond the headline story, these patterns stand out when all the metros are read together. Each one is computed from the measured runs - per-metro results are directional, but these cross-metro patterns rest on the full national sample.

Recommended actions

What To Do

The patterns in this report are national, but the actions they point to are local - and none of them requires being the biggest store in the market. Five places to start, each grounded in what this measurement found.

Methodology

Methodology

We asked non-dealer branded questions - where to find, buy, and service a Mercedes-Benz - city by city across each of America's 25 biggest metro areas, and recorded which dealerships each AI assistant named and in what order. Every Mercedes-Benz dealership in the metro's measured footprint is included, and dealers are never named in the questions, so every dealer is measured the same way. Each city's results are weighted by its real search demand, and every metro gets the identical question set, which is what makes the cross-metro patterns comparable.

Read each metro's result as one measurement in time. AI answers vary run to run, and in a closely contested metro the top spots can trade places between measurements. The national patterns, aggregated across all the metros, are the robust layer of this report. Share of voice, visibility, and named-first are always reported separately. A dealer counts as part of a dealer group only when the group's name is in the dealership's own name, so a store a group owns but brands locally counts as local. Review counts decide which dealers we measure; they never enter the score. Metro population figures are US Census Bureau estimates; search demand is Google search volume; dealer ratings are Google Business Profile, DealerRater, and Yelp.

Next step · For your dealership

Custom Dealer Reports

This regional report shows how AI sees the whole market. A Custom Dealer Report goes deeper on one dealership: yours.

This national report shows how AI sees dealers across America's biggest metros. A Custom Dealer Report goes deeper on one dealership: yours.

Every month, CarGenius runs the questions your buyers ask across the major AI engines and reports how often AI names you versus each competitor, scores your Find, Buy, and Service visibility, verifies your marketplace presence, and ranks what to fix by effort and impact.

Get a Custom Report
Custom Dealer Report · sample data

Most-mentioned dealers in your market

How often AI names each dealer across this month's shopping prompts
Your Dealership
54%
Competitor A
41%
Competitor B
33%
Competitor C
27%
FIND
72/100
BUY
41/100
SERVICE
58/100
About CarGenius

About CarGenius

CarGenius builds AI commerce infrastructure for car dealerships - so a dealership can be found, understood, and chosen when car shoppers ask AI.

Infrastructure

MCP Server

Connects your DMS, inventory, and pricing directly to AI agents in real time.

AI Search

On-Site AI

Conversational search for your own website, built for how car buyers shop.

AI Services

Expert Support

White-glove implementation and AEO reporting, like this report.

Mercedes-Benz
United States
[{"value":"25","label":"metro AI leaders named"},{"value":"68%","label":"of metros: the biggest store is not the AI leader"},{"value":"68%","label":"of leaders do not hold their metro's highest Google rating"},{"value":"84%","label":"of metros are a contested race"}]
{"metros":[{"rank":1,"metro":"New York","leader":"Silver Star Motors","searches":24440,"lat":40.71,"lng":-74.01},{"rank":2,"metro":"Los Angeles","leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Los Angeles","searches":11770,"lat":34.05,"lng":-118.24},{"rank":3,"metro":"Chicago","leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Chicago","searches":5730,"lat":41.88,"lng":-87.63},{"rank":4,"metro":"Dallas-Fort Worth","leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Grapevine","searches":5840,"lat":32.78,"lng":-96.8},{"rank":5,"metro":"Houston","leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Houston North","searches":7190,"lat":29.76,"lng":-95.37},{"rank":6,"metro":"Atlanta","leader":"RBM of Atlanta","searches":4920,"lat":33.75,"lng":-84.39},{"rank":7,"metro":"Washington DC","leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Arlington","searches":2940,"lat":38.91,"lng":-77.04},{"rank":8,"metro":"Miami","leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Miami","searches":6700,"lat":25.77,"lng":-80.19},{"rank":9,"metro":"Philadelphia","leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Cherry Hill","searches":3680,"lat":39.95,"lng":-75.17},{"rank":10,"metro":"Phoenix","leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Gilbert","searches":3130,"lat":33.45,"lng":-112.07},{"rank":11,"metro":"Boston","leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Boston","searches":2510,"lat":42.36,"lng":-71.06},{"rank":12,"metro":"Riverside","leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Riverside","searches":2510,"lat":33.95,"lng":-117.4},{"rank":13,"metro":"San Francisco Bay Area","leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Stevens Creek","searches":4830,"lat":37.77,"lng":-122.42},{"rank":14,"metro":"Detroit","leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Novi","searches":1990,"lat":42.33,"lng":-83.05},{"rank":15,"metro":"Seattle","leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Seattle","searches":2990,"lat":47.61,"lng":-122.33},{"rank":16,"metro":"Minneapolis-St. Paul","leader":"Mercedes-Benz of St. Paul","searches":2440,"lat":44.98,"lng":-93.27},{"rank":17,"metro":"Tampa","leader":"Mercedes-Benz Of Tampa","searches":2850,"lat":27.95,"lng":-82.46},{"rank":18,"metro":"San Diego","leader":"Mercedes-Benz of San Diego","searches":3630,"lat":32.72,"lng":-117.16},{"rank":19,"metro":"Denver","leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Denver","searches":3080,"lat":39.74,"lng":-104.99},{"rank":20,"metro":"Orlando","leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Orlando","searches":3060,"lat":28.54,"lng":-81.38},{"rank":21,"metro":"Charlotte","leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Northlake","searches":2880,"lat":35.23,"lng":-80.84},{"rank":22,"metro":"Baltimore","leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Hunt Valley","searches":2400,"lat":39.29,"lng":-76.61},{"rank":23,"metro":"St. Louis","leader":"Mercedes-Benz of St. Louis","searches":1550,"lat":38.63,"lng":-90.2},{"rank":24,"metro":"San Antonio","leader":"Mercedes-Benz of San Antonio","searches":2670,"lat":29.42,"lng":-98.49},{"rank":25,"metro":"Austin","leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Austin","searches":2690,"lat":30.27,"lng":-97.74}]}
[{"rank":1,"metro":"New York","anchor":"New York City, NY","home":"Long Island City, NY","near_tie":false,"leader":"Silver Star Motors","group":null,"sov":0.2293,"visibility":0.8498,"first_rate":0.1932,"google":4.5,"dealerrater":4.6,"yelp":null},{"rank":2,"metro":"Los Angeles","anchor":"Los Angeles, CA","home":"Los Angeles, CA","near_tie":false,"leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Los Angeles","group":null,"sov":0.2013,"visibility":0.8253,"first_rate":0.4625,"google":4.5,"dealerrater":4.7,"yelp":5.0},{"rank":3,"metro":"Chicago","anchor":"Chicago, IL","home":"Chicago, IL","near_tie":false,"leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Chicago","group":null,"sov":0.1665,"visibility":0.7789,"first_rate":0.4572,"google":4.6,"dealerrater":4.6,"yelp":3.8},{"rank":4,"metro":"Dallas-Fort Worth","anchor":"Dallas, TX","home":"Grapevine, TX","near_tie":false,"leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Grapevine","group":null,"sov":0.235,"visibility":0.7501,"first_rate":0.0458,"google":4.7,"dealerrater":4.9,"yelp":3.1},{"rank":5,"metro":"Houston","anchor":"Houston, TX","home":"Houston, TX","near_tie":true,"leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Houston North","group":null,"sov":0.1985,"visibility":0.8514,"first_rate":0.1313,"google":4.4,"dealerrater":4.7,"yelp":3.1},{"rank":6,"metro":"Atlanta","anchor":"Atlanta, GA","home":"Sandy Springs, GA","near_tie":false,"leader":"RBM of Atlanta","group":null,"sov":0.2338,"visibility":0.8665,"first_rate":0.2766,"google":4.1,"dealerrater":null,"yelp":null},{"rank":7,"metro":"Washington DC","anchor":"Washington, DC","home":"Arlington, VA","near_tie":false,"leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Arlington","group":null,"sov":0.2186,"visibility":0.7551,"first_rate":0.6652,"google":4.7,"dealerrater":4.6,"yelp":3.0},{"rank":8,"metro":"Miami","anchor":"Miami, FL","home":"Miami Gardens, FL","near_tie":false,"leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Miami","group":null,"sov":0.2165,"visibility":0.7138,"first_rate":0.2353,"google":4.3,"dealerrater":4.3,"yelp":2.3},{"rank":9,"metro":"Philadelphia","anchor":"Philadelphia, PA","home":"Cherry Hill Township, NJ","near_tie":false,"leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Cherry Hill","group":null,"sov":0.2109,"visibility":0.6331,"first_rate":0.1642,"google":4.2,"dealerrater":null,"yelp":2.2},{"rank":10,"metro":"Phoenix","anchor":"Phoenix, AZ","home":"Gilbert, AZ","near_tie":false,"leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Gilbert","group":null,"sov":0.2232,"visibility":0.7749,"first_rate":0.3036,"google":4.7,"dealerrater":3.2,"yelp":3.8},{"rank":11,"metro":"Boston","anchor":"Boston, MA","home":"Somerville, MA","near_tie":false,"leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Boston","group":null,"sov":0.2681,"visibility":0.9081,"first_rate":0.7735,"google":4.9,"dealerrater":4.9,"yelp":3.3},{"rank":12,"metro":"Riverside","anchor":"Riverside, CA","home":"Riverside, CA","near_tie":false,"leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Riverside","group":null,"sov":0.2706,"visibility":0.5819,"first_rate":0.3998,"google":4.7,"dealerrater":4.9,"yelp":5.0},{"rank":13,"metro":"San Francisco Bay Area","anchor":"San Francisco, CA","home":"San Jose, CA","near_tie":false,"leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Stevens Creek","group":null,"sov":0.1444,"visibility":0.3944,"first_rate":0.4473,"google":4.5,"dealerrater":4.3,"yelp":3.2},{"rank":14,"metro":"Detroit","anchor":"Detroit, MI","home":"Novi, MI","near_tie":true,"leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Novi","group":null,"sov":0.2806,"visibility":0.9055,"first_rate":0.2562,"google":4.3,"dealerrater":3.4,"yelp":2.5},{"rank":15,"metro":"Seattle","anchor":"Seattle, WA","home":"Seattle, WA","near_tie":false,"leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Seattle","group":null,"sov":0.3186,"visibility":0.9141,"first_rate":0.4191,"google":4.2,"dealerrater":4.8,"yelp":2.7},{"rank":16,"metro":"Minneapolis-St. Paul","anchor":"Minneapolis, MN","home":"Maplewood, MN","near_tie":false,"leader":"Mercedes-Benz of St. Paul","group":null,"sov":0.3636,"visibility":0.971,"first_rate":0.5357,"google":4.7,"dealerrater":4.4,"yelp":5.0},{"rank":17,"metro":"Tampa","anchor":"Tampa, FL","home":"Tampa, FL","near_tie":false,"leader":"Mercedes-Benz Of Tampa","group":null,"sov":0.2842,"visibility":0.8131,"first_rate":0.4678,"google":4.8,"dealerrater":4.2,"yelp":2.7},{"rank":18,"metro":"San Diego","anchor":"San Diego, CA","home":"San Diego, CA","near_tie":true,"leader":"Mercedes-Benz of San Diego","group":null,"sov":0.304,"visibility":0.881,"first_rate":0.5858,"google":4.4,"dealerrater":4.8,"yelp":3.3},{"rank":19,"metro":"Denver","anchor":"Denver, CO","home":"Denver, CO","near_tie":true,"leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Denver","group":null,"sov":0.3232,"visibility":0.9345,"first_rate":0.4719,"google":4.2,"dealerrater":4.6,"yelp":2.9},{"rank":20,"metro":"Orlando","anchor":"Orlando, FL","home":"Maitland, FL","near_tie":false,"leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Orlando","group":null,"sov":0.3354,"visibility":0.8969,"first_rate":0.432,"google":4.5,"dealerrater":4.4,"yelp":3.2},{"rank":21,"metro":"Charlotte","anchor":"Charlotte, NC","home":"Charlotte, NC","near_tie":true,"leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Northlake","group":null,"sov":0.3404,"visibility":0.9474,"first_rate":0.3192,"google":4.8,"dealerrater":4.7,"yelp":3.4},{"rank":22,"metro":"Baltimore","anchor":"Baltimore, MD","home":"Cockeysville, MD","near_tie":true,"leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Hunt Valley","group":null,"sov":0.2853,"visibility":0.8179,"first_rate":0.1223,"google":4.3,"dealerrater":4.6,"yelp":2.2},{"rank":23,"metro":"St. Louis","anchor":"St. Louis, MO","home":"St. Louis, MO","near_tie":false,"leader":"Mercedes-Benz of St. Louis","group":null,"sov":0.3786,"visibility":0.9237,"first_rate":0.6852,"google":4.7,"dealerrater":null,"yelp":2.8},{"rank":24,"metro":"San Antonio","anchor":"San Antonio, TX","home":"San Antonio, TX","near_tie":false,"leader":"Mercedes-Benz of San Antonio","group":null,"sov":0.3623,"visibility":0.9085,"first_rate":0.4053,"google":4.5,"dealerrater":4.7,"yelp":2.5},{"rank":25,"metro":"Austin","anchor":"Austin, TX","home":"Austin, TX","near_tie":false,"leader":"Mercedes-Benz of Austin","group":null,"sov":0.3852,"visibility":0.9771,"first_rate":0.715,"google":4.7,"dealerrater":4.5,"yelp":3.4}]
[{"domain":"dealerrater.com","cls":"UGC","share":0.1187},{"domain":"cars.com","cls":"Corporate","share":0.0713},{"domain":"cargurus.com","cls":"Corporate","share":0.0594},{"domain":"carfax.com","cls":"UGC","share":0.0474},{"domain":"kbb.com","cls":"Corporate","share":0.0463},{"domain":"edmunds.com","cls":"Corporate","share":0.0297},{"domain":"yelp.com","cls":"UGC","share":0.0259},{"domain":"autotrader.com","cls":"Corporate","share":0.0158},{"domain":"caredge.com","cls":"Corporate","share":0.0141},{"domain":"benzshops.com","cls":"Reference","share":0.0114},{"domain":"capitalone.com","cls":"Corporate","share":0.011},{"domain":"mbusa.com","cls":"Corporate","share":0.0109},{"domain":"truecar.com","cls":"Corporate","share":0.0081},{"domain":"connectcdk.com","cls":"Other","share":0.0047},{"domain":"autostoday.com","cls":"Corporate","share":0.0043}]
[{"title":"AI recommends locally","html":"In <strong>18 of 20</strong> metros, a dealer's share of voice falls as its distance from the metro's center grows - the strongest single force we measured, ahead of ratings and store size. The typical metro leader sits <strong>7 miles</strong> from the city center; the typical measured store sits 16."},{"title":"Different dealers win sales and service","html":"In <strong>7 of 25</strong> metros, the dealer AI recommends for service is not the dealer it recommends for buying. In Dallas-Fort Worth, <strong>Mercedes-Benz of Plano</strong> wins the purchase questions while <strong>Mercedes-Benz of Grapevine</strong> wins service."},{"title":"Yelp is a weak spot for some leaders","html":"<strong>9 of the 23</strong> metro leaders with a Yelp listing carry a rating below 3 stars. Yelp is a major review source for AI answers, so the gap matters."},{"title":"DealerRater ratings vary far more than Google ratings","html":"The metro leaders are tied on Google, but on DealerRater - a review site AI reads in nearly every measured metro - their ratings run from <strong>3.2★ to 4.9★</strong>. The widest gap: Mercedes-Benz of Gilbert in Phoenix holds 3.2★ on DealerRater against 4.7★ on Google."},{"title":"Group and local names win in proportion","html":"Group-branded stores are 1% of the measured field and 0% of the metro leaders - neither side over-performs."}]
Bubble size = monthly brand and model searches across the metro's measured cities. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.
National
[{"metro":"New York","searches":24440},{"metro":"Los Angeles","searches":11770},{"metro":"Houston","searches":7190},{"metro":"Miami","searches":6700},{"metro":"Dallas-Fort Worth","searches":5840},{"metro":"Chicago","searches":5730},{"metro":"Atlanta","searches":4920},{"metro":"San Francisco Bay Area","searches":4830},{"metro":"Philadelphia","searches":3680},{"metro":"San Diego","searches":3630},{"metro":"Phoenix","searches":3130},{"metro":"Denver","searches":3080},{"metro":"Orlando","searches":3060},{"metro":"Seattle","searches":2990},{"metro":"Washington DC","searches":2940},{"metro":"Charlotte","searches":2880},{"metro":"Tampa","searches":2850},{"metro":"Austin","searches":2690},{"metro":"San Antonio","searches":2670},{"metro":"Boston","searches":2510},{"metro":"Riverside","searches":2510},{"metro":"Minneapolis-St. Paul","searches":2440},{"metro":"Baltimore","searches":2400},{"metro":"Detroit","searches":1990},{"metro":"St. Louis","searches":1550}]
{"pattern_title":"The biggest store does not always win","pattern_html":"In 17 of 25 metros, the dealer AI recommends most is not the metro's biggest store by Google review count. The most extreme example: Mercedes-Benz of Los Angeles leads Los Angeles while ranking #7 of 15 stores by review count.","fine_html":"","buckets":[{"count":8,"title":"The metro's biggest store wins","sub":"size predicted the winner","items":[{"metro":"Minneapolis-St. Paul","pos":"#1 of 3"},{"metro":"San Diego","pos":"#1 of 4"},{"metro":"Phoenix","pos":"#1 of 5"},{"metro":"Detroit","pos":"#1 of 6"},{"metro":"Tampa","pos":"#1 of 6"},{"metro":"Washington DC","pos":"#1 of 8"},{"metro":"Boston","pos":"#1 of 8"},{"metro":"San Francisco Bay Area","pos":"#1 of 11"}]},{"count":14,"title":"A top-half store wins","sub":"big, but not the biggest","items":[{"metro":"Charlotte","pos":"#2 of 3"},{"metro":"San Antonio","pos":"#2 of 3"},{"metro":"Austin","pos":"#2 of 3"},{"metro":"Baltimore","pos":"#3 of 5"},{"metro":"Philadelphia","pos":"#4 of 7"},{"metro":"Dallas-Fort Worth","pos":"#3 of 6"},{"metro":"Seattle","pos":"#2 of 4"},{"metro":"Orlando","pos":"#2 of 4"},{"metro":"Los Angeles","pos":"#7 of 15"},{"metro":"Chicago","pos":"#5 of 12"},{"metro":"Riverside","pos":"#4 of 10"},{"metro":"Miami","pos":"#3 of 8"},{"metro":"Houston","pos":"#2 of 7"},{"metro":"New York","pos":"#3 of 18"}]},{"count":1,"title":"A bottom-half store wins","sub":"the winner is a smaller store","items":[{"metro":"Denver","pos":"#3 of 4"}]},{"count":2,"title":"The smallest store measured wins","sub":"dead last in size - and still the AI leader","items":[{"metro":"Atlanta","pos":"#6 of 6"},{"metro":"St. Louis","pos":"#3 of 3"}]}]}
[{"value":"68%","label":"of metros: the biggest store (by review count) is not the AI leader"},{"value":"68%","label":"of leaders do not hold their metro's highest Google rating"},{"value":"100%","label":"of leaders carry their own local name, not a national group brand"},{"value":"48%","label":"of leaders are based in the metro's busiest shopping city"}]
[]
{"groups":[{"key":"contested","count":21,"title":"Contested races","sub":"the runner-up is within striking distance","items":[{"metro":"Houston","ratio":1.0},{"metro":"Denver","ratio":1.01},{"metro":"San Diego","ratio":1.01},{"metro":"Charlotte","ratio":1.02},{"metro":"Baltimore","ratio":1.03},{"metro":"Detroit","ratio":1.03},{"metro":"San Antonio","ratio":1.04},{"metro":"Orlando","ratio":1.04},{"metro":"Atlanta","ratio":1.06},{"metro":"Miami","ratio":1.07},{"metro":"Minneapolis-St. Paul","ratio":1.08},{"metro":"Phoenix","ratio":1.09},{"metro":"Washington DC","ratio":1.1},{"metro":"Chicago","ratio":1.11},{"metro":"San Francisco Bay Area","ratio":1.12},{"metro":"Seattle","ratio":1.12},{"metro":"Dallas-Fort Worth","ratio":1.12},{"metro":"Philadelphia","ratio":1.14},{"metro":"Austin","ratio":1.15},{"metro":"St. Louis","ratio":1.15},{"metro":"Boston","ratio":1.15}]},{"key":"clear","count":4,"title":"Clear leads","sub":"comfortably ahead, but not out of reach","items":[{"metro":"Los Angeles","ratio":1.3},{"metro":"Riverside","ratio":1.39},{"metro":"Tampa","ratio":1.4},{"metro":"New York","ratio":1.46}]}],"scatter":[{"metro":"New York","full":"New York","dealer":"Silver Star Motors","leader":0.2293,"runner":0.1575,"searches":24440,"status":"held"},{"metro":"Los Angeles","full":"Los Angeles","dealer":"Mercedes-Benz of Los Angeles","leader":0.2013,"runner":0.1554,"searches":11770,"status":"held"},{"metro":"Chicago","full":"Chicago","dealer":"Mercedes-Benz of Chicago","leader":0.1665,"runner":0.1496,"searches":5730,"status":"open"},{"metro":"Dallas","full":"Dallas-Fort Worth","dealer":"Mercedes-Benz of Grapevine","leader":0.235,"runner":0.209,"searches":5840,"status":"open"},{"metro":"Houston","full":"Houston","dealer":"Mercedes-Benz of Houston North","leader":0.1985,"runner":0.1985,"searches":7190,"status":"open"},{"metro":"Atlanta","full":"Atlanta","dealer":"RBM of Atlanta","leader":0.2338,"runner":0.2213,"searches":4920,"status":"open"},{"metro":"Washington DC","full":"Washington DC","dealer":"Mercedes-Benz of Arlington","leader":0.2186,"runner":0.1992,"searches":2940,"status":"open"},{"metro":"Miami","full":"Miami","dealer":"Mercedes-Benz of Miami","leader":0.2165,"runner":0.202,"searches":6700,"status":"open"},{"metro":"Philadelphia","full":"Philadelphia","dealer":"Mercedes-Benz of Cherry Hill","leader":0.2109,"runner":0.1844,"searches":3680,"status":"open"},{"metro":"Phoenix","full":"Phoenix","dealer":"Mercedes-Benz of Gilbert","leader":0.2232,"runner":0.2039,"searches":3130,"status":"open"},{"metro":"Boston","full":"Boston","dealer":"Mercedes-Benz of Boston","leader":0.2681,"runner":0.2336,"searches":2510,"status":"open"},{"metro":"Riverside","full":"Riverside","dealer":"Mercedes-Benz of Riverside","leader":0.2706,"runner":0.1953,"searches":2510,"status":"held"},{"metro":"San Francisco Bay Area","full":"San Francisco Bay Area","dealer":"Mercedes-Benz of Stevens Creek","leader":0.1444,"runner":0.1291,"searches":4830,"status":"open"},{"metro":"Detroit","full":"Detroit","dealer":"Mercedes-Benz of Novi","leader":0.2806,"runner":0.272,"searches":1990,"status":"open"},{"metro":"Seattle","full":"Seattle","dealer":"Mercedes-Benz of Seattle","leader":0.3186,"runner":0.2842,"searches":2990,"status":"open"},{"metro":"Minneapolis","full":"Minneapolis-St. Paul","dealer":"Mercedes-Benz of St. Paul","leader":0.3636,"runner":0.3356,"searches":2440,"status":"open"},{"metro":"Tampa","full":"Tampa","dealer":"Mercedes-Benz Of Tampa","leader":0.2842,"runner":0.2023,"searches":2850,"status":"held"},{"metro":"San Diego","full":"San Diego","dealer":"Mercedes-Benz of San Diego","leader":0.304,"runner":0.2999,"searches":3630,"status":"open"},{"metro":"Denver","full":"Denver","dealer":"Mercedes-Benz of Denver","leader":0.3232,"runner":0.3207,"searches":3080,"status":"open"},{"metro":"Orlando","full":"Orlando","dealer":"Mercedes-Benz of Orlando","leader":0.3354,"runner":0.3211,"searches":3060,"status":"open"},{"metro":"Charlotte","full":"Charlotte","dealer":"Mercedes-Benz of Northlake","leader":0.3404,"runner":0.3345,"searches":2880,"status":"open"},{"metro":"Baltimore","full":"Baltimore","dealer":"Mercedes-Benz of Hunt Valley","leader":0.2853,"runner":0.2769,"searches":2400,"status":"open"},{"metro":"St. Louis","full":"St. Louis","dealer":"Mercedes-Benz of St. Louis","leader":0.3786,"runner":0.3301,"searches":1550,"status":"open"},{"metro":"San Antonio","full":"San Antonio","dealer":"Mercedes-Benz of San Antonio","leader":0.3623,"runner":0.3485,"searches":2670,"status":"open"},{"metro":"Austin","full":"Austin","dealer":"Mercedes-Benz of Austin","leader":0.3852,"runner":0.3359,"searches":2690,"status":"open"}],"intro_html":"Today's leaderboard can still change. In 21 of 25 metros the runner-up is within striking distance of the leader, and no leader anywhere holds a dominant share. The groups below sort the metros by the size of the leader's margin.","scatter_head_html":"<strong>How close every race is.</strong> Each bubble is one metro, sized by market size. Up: the share of voice the leading dealer holds. Across: the share the runner-up holds. On the dashed line, the leader and runner-up hold equal shares. The tinted zone just above it is striking distance; the higher a bubble sits above the line, the larger the leader's margin. 8 of the 10 biggest markets are in the striking-distance zone.","callout_title":"Most answers do not put the leader first","callout_html":"Metro leaders are named in 82% of answers but are the first dealer named in only 40%. How often AI names a dealer and how early it names them are separate measurements, and this report keeps them separate."}

Strengthen your profiles on the sites AI reads most

dealerrater.com, cars.com, cargurus.com are among the ten most-cited sources in at least 80% of the metros we measured. Strengthen those first: keep your Google Business Profile complete and actively managed, claim your DealerRater page and respond to its reviews, and take part in the local discussions where shoppers ask about dealers. Then add the review sites AI cites in your own market (the source table above shows the national picture).

Build real pages for the nearby markets you want to win

AI recommends locally: in 18 of 20 metros, the dealers it names most are the ones closest to where the shopper asks. You cannot move the store, but you can make your relevance to each nearby market visible. Give every city you serve its own page with real substance: the inventory you deliver there, the drive time from that city, the services those customers use, and reviews from real customers who live there. Thin copies of one page do not help; give AI real local content to cite.

Work on service visibility separately

In 7 of 25 metros, the dealer AI recommends for service is not the dealer it recommends for buying. Winning the sales conversation does not carry over. Service needs its own footprint: service pages on your website, service reviews, and service questions answered on the same sites.

Publish content only your dealership can offer

Leaders and the field are tied on Google ratings (4.5★ to 4.5★), so generic claims about quality do not separate anyone. Give the sites AI reads specific, factual material to cite: your actual inventory, real customer reviews, and the services your store offers - and keep it current.

Know where you stand

Every metro here was measured with the same non-branded questions real shoppers ask, and 21 of 25 metros are a contested race. You cannot aim any of the steps above without knowing your own position: which questions you win, which you lose, and to whom. That is what a dealer-level measurement shows.

Edmunds, AutoTrader and KBB are cited in every measured metro, but they sit well below the dealers' own sites and local sources - Edmunds peaks at #4 (Chicago); AutoTrader peaks at #8 (Detroit); KBB peaks at #5 (Riverside).