Car shoppers expect dealers to provide a seamless digital buying experience like the ones they get from Amazon and Apple, according to a new survey from artificial intelligence-powered customer data platform Fullpath.

The survey of 1,000 Americans who have purchased or leased a vehicle within the past 24 months, conducted in collaboration with independent survey company Global Surveyz, found 93% of the respondents now expect a connected and personalized journey throughout their car-buying experience, online and offline. And 75% said they expect car-buying to feel like any other online shopping experience in 2025.

The biggest difference in those experiences is that the vast majority of car buyers complete their purchase in person at the dealership. Indeed, Fullpath’s survey found just 5% of the respondents said they made their most recent car purchase completely online, while 15% did everything in person.

That means 80% of car shoppers use a hybrid buying process, which makes the digital-to-dealership transition critical — the survey showed 90% said the switch from online research to in-person purchase should be seamless and 93% prefer dealerships that offer that kind of connected experience.

“This suggests dealers should prioritize optimizing the early digital experiences they offer while ensuring a smooth in-store close, rather than focusing on a fully online sales model,” Fullpath said in its report on the survey. “For dealerships, this means investing in personalization, consistency across platforms and modern marketing systems to create a retail-grade experience that leads to an in-person sale.”

About 86% of car shoppers said a visit to the dealership before the purchase is complete is important, and 56% of them called it very important. Among younger shoppers in the 18-27-year-old range, the visit is even more crucial, with 67% saying it’s very important.

“Our latest survey demonstrates that consumers are demanding smarter, more personalized experiences throughout their purchasing journey,” Fullpath vice president of marketing Ilana Shabtay said. “That being said, the survey indicates consumers still prefer to come into the dealership to complete their purchase. This means dealerships that leverage AI and create a seamless online to offline experience will win more business from today’s modern shoppers.”

The survey also looked into how technology and artificial intelligence are shaping the future of car buying. When it comes to researching and shopping for a car, dealership websites ranked as the top tool being used by respondents, cited by 77%, just ahead of search engines (73%) and car review sites (65%).

Meanwhile, just 16% of shoppers said they’ve used AI-driven platforms like ChatGPT. But in general, consumers are open to an AI assist, with 62% saying they’re comfortable with receiving advice and guidance from AI during the buying process.

Fullpath said that indicates “a critical shift in shopper behavior.”

“While AI is not replacing human dealers, it is becoming a trusted part of the process, especially in the early research and decision-making stages,” the report said. “As comfort levels with AI continue to grow, dealers who thoughtfully integrate AI-driven tools into their digital touchpoints will be better positioned to meet evolving shopper expectations and build long-term trust.”

The full survey report can be downloaded here.