CHICAGO -

Cars.com said Tuesday that the site has reached a new milestone: 1 million consumer-generated online reviews of dealerships.

The company launched the review feature four years ago.

“We're proud to reach 1 million reviews for our dealer customers. It shows just how engaged Cars.com shoppers are during the dealership visit and the value they put on reviews in choosing who to do business with," said Barbara Mousigian, vice president of product at Cars.com and a 2015 Women in Remarketing honoree.

“Since we launched the feature in 2011, we've maintained our transparent and honest model for generating consumer feedback, which better serves our shoppers and customers,” she added.

Citing Digital Air Strike’s 2014 Automotive Social Media Trends Study, Cars.com noted that 91 percent of consumers use dealership reviews in picking out a dealership.

And at Cars.com, two-fifths of the new dealer reviews are about the service side of the dealership, the company said.

"A few years ago, online reviews were limited to restaurants and entertainment, but now they're essential to nearly all consumer transactions," said Mousigian. "We've seen a transformation within the automotive category, as both retailers and manufacturers have embraced the power of online reviews as a means to build their brands with potential customers."

As part of hitting this milestone, Cars.com has launched a new homepage that aims for a “more tailored consumer experience across all devices,” the company said. It includes more integration of Cars.com editorial content and service tools, and is designed to make it easier to browse inventory.
 
With the update, consumers can submit dealer reviews via mobile devices, including through the Cars.com iOS and Android apps. Additionally, Cars.com said automaker customers “will benefit from enhanced digital ad offerings.”

The company noted that the fully responsive site is scheduled to be complete in the first quarter of 2016.  

“We’ve been working toward the development of a fully responsive site for several months. Earlier this year we launched new, responsively designed industry news pages, and the new home page brings us one step closer to our goal,” Mousigian said.

“We know consumers frequently transition between devices throughout their shopping process, often moving to a smartphone as they get closer to purchase. These site updates allow us to provide a seamless experience regardless of screen size or device preference,” she said.