LEHI, Utah -

Whether it is sorting out the specific type of vehicle to purchase or deciding on what dealership to visit, a new study confirms that social media reviews are a growing source of reference for consumers across the country.

The MaritzCX study released Tuesday, titled, “The Impact of Social Among Car Buyers,” highlights the growing influence of social media reviews.

Among respondents who read reviews, the study found that 80 percent consider both positive and negative reviews when deciding on what dealership to visit. And roughly half of the same group find the reviews they read somewhat or very trustworthy.

Furthermore, compared to 56 percent of all survey participants, 63 percent of respondents under the age of 35 said they trust social media reviews the most.

“Social media reviews are gaining traction and power in making or breaking purchase decisions for products or entire brands,” MaritzCX automotive vice president Tim Englehart said in a news release. “Accessing and understanding the pulse of customer experience is the game changer to engage with customers, discover insights and deliver on expectations.”

At 32 percent, Google is where auto dealership reviews are sought most often, followed by Edmunds at 12 percent and both Facebook and DealerRater at 11 percent. Moreover, 38 percent of respondents told MaritzCX that social media reviews have influenced their decision on which dealership to visit.

When it comes to vehicle reviews, in particular, the top-ranked social sites are Edmunds (31 percent) and Google (21 percent), followed by both Facebook and DealerRater (4 percent).

Additionally, the study also found that while 56 percent of people report reading reviews, only 53 percent have written a review on a social channel.

“Dealers and auto brands that ask for reviews and make it easy to leave reviews are the ones that are going to leave the competition in their dust,” Englehart explained.

A sizable 40 percent of respondents said they would be inclined to write a review if prompted, according to the study.

MaritzCX said it surveyed over 13,300 consumers across the country who purchased a vehicle between 2015 and 2017.