Carson^TM open-text search
transforms car shopping

AI-powered search for smarter shopping

Carson^TM has officially arrived on Cars.com to transform how shoppers move through the car-buying funnel — from discovery to comparison to decision. This new AI-powered, open-text search experience improves how in-market shoppers engage with our marketplace. 

Instead of navigating countless filters or fixed make/model paths, shoppers can simply type conversational queries such as:

• “Reliable SUV for my family of five under $30k”
• “Used truck that can tow and has good resale value
• “Good first car for a teen driver”

Carson^TM instantly delivers highly relevant vehicle results, helping shoppers find the right cars faster.

Carson^TM in action: Early performance metrics 

Early results show strong traction:

• Carson^TM already assists about 15% of web and mobile web searches
• Users return 2x more often, save 3x times more vehicles, and convert from search results to detail pages at nearly 30% higher rates
• Shoppers using Carson^TM generate 2x more leads compared to those who don’t use our open-text search¹

What Carson^TM means for dealers

Carson^TM opens a new level of shopper engagement and efficiency. By meeting undecided consumers where they naturally search — with open-text, lifestyle-, or needs-based questions — your inventory now surfaces to a broader range of buyer intent.

Every Carson^TM search sends key shopper details directly into your CRM with each Cars.com lead, giving your team clear visibility into:

• What shoppers value
• What they’re comparing
• What motivates their purchase

This richer context enables your team to have more relevant, timely, and effective conversations with buyers.