AI tools are becoming a meaningful part of the car-buying journey, particularly for younger and EV-oriented consumers, according to McKinsey’s Mobility Consumer Pulse 2026 survey of more than 20,000 respondents in five countries.

Twenty-eight percent of buyers under 45 used AI tools during their last vehicle purchase, as did 24% of EV buyers, according to the report. By contrast, only 5% of buyers over 45 and 14% of ICE vehicle buyers used AI tools in the process.

Analysts say the vehicle purchase journey is “increasingly omnichannel and AI-enabled,” with personalized experiences emerging as a key driver of customer satisfaction — yet only 60% of respondents say they are satisfied with the degree of personalization in their dealership interactions, a gap the report frames as a competitive opportunity.

Driver assistance features show the greatest jump in importance among future purchase criteria, with roughly one in four respondents saying they would be very likely to switch brands for better self-driving functionality, according to the report. The survey also finds that 32% of respondents globally plan to postpone their next vehicle purchase because of financial constraints.

Read the full report at McKinsey