From marketplace to intelligence partner: How AutoTrader redefined dealer success in 2025

In a year marked by cautious optimism across South Africa’s automotive sector, AutoTrader not only consolidated its leadership position but materially outperformed the broader market. The platform’s 2025 performance reflects a clear shift in buyer confidence and dealer engagement, along with the growing importance of data-led decision-making as the industry looks ahead.

A scale advantage that reshaped visibility in 2025

AutoTrader entered 2025 as the country’s largest automotive marketplace and ended the year three times larger than its nearest competitor. The platform now attracts over 15 million monthly visits, giving dealers access to an audience unmatched in both scale and intent.

That reach translated directly into outcomes. In 2025, AutoTrader recorded 648,681,879 searches, averaging 23 searches per second, highlighting consistent usage among buyers actively in-market. This activity resulted in more than 500 million Consumer Advert Views (CAVs) to dealerships nationwide, ensuring stock was consistently seen.

On the supply side, AutoTrader closed out the year with more than 130,000 live listings on the platform. The depth of inventory reinforced AutoTrader’s position as a one-stop destination for car buyers, while simultaneously creating more selling opportunities and revenue potential for both dealers and private sellers.

Clear signs of strengthening buyer confidence

Several data points from 2025 point to renewed confidence among car buyers, particularly in how and where they search for vehicles. Searches for AutoTrader on Google increased by 78% year-over-year, indicating that shoppers are increasingly starting their journey with the platform by name. This shift suggests not only trust in the brand, but habitual reliance on AutoTrader as the primary research and buying destination.

Engagement metrics supported this trend. CAVs increased by more than 8% over the past year, while total hard leads sent to dealers rose by 15%. Together, these signals show that buyers were not only browsing more, but progressing further down the funnel and engaging with stock at higher intent levels.

Outperforming the market - not just competing in it

AutoTrader’s leadership in 2025 was not limited to traffic and leads. Comparative data highlights how decisively the platform outperformed competitors across visibility, brand presence, and earned media impact.

Advertising Value Equivalent (AVE) analysis shows AutoTrader generating R108m in PR value during the year, significantly ahead of key competitors. This gap reflects both sustained media relevance and the platform’s growing role as an industry authority. Traffic data further reinforces the performance gap. With more than 15 million monthly visits, AutoTrader remains three times larger than the nearest competitor, giving dealers exposure that is simply not replicable elsewhere in the local automotive ecosystem.

What should dealers take from AutoTrader’s performance in 2025?

The clearest lesson from 2025 is that visibility remains the single most important lever for dealer success. In an environment where choice is abundant and attention is limited, stock that is not seen cannot convert. AutoTrader’s scale, organic reach, and premium advertising options collectively ensure that dealer listings remain front and centre for serious buyers.

Beyond visibility, 2025 highlighted the growing importance of using data intelligently. AutoTrader’s suite of dealer tools enables real-time pricing decisions, profitability analysis based on recent sales activity, and reputation management through reviews and feedback. Dealers who actively integrated these tools were better positioned to respond to demand shifts and protect margins.

The introduction of AutoTrader’s new advertising package structure also gave dealers clearer pathways to scale exposure based on their business goals. Whether focused on volume, brand presence, or specific buyer segments, the package “staircase” allows for more deliberate, outcome-driven investment on the dealer’s part.

Strategic milestones that set up 2026

A defining achievement of 2025 was the launch of AutoTrader Intelligence, the platform’s AI-powered ecosystem built on more than 30 years of market expertise. The rollout marked a shift from static listings toward intelligent, adaptive retail experiences for both buyers and dealers.

AutoTrader Intelligence introduced several first-to-market innovations, including Vehicle Highlights that automatically surface unique features, Seller Comments that generate professional descriptions in seconds and save dealers thousands of hours annually, personalised Consumer Recommendations, advanced Image Management, and Dealer Insights that deliver real-time pricing and market trends.

“These tools are designed to remove friction,” says AutoTrader CEO George Mienie. “AutoTrader Intelligence represents the next step in our innovation journey. It’s about using data and technology to better serve consumers and dealers, creating a car-buying experience that leverages intelligence that makes complexity disappear.”

By the end of 2025, AutoTrader had firmly positioned itself not only as South Africa’s largest automotive marketplace but also as a technology partner enabling smarter, faster, and more confident decisions. As dealers look ahead into 2026, the message is clear: scale matters, data matters, and aligning with platforms that deliver both will be critical to sustained growth.