2025 return on ad spend benchmarks across platforms
Automotive ROAS is calculated on vehicle revenue, making it appear very high (5–9×). Dealers should focus on gross profit ROAS using margin per unit, not sale price, for accurate profitability assessment.
Typical Automotive ROAS falls between 3× and 9×.
Note: Dealer margin per vehicle typically $1,500–$3,000
| Platform | ROAS Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Google Search | 5.5–10× | High-intent research queries |
| Meta Ads | 4–7× | Visual inventory ads |
| YouTube | 3.5–6× | Model showcase + reviews |
| Display | 2–4× | In-market retargeting |
| TikTok | 3–5× | Younger demographic |
| 2.5–4× | Fleet & commercial |
| Year | Average ROAS |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 4.4× |
| 2023 | 4.7× |
| 2024 | 4.9× |
| 2025 | 5.2× |
| 2026E | 5.5× |
2026E = projected estimate.
| Quarter | Index | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | 95 | |
| Q2 | 113 | |
| Q3 | 93 | |
| Q4 | 99 |
Automotive dealers should attribute ROAS across a longer window — car buyers average 3–4 touchpoints over 30–60 days. A 90-day attribution window captures significantly more revenue than the default 7-day click window.