Product Updates to ‘Drive Results in 2026’
Our teams have continued to work on new, exciting features to help you succeed and adapt as automotive retail keeps changing.
Below we look at some product updates from the past 12 months - alongside some hidden gems - designed to help you drive results in 2026.
Turning data into direction with Buying Signals
Buying Signals tells you which buyers are most likely to buy your vehicles. It shows you what steps buyers have taken before they make contact. Available with every deal , Buying Signals consist of:
Buyer Intent – How ready a customer is to buy, based on their activity on Autotrader.
Buyer Preferences – Showing you a customers’ interests and what they’re looking for.
So you can tailor your approach and fast-track to the sale.
Want to know more?
Tools to drive performance and inform your decision-making
Co-Driver Updates
In 2025 we launched Co-Driver an AI powered toolkit to help make selling on Autotrader simpler, faster, and more effective for retailers. We further developed this toolkit with the addition of new features which leverage Autotrader’s vehicle data and consumer insights to help you create the most effective ads.
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Order your images in a way that most appeals to buyers. In a click.
Over 25 million vehicle images have been optimised with Co-Driver.
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Using unrivalled observations of consumer trends and AI technology, Vehicle Highlights pulls out what will capture a buyer's attention. Automatically.
Vehicle Highlights have been interacted with by consumers over 95 million times.
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Generate an accurate and engaging description that's bespoke to your specific vehicle
Over 1 million vehicle descriptions have been generated by retailers.
Deal Builder
Deal Builder simplifies the buying journey, giving customers more choice and helping retailers close better deals by bridging online research with real-world purchases. With Buying Signals built in, you get real-time insight into buyers to close deals faster.
Key updates include:
A new vehicle product page, designed to drive more action
Optional reservation of the vehicle
Streamlining the journey to optimise for conversion
We’re listening to retailer feedback and using it to shape future updates that matter most.
More solutions to drive your results
Sales Hub Unlocked
Sales Hub, Autotrader’s new lead management system is now open to all retailers via Portal. Bringing all enquiries into one place with clear statuses and smart search.
Spot priorities quickly, stay on top of opportunities, and focus on building relationships and closing more deals.
Self-Serve Stock : Instantly add more
Keep up with the fast-moving automotive market with our new self-serve stock feature. This brand-new feature that lets you add additional advertising whenever you need it.
You can advertise additional vehicles with no cancellation or downgrade period giving you the flexibility to add stock as soon as it hits your forecourt.
Economy Stock
This year, we launched Economy Stock as a bolt-on product. Giving retailers a new cost-effective way to advertise vehicles priced between £2,500 - £7,000 on Autotrader.
Our data indicated that vehicles within this price range showed high consumer interest and high sales conversion potential. This product will help retailers reach more buyers and unlock new value from lower-priced vehicles.
Product Page Updates
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Buyers have choice over how to contact you – with clear signposting of the actions available to them including: Message and Call.
Plus, for those retailers benefiting from Deal Builder, ‘Next steps’ – which include Reserving or Building a deal.
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The new layout encourages buyers to take more meaningful actions on Autotrader.
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Information is now presented in a clear, structured way that helps buyers find the details that matter most – quickly and easily.
Bringing more consumers to our platform and expanding our reach
We’re investing more than ever before into our marketing so that we can bring more buyers to our site and get more eyeballs on your adverts. Some of these efforts include:
It’s Time for Autotrader
We launched our “It’s Time for Autotrader” campaign to attract more buyers, especially 25-34 year-olds, through ads in six major cities and on popular media platforms. The campaign reached 9.2 million people and 87% of 25-34 year-olds, reinforcing Autotrader as the top destination for car buyers. You’ll spot the campaign in key commuter areas, on top radio stations and across social media until March 2026.
Found at AT
The “Found at AT” campaign reached 96% of UK adults, spotlighting new cars on Autotrader and driving a 16.5% year-on-year increase in new car visits. Keeping Autotrader front of mind with consumers and bringing more attention to your new car listings.
The Autotrader Car Hunt
This was a nationwide treasure hunt that ran across 10 major UK cities, participants had to find a toy car to be in for a chance to win a brand-new Hyundai IONIQ 5N. This playful real-world game was designed to show that finding brand-new cars starts with Autotrader.
Monthly EV giveaway
This year we updated the EV Giveaway campaign to have a slight twist in the hope of pushing more consumers to download the Autotrader App. The giveaway campaign became an in-app exclusive and drove upwards of 43,000 new installs in its first launch day. The app reached the top 3 in the iOS “Shopping’ category charts!
Partnership with Driving Test Success
To reach people at the start of their journey getting a car, we partnered with Driving Test Success - Apple's no.1 paid app for 8 years running! As a headline partner, we collaborate with their team to get new drivers engaging with Autotrader across their app, TikTok and through email programmes.
Building buyer confidence and celebrating retailer achievement
Highly Rated 2025
Highly Rated continues to be our most trusted retail badge with over 2,000 retailers winning this year. This award continues to build trust through reviews and gives buyers confidence.
Retailer Awards
This year the Retailer awards celebrated its 18th year with 29 winners across 11 categories.
These awards recognise the very best retailers in the industry and providing insight into the latest industry trends.
Building a stronger Partnership
Customer Advisory Groups
At Autotrader, we achieve the best results by working closely with our customers. In December, our Customer Advisory Group sessions gave retailers the chance to share feedback directly with our CEO, Nathan Coe.
In 2026, the conversation continues—apply to join the official Customer Advisory Group and help shape products with your feedback and real-world insights.
Submit your application here.
The Road Ahead
This year we launched ‘The Road Ahead’ a new 30-minute video series inspired by ‘The Road Ahead for Automotive Retail Report’ that turns findings into practical, real-world advice. Each episode features industry leaders sharing strategies that can help you improve efficiency and profitability. The series gives retailers actionable insights to use to stay ahead of the competition.
You can watch all previous episodes here.
Looking Ahead: Let’s Build Success Together
As always, we are committed to empowering your business through advanced data and industry-leading insights - because as our Partners your success, is our success.
Kick off the new year with confidence. Let’s talk about your goals and how to achieve them.
