3 months to decide in 'one of the world’s most competitive car markets’

Australian motorists are spoiled for choice when it comes to new car shopping, but many are ending up bamboozled by the huge number of makes and models now on offer, spending months trying to find their new ride.

Analysts estimate more than 60 brands and more than 400 models are now on sale in Australia, with more imports and electric options continuing to enter the market. 

New technology has only added to the choice, with EV sales now accounting for 12.1% of new car purchases, up from 9.6% a year earlier, according to the Electric Vehicle Council.

Australians spend months searching for a car

According to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, Australia is “one of the world’s most competitive [car] markets,” thanks to the number of brands and models competing for a relatively small population of consumers. That competition is only accelerating, with Chinese brands breaking into the top 10 rankings over multiple months of 2025.

But what should be a buyer’s bonanza is also causing headaches. In a sign of how complex the car buying process has become, Australians now spend an average of 2.8 months researching before they buy a vehicle, according to automotive intelligence platform AutoGrab.

AI helping people shop smarter

Motor Industry expert Saxon Odgers says AI will make life easier for buyers. “Australians want clarity. They want dealer-grade information, side-by-side comparisons and data they can trust,” he said.

Odgers, who is the Chief Commercial Officer at AutoGrab, says the goal is simple: “Dealer-grade data and AI-assisted comparison give Australians more control over a decision that’s high-stakes and high-cost, no matter their base knowledge of cars and the automotive market.”

AutoGrab has joined forces with Commonwealth Bank, bringing car data and motor sales trends intelligence developed for dealers to everyday buyers via the Cars for Commbank platform.

The move significantly expands the inventory of new and used cars customers can research and buy. It also introduces an AI-powered assistant to help them shop smarter. The assistant can do anything from estimating trade-in values to understanding how mileage affects resale, calculating fuel efficiency or using insights to compare different car makes and models.

Making a big decision easier

“Buying a car is one of the biggest costs people face. We want to make sure they have access to all the information they need,” said CBA Executive General Manager of Consumer Finance Joel Larsen. 

“It’s one of the biggest decisions people make and one of the biggest costs, whether it’s financing the vehicle or paying ongoing expenses. There’s so much information out there, and it’s hard for people to work out what’s best for them and what sources are trustworthy.

AI tools can help remove a lot of the guesswork for car buyers, Larsen says.  “AI gives customers more power. We want to help make the process simpler, from browsing what’s available, applying for funding, if you need it, all conveniently via the CommBank website.”