Just 450 of 1.4M online dealership reviews mentioned tariffs in Q1

A new report spotlights some interesting trends for Google Reviews of dealerships, and why the signals buried inside them may matter more than they appear at first glance 

The details: WideWail’s Voice of the Consumer Q1 2025 Report (drawn from data-backed insights powered by WideWail’s proprietary, AI-backed platform) shows review activity climbing rapidly across the automotive retailing market

• In Q1, U.S. new car dealerships generated 1.4 million Google reviews, marking a 33% growth over last year.

• The average Google review volume per dealership has increased 28% in the last 21 months.

• The number of dealerships with over 100 Google reviews per month grew from 415 dealerships in 2024 to 755 this year—an increase of 82%.

Surprisingly: Auto tariffs are having little (if any) impact on consumer experiences at dealerships based on Google Reviews. Only 450 out of 1.4 million reviews mentioned tariffs directly by name. 

• So while buyers may have accelerated purchases, they weren’t vocal about price concerns in reviews.

• This disconnect suggests that many dealerships managed to keep customer-facing experiences relatively smooth, even if pricing pressures were present. 

• Operational consistency, rather than external conditions, seemed to shape how shoppers described their time at the store.

• Staff remains the top source of positive feedback, and complaints about staff dropped 2.5%—a turnaround from late 2024.
  Communication got better. Positive mentions rose 5%, though issues with communication and service still made up more than 40% of negative reviews.

• Negativity around the sales process increased 4.3%, with buyers citing professionalism, staff knowledge, and financing as trouble spots.

• On a more encouraging note, complaints about EV-related knowledge fell 28%, showing progress in one of last year’s most glaring gaps.

Bottom line: The WideWail report offers more than just a tally of reviews. It shows that during a period of economic friction, most dealerships maintained or improved the core parts of the customer experience. And for many shoppers, that seems to have mattered more than pricing headlines or policy shifts.

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