Automotive GEO & SEO Benchmark 2026
Top 50 Car Brands in Germany Compared
Download the study as PDFThe Automotive GEO & SEO Benchmark 2026 compares the top 50 car brands in the German market. It links new registrations with search demand, Google visibility, website usage, backlinks and presence in AI answers. Marketing, digital and e-commerce leaders at OEMs, importers and dealer groups can therefore see where their brand stands online.
In registrations, the ranking of brands in the German market is clear. Online, however, the picture partly shifts. Some manufacturers generate far more search interest than their sales suggest. Others, in contrast, stand out in Google or in AI answers. And some grow fast in registrations while their visibility still lags behind.
The benchmark identifies what leaders do well and where untapped potential lies. This applies to market leaders defending their position as well as to challengers closing the gap. Germany is a demanding reference market: high volume, strong domestic brands and fast-growing challengers.
Part 1 of the series: this benchmark provides the data. Part 2, the Acceleration Playbook with ranking factors for each stage of the car buying journey, is coming soon.
Automotive GEO & SEO Benchmark 2026: key findings at a glance
In the Automotive GEO & SEO Benchmark 2026, brands with high sales are usually strong in Google and AI answers too. The biggest levers lie in unbranded search.
- New registrations: strong movement in the ranking. Volkswagen remains the market leader, while Škoda climbs strongly to rank 4. In addition, BYD and Tesla together account for just over half of total net market growth.
- Search demand: high interest in individual brands has different causes. Porsche, for example, benefits from its appeal as a luxury brand. For BYD and Tesla, high search demand meets strong sales growth. Škoda, by contrast, sells far more than its online demand would suggest.
- SEO: market leaders are strong, but others dominate unbranded searches. Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen also lead Google visibility. For searches without a brand, however, manufacturers and captive banks hold only 6% of the analysed top-10 positions.
- Website usage: reach depends on the domain model. Tesla, Kia and Hyundai lead global website visits. Among German domains, Audi, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz are almost level at around 3 million visits each. Volkswagen also reaches the most unique users among German manufacturer domains.
- Off-site: German domains can keep up with international automotive websites. Porsche and Kia lead Trust Flow internationally. Moreover, with its German domain, Volkswagen achieves higher link quality than several globally linked manufacturer sites.
- GEO: AI answers favour concrete product attributes and independent sources. Volkswagen is named in almost two thirds of AI purchase advice answers. Hyundai and Kia, in particular, are far more present than their registration numbers would suggest. Warranty, charging technology and independent tests shape the recommendations – ADAC, Germany’s largest motoring club, is the most cited source. In addition, a sentiment analysis captures each brand’s strengths and weaknesses in AI answers.
However, visibility only turns into sales when brand, content, offers and dealers work together.
Full benchmark as PDF: all data on 50 car brands
For readability, the tables in this article focus on brands whose metrics differ in particularly interesting ways.
The full PDF rates all 50 car brands across every digital metric. It contains all collected data and detailed AI sentiment profiles of the 15 brands with a robust data basis.
Volkswagen remains market leader, BYD and Tesla account for just over half of the growth
Volkswagen clearly leads the German market with 396,444 new registrations (KBA, January to September 2026). Together, BYD and Tesla account for just over half of market growth.
From January to September 2026, 2,221,798 new passenger cars were registered in Germany, up 5.3% on the same period last year. Volkswagen continues to lead the market clearly with 396,444 new registrations. Despite a decline of 5.7%, the brand is ahead of Mercedes-Benz and BMW combined.
| Registration rank | Brand | New registrations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volkswagen | 396,444 |
| 2 | Mercedes-Benz | 194,859 |
| 3 | BMW | 189,320 |
| 4 | Škoda | 186,973 |
| 5 | Audi | 153,020 |
| 6 | SEAT | 117,432 |
| 7 | Opel | 105,375 |
| 8 | Ford | 74,630 |
| 9 | Hyundai | 71,400 |
| 10 | Dacia | 53,176 |
Source: KBA (German Federal Motor Transport Authority), press release no. 41/2026 of 5 Oct 2026, new passenger car registrations January to September 2026, German market.
BYD and Tesla grow particularly strongly. Together they add around 61,000 new registrations compared with the previous year. The German passenger car market as a whole grew by around 111,800 vehicles over the same period. Just over half of total market growth is therefore attributable to these two brands.
Top 10 registration gains in the German market
| Brand | Change in vehicles (approx.) | Change in % | New registrations |
|---|---|---|---|
| BYD | +31,000 | +262.1% | 42,788 |
| Tesla | +30,000 | +201.9% | 44,810 |
| Škoda | +21,200 | +12.8% | 186,973 |
| Fiat | +9,300 | +22.1% | 51,272 |
| MG Motor | +9,100 | +49.8% | 27,363 |
| Renault | +8,400 | +19.5% | 51,348 |
| BMW | +7,800 | +4.3% | 189,320 |
| Mini | +7,700 | +30.8% | 32,811 |
| Audi | +7,000 | +4.8% | 153,020 |
| Mazda | +6,700 | +22.8% | 36,083 |
Source: KBA (German Federal Motor Transport Authority), press release no. 41/2026, January to September 2026 vs. the same period last year. Absolute change calculated from the percentage change and rounded.
Top 10 registration declines in the German market
| Brand | Change in vehicles (approx.) | Change in % | New registrations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen | −24,000 | −5.7% | 396,444 |
| Toyota | −11,900 | −19.2% | 50,022 |
| Ford | −8,400 | −10.1% | 74,630 |
| Volvo | −6,500 | −14.4% | 38,454 |
| Mitsubishi | −6,200 | −39.3% | 9,529 |
| SEAT | −5,700 | −4.6% | 117,432 |
| Alfa Romeo | −2,300 | −39.7% | 3,480 |
| Porsche | −1,600 | −7.0% | 21,675 |
| Suzuki | −1,200 | −6.9% | 16,371 |
| GWM | −1,100 | −47.9% | 1,189 |
Source: KBA (German Federal Motor Transport Authority), press release no. 41/2026, January to September 2026 vs. the same period last year. Absolute change calculated from the percentage change and rounded.
Gaps are also shifting among established manufacturers. Škoda adds more than 20,000 new registrations and is now only around 2,300 vehicles behind BMW. BYD and Tesla grow particularly fast with heavily electrified model ranges. Meanwhile, BMW, Škoda and Audi grow from a much higher sales base.
The absolute figures therefore point to two developments. Volkswagen holds its dominant market position. At the same time, newcomers such as BYD and Tesla and established challengers such as Škoda, BMW and Audi narrow the gap to the top.
Takeaway: Fast-growing brands win market share before their digital presence catches up. Established manufacturers protect their position when they own searches on electric models, leasing and availability early.
Tesla, Porsche and BYD rank far higher in brand search than in registrations
Brand search largely follows market position. However, people search for Tesla, BYD and Porsche far more often than their registrations would suggest.
Volkswagen also leads brand search, ahead of BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The large manufacturers therefore dominate both sales and search demand. Behind them, however, sales figures and brand interest diverge clearly.
| Search rank | Brand | Search volume / month | Registration rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volkswagen | 696,000 | 1 |
| 2 | BMW | 509,000 | 3 |
| 3 | Mercedes-Benz | 495,000 | 2 |
| 4 | Audi | 381,000 | 5 |
| 5 | Tesla | 331,000 | 16 |
| 6 | BYD | 325,000 | 17 |
| 7 | Porsche | 313,000 | 24 |
| 8 | Škoda | 290,000 | 4 |
| 9 | Hyundai | 290,000 | 9 |
| 10 | Toyota | 235,000 | 14 |
Source: SISTRIX, monthly search volume for brand names in Germany, as of 5 Oct 2026 (estimates). Škoda and Hyundai are level. Registration rank: new registrations January to September 2026 (KBA (German Federal Motor Transport Authority)).
High search demand does not automatically mean high purchase intent. For many people, Porsche, Ferrari and Lamborghini are dream and status brands. Their relatively high search interest therefore does not necessarily translate into actual sales.
Tesla and BYD, however, are a different case. People search for both brands far more often than their registration rank would suggest. At the same time, they post the largest registration gains. Here, strong interest already goes hand in hand with measurable growth.
Škoda and Opel rank much higher in new registrations than in online brand demand. SEAT falls into the same category, while Hyundai’s two rankings are close. One possible explanation is different target groups and buying motives. For affordable volume models, concrete purchase searches probably weigh more heavily than aspirational searches. That would point to a higher purchase probability per search.
Škoda: fleet sales explain the gap between registrations and brand search
For Škoda in particular, strong fleet sales are likely to play an important role. In 2025, the brand already ranked second behind Volkswagen in German company fleets. The Octavia even leads the model ranking in the commercial segment (source: Dataforce, German passenger car fleet market 2025). Procurement via fleets and leasing therefore probably explains part of the gap between registrations and brand search.
The benchmark only measures searches for brand names. Well-known model names such as Golf, Octavia or Model Y are not included, although they can account for a significant share of interest.
This raises the next question for automotive marketing: how well do manufacturers capture existing interest on their own websites?
Takeaway: High brand demand is a head start that the brand’s own website has to capture. Brands with strong fleet sales such as Škoda also win with content for business buyers.
Google visibility: Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and BMW form the leading group
Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and BMW form the leading group in Google visibility. Ford, BYD and Tesla, in contrast, deviate clearly from their sales position.
Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and BMW form the leading group in organic Google visibility in Germany. Mercedes-Benz leads on the 12-week median. Volkswagen led in two of the twelve weeks and reached the highest single value of the period at 31.1. With 90,900 top-10 keywords, Volkswagen also covers the most search terms on page one across the entire benchmark. Second place usually alternates between Volkswagen and BMW.
The comparison uses the SISTRIX Visibility Index as a 12-week median.
| SEO rank | Brand / domain | SI 12-week median | Top-10 keywords | Registration rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes-Benz · mercedes-benz.de | 29.9 | 75,062 | 2 |
| 2 | Volkswagen · volkswagen.de | 25.0 | 90,900 | 1 |
| 3 | BMW · bmw.de | 24.3 | 56,587 | 3 |
| 4 | Audi · audi.de | 21.9 | 38,932 | 5 |
| 5 | Porsche · porsche.com | 19.5 | 42,486 | 24 |
| 6 | Toyota · toyota.de | 12.32 | 29,184 | 14 |
| 7 | Ford · ford.de | 12.26 | 38,599 | 8 |
| 8 | Škoda · skoda-auto.de | 12.1 | 32,322 | 4 |
| 9 | Honda · honda.de | 10.4 | 29,374 | 30 |
| 10 | Renault · renault.de | 10.1 | 25,459 | 11 |
Source: SISTRIX Visibility Index Germany, median of twelve weekly values (27 Jul to 12 Oct 2026), top-10 keywords as of 12 Oct 2026.
Ford matches Škoda's SEO visibility – with less than half the sales
Ford and Škoda are almost level in the Visibility Index. Ford is even slightly ahead on the 12-week median, although Škoda sells around two and a half times as many vehicles. In addition, it covers more keywords on the first page of Google results.
For Škoda, this opens an interesting perspective. The brand is successful in sales and especially in fleet business. However, it could expand the visibility of its own website with additional content on models, equipment and commercial use. For Ford, the task is rather to convert existing visibility into sales even better.
BYD and Tesla could direct much more search interest to their own websites
BYD posts sharply rising registrations and already ranks 6th in brand search. Its own website, however, only ranks 33rd in the Google Visibility Index. This points to considerable potential to capture growing demand through organic results on the brand’s own domain.
Tesla’s SEO position is already stronger. Even so, it remains well behind high demand and steep sales growth. Given the strong rise in sales, concrete model comparisons, trim variants, purchase offers and used-car searches with a local angle could offer additional opportunities.
Overall, sales at both brands grow faster than their broad organic visibility. For further growth, it could be particularly valuable to guide prospects to the brand’s own offers for specific purchase queries as well.
Audi gains far more Google visibility than Ford with almost the same number of top-10 keywords
Audi and Ford each rank on page one for just under 40,000 search terms. Audi’s Visibility Index is nevertheless around 79% higher. This suggests that Audi models are searched more often in Germany and/or that audi.de ranks in better positions.
Takeaway: Visibility comes from model, equipment and offer pages that cover the terms people search for. Growth brands catch up fastest when their domain channels existing brand demand to their own offers.
Tesla, Kia and Hyundai lead global website visits – other brands stand out with intensive usage
Tesla, Kia and Hyundai reach the most website visits worldwide. Among German manufacturer domains, Audi, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz are level at around 3 million visits each.
Similarweb adds estimated website usage across all traffic sources to Google visibility. It measures visits, visit duration and pages per visit (metrics and comparability).
International .com domains bundle visits from all markets, while German domains mainly reflect users in Germany. Therefore, the benchmark also compares both groups separately. Similarweb traffic data is available at global level only. A reach comparison between international and German domains is therefore only of limited significance.
In terms of usage intensity, the German domains keep up. Mercedes-Benz achieves the longest visit duration and the most pages per visit in the entire table. Volkswagen, Audi and BMW also hold users longer than tesla.com.
| Rank | Brand / domain | Visits / month | Pages / visit | Visit duration | Registration rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tesla · tesla.com | 31.31m | 5.95 | 03:25 | 16 |
| 2 | Kia · kia.com | 25.34m | 4.09 | 02:31 | 13 |
| 3 | Hyundai · hyundai.com | 19.72m | 4.01 | 02:05 | 9 |
| 4 | Porsche · porsche.com | 11.70m | 10.68 | 04:12 | 24 |
| 5 | BYD · byd.com | 10.75m | 3.16 | 02:11 | 17 |
| 6 | Volvo · volvocars.com | 10.69m | 4.13 | 01:58 | 19 |
| 7 | Audi · audi.de | 3.19m | 5.88 | 03:31 | 5 |
| 8 | Volkswagen · volkswagen.de | 3.18m | 7.29 | 03:45 | 1 |
| 9 | Mercedes-Benz · mercedes-benz.de | 3.03m | 12.11 | 04:16 | 2 |
| 10 | BMW · bmw.de | 2.81m | 6.82 | 03:31 | 3 |
View more brands
| Rank | Brand / domain | Visits / month | Pages / visit | Visit duration | Registration rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Polestar · polestar.com | 2.81m | 5.81 | 02:19 | 31 |
| 12 | Ferrari · ferrari.com | 2.69m | 5.16 | 01:50 | 37 |
| 13 | Lamborghini · lamborghini.com | 1.61m | 10.97 | 02:19 | 40 |
| 14 | Toyota · toyota.de | 1.55m | 6.26 | 03:13 | 14 |
| 15 | Škoda · skoda-auto.de | 1.47m | 3.51 | 02:21 | 4 |
Source: Similarweb, website data September 2026, worldwide, all traffic sources (estimates, retrieved 13 Oct 2026). Registration rank: German market.
Kia reaches more unique visitors worldwide than Tesla
Tesla leads in monthly visits. In unique visitors, however, Kia is slightly ahead with 15.01 million versus Tesla’s 14.88 million. Tesla is accordingly revisited more often.
Hyundai is another volume brand with a strong digital position worldwide. Together with Kia, the brand is even ahead of the luxury brand Porsche in website visits. Volvo achieves almost the same reach as BYD and, with 7.00 million, more unique visitors than Porsche (6.35 million). The international presence of these manufacturers goes far beyond their position in the German sales market.
Porsche and the German premium manufacturers stand out with long visit durations
Porsche combines high international reach with particularly intensive website usage. Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi also achieve long average visit durations. Model comparisons, configurators and exploring trim variants are likely to contribute.
Lamborghini also stands out with an exceptionally high number of page views per visit (10.97). Just outside the top 15, the same applies to Aston Martin (rank 16, 11.08) and Bentley (rank 20, 14.33). For exclusive vehicles in particular, the website serves purchase preparation and, in particular, detailed exploration of models and equipment, mostly without purchase intent.
Audi, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz are close among German manufacturer domains
This ranking orders reach among manufacturer domains focused more strongly on Germany.
| Rank | Brand / domain | Visits / month | Pages / visit | Visit duration | Registration rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Audi · audi.de | 3.19m | 5.88 | 03:31 | 5 |
| 2 | Volkswagen · volkswagen.de | 3.18m | 7.29 | 03:45 | 1 |
| 3 | Mercedes-Benz · mercedes-benz.de | 3.03m | 12.11 | 04:16 | 2 |
| 4 | BMW · bmw.de | 2.81m | 6.82 | 03:31 | 3 |
| 5 | Toyota · toyota.de | 1.55m | 6.26 | 03:13 | 14 |
| 6 | Škoda · skoda-auto.de | 1.47m | 3.51 | 02:21 | 4 |
| 7 | Dacia · dacia.de | 1.30m | 4.82 | 02:47 | 10 |
| 8 | Renault · renault.de | 1.15m | 4.54 | 02:11 | 11 |
| 9 | Ford · ford.de | 0.94m | 6.31 | 02:28 | 8 |
| 10 | Opel · opel.de | 0.88m | 2.61 | 01:49 | 7 |
Source: Similarweb, website data September 2026, worldwide, all traffic sources (estimates, retrieved 13 Oct 2026).
The German market leaders confirm their strong position in website usage as well. In September 2026, Audi, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz each reach around 3 million visits. Audi grows by around 31% compared with August and is slightly ahead.
According to Similarweb, most of the increase comes from display advertising (around 0.32 million additional visits, +250%). In addition, direct visits (+23%) and organic visits (+16%) rise. A banner campaign drives the display uplift, with 70 recorded Audi ad creatives (+25%), including for the RS 5 and the Q7. Around 71% of display visits come from t-online.de, followed by web.de and gmx.net. Whether Audi stays ahead without this boost will only become clear in the coming months.
Volkswagen reaches the most unique visitors (1.83 million, high breadth), Mercedes-Benz the longest visit duration and the most pages per visit (greater depth). BMW then follows with 2.81 million visits and similarly long visits. From rank 5 onwards, visits drop to around half of the three leaders.
Toyota and other challengers: sales and website usage diverge
Toyota ranks 5th among German domains, nine places above its registration rank. The website even achieves more visits than Škoda, although Škoda sells considerably more vehicles in Germany. The longer visit duration also points to intensive usage.
Ford and Opel reach comparable website reach, but visitors stay much longer on Ford. A similar difference appears between Citroën and Peugeot. Although Peugeot achieves more visits, the average visit duration at Citroën is more than twice as long.
Mini stands out with long visits at comparatively low reach. At 3:13 minutes, the average visit duration matches Toyota’s, with only around 0.39 million visits. Smaller websites can thus also reach an audience that engages intensively with their content.
SEAT, by contrast, has relatively few visitors despite its strong position in registrations. Note that the separate CUPRA website is not included in these figures.
Long visit durations indicate intensive engagement – click depth also depends on site structure
Long visits suggest intensive engagement with models, equipment and offers. In addition, pages per visit depend on how a website is structured (how to read usage metrics).
Takeaway: Reach alone says little about purchase readiness. Visit duration and pages per visit indicate where configurators, model comparisons and offer search keep prospects engaged.
Free benchmark download: where every car brand stands in digital competition
The full Automotive GEO & SEO Benchmark 2026 provides the direct competitive comparison with all collected metrics for 50 car brands. It includes in-depth AI analyses with specific brand strengths, points of criticism and how often they are mentioned.
Porsche and Kia lead Trust Flow, Volkswagen leads among German domains
Porsche and Kia have the strongest international link profiles, Volkswagen the strongest among German domains. Mercedes-Benz, however, achieves higher Google visibility with fewer links.
External links are an important building block of organic Google visibility. Majestic measures referring domains, external backlinks, Trust Flow (TF) and Citation Flow (CF) (definitions of the link metrics).
Global .com domains bundle links from several countries. For national .de domains, links spread across several market sites such as .at or .ch. Therefore, the benchmark sorts both groups separately.
| Rank | Brand / domain | TF | CF | Referring domains | External backlinks | Registration rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Porsche · porsche.com | 81 | 67 | 38,800 | 4.84m | 24 |
| 2 | Kia · kia.com | 77 | 62 | 27,100 | 3.37m | 13 |
| 3 | Aston Martin · astonmartin.com | 75 | 55 | 9,360 | 0.48m | 41 |
| 4 | Jaguar · jaguar.com | 73 | 57 | 11,200 | 0.80m | – |
| 5 | Lamborghini · lamborghini.com | 72 | 59 | 12,400 | 0.67m | 40 |
| 6 | Volvo · volvocars.com | 72 | 57 | 27,200 | 4.32m | 19 |
| 7 | Bentley · bentleymotors.com | 72 | 55 | 9,060 | 8.37m | 43 |
| 8 | Maserati · maserati.com | 70 | 55 | 7,300 | 0.81m | 44 |
| 9 | Lotus · lotuscars.com | 70 | 52 | 5,090 | 0.67m | 45 |
| 10 | Hyundai · hyundai.com | 67 | 63 | 24,300 | 5.19m | 9 |
Source: Majestic, Fresh Index, as of 13 Oct 2026 (Jaguar: 14 Oct 2026). Jaguar is not reported separately by the KBA.
Porsche combines the strongest link profile with a top position in Google. Kia also stands out: despite the second-highest Trust Flow, the brand ranks outside the top 10 for SEO visibility in Germany. Volvo and Hyundai also have strong international link profiles. However, their German Google positions do not reflect this to the same extent. This matches their strong measured website usage (Similarweb). Still, international strength does not automatically carry over to the German market.
Volkswagen leads among German domains, Mercedes-Benz achieves higher SEO visibility with fewer links
Some German domains can keep up even with internationally linked websites. With a Trust Flow of 74, volkswagen.de even scores higher than Volvo, Lamborghini or Bentley. BMW is just behind Volvo (72) at 70, and Ford matches Hyundai at 67.
| Rank | Brand / domain | TF | CF | Referring domains | External backlinks | Registration rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volkswagen · volkswagen.de | 74 | 57 | 12,500 | 2.68m | 1 |
| 2 | BMW · bmw.de | 70 | 54 | 7,810 | 3.11m | 3 |
| 3 | Ford · ford.de | 67 | 52 | 4,090 | 0.30m | 8 |
| 4 | Mercedes-Benz · mercedes-benz.de | 66 | 51 | 9,670 | 0.59m | 2 |
| 5 | Opel · opel.de | 65 | 49 | 3,510 | 1.46m | 7 |
| 6 | Mitsubishi · mitsubishi-motors.de | 64 | 54 | 2,430 | 0.15m | 27 |
| 7 | Toyota · toyota.de | 64 | 53 | 3,880 | 1.78m | 14 |
| 8 | Renault · renault.de | 62 | 54 | 2,970 | 0.31m | 11 |
| 9 | SEAT · seat.de | 62 | 53 | 3,140 | 0.44m | 6 |
| 10 | Subaru · subaru.de | 60 | 48 | 1,130 | 0.07m | 33 |
Source: Majestic, Fresh Index, as of 13 Oct 2026.
Volkswagen combines the strongest off-site position among German domains with leading SEO visibility. The brand benefits from a link profile built up over many years and a strong presence in the German market.
Mercedes-Benz achieves considerably higher visibility, although its Trust Flow is lower and the domain has less than a quarter of Volkswagen’s external backlinks. Even Ford achieves a higher Trust Flow than Mercedes-Benz. Besides links, content, information architecture and technical implementation are decisive for Mercedes-Benz’s strong Google position.
Off-site strengths among the challengers: Audi, Ford and Mitsubishi
Despite a Trust Flow of only 53 (outside the top 10 of this table), Audi ranks 4th in SEO. The domain has more external backlinks than Volkswagen, but fewer referring domains. Neither the absolute number of links nor Trust Flow alone explains organic visibility.
Ford stands out with the third-highest Trust Flow among German domains and is also among the most visible manufacturers in Google. Opel and SEAT also have solid link profiles, but their SEO visibility lags behind their registration positions. The external foundation is in place, while overall SEO performance still has potential.
Mitsubishi is surprisingly strong. The brand ranks 27th in registrations, but already 6th in Trust Flow among German domains. Its comparatively strong links, however, do not translate into similarly high Google visibility. Here, too, there appears to be a foundation that on-site measures can build on.
How much visibility a strong link profile generates also depends on what content a website offers, how it is structured and which searches it reaches. The next part of this series – the Acceleration Playbook – looks at these factors in depth.
Global .com domains such as Tesla can bundle international link strength efficiently
With around 63,900 referring domains, Tesla has the broadest link profile in the entire benchmark, but reaches a Trust Flow of only 44. BYD also has considerable international links. Both brands grow strongly in German registrations. Their Google visibility, however, still lags well behind brand search demand in some cases.
A global .com domain is neither automatically an advantage nor a disadvantage. It can bundle link strength from several markets. With well-structured country folders such as /de/, correct hreflang signals and local content, it serves several countries efficiently. Tesla and BYD exemplify this centralised approach, which still offers potential in the German market.
National domains such as volkswagen.de, by contrast, enable an independent market presence. It reflects local expectations and established brand awareness. Here, too, well-planned international linking and technical structure support visibility. Largely independent country organisations within a group can make this harder, though.
What matters is how well existing link strength connects with local language, local search interest and website content. Both the number of links and their quality, measured by TF and CF, count.
Takeaway: Link strength only pays off with matching content and a clean country structure. For .com domains, country folders, hreflang and local content matter. For .de domains, linking between the market sites matters. This is where targeted off-page optimization comes in.
Manufacturers hold only 6% of the Google top 10 – major potential along the entire customer journey
In unbranded search, manufacturers and captive banks hold only 6% of the Google top 10. ADAC, brokers, portals, leasing providers and workshops share most of the remaining places.
Whether “best family car” or “electric car with long range”: many vehicle searches start without a brand preference. That is why the benchmark analyses 100 unbranded search terms across five phases of buying a car in the German market (selection and classification). The Google top 10 identify which players reach prospects in each phase.
| Share of top-10 positions | Orientation | Learning | Contact | Purchase | Ownership | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturers and captive banks | 1% | 8% | 7% | 4% | 9% | 6% |
| ADAC, TÜV, consumer organisations | 17% | 10% | 6% | 9% | 14% | 11% |
| Trade media | 15% | 12% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 7% |
| Vehicle portals | 5% | 11% | 11% | 5% | 4% | 7% |
| Online retailers and brokers | 19% | 15% | 11% | 7% | 9% | 12% |
| Leasing, financing, insurance | 20% | 15% | 4% | 21% | 6% | 14% |
| Dealers and dealer groups | 5% | 9% | 18% | 7% | 3% | 8% |
| Workshops, parts, charging infrastructure | 2% | 10% | 2% | 13% | 22% | 9% |
| Videos and forums | 11% | 4% | 8% | 1% | 4% | 5% |
| Other, authorities, SERP features | 5% | 8% | 30% | 31% | 25% | 19% |
Source: SISTRIX, Google top 10 for 100 unbranded search terms in five purchase phases (896 results), Germany, retrieved 27 Sep 2026. Assignment of domains to provider groups by digitalagenten.
Manufacturers and captive banks are comparatively rare in unbranded search results across all five phases. Especially in early orientation, independent providers, trade media and brokers dominate the results. Manufacturers reach only about 1% here. In the purchase and ownership phases, other provider groups gain importance, for example leasing and financing providers. As a result, brands compete with each other and with specialised platforms and service providers along the entire customer journey.
This is where potential lies for every manufacturer. For example, a brand that appears in a comparison of long-range electric cars or family-friendly models can make the shortlist before the brand decision. For dealer groups, the biggest opportunity lies in the local contact phase. Large portals do not yet dominate local searches such as “car dealership near me” or “book a test drive”. Well-ranking used-car listings serve long-tail searches by model, equipment, price and location. In turn, they take prospects straight to available vehicles.
Vehicles available now: portals win local searches
Anyone searching for a specific used or immediately available model near them, such as “Golf gebraucht Berlin” (used Golf Berlin), “BMW 3er gebraucht München” (used BMW 3 Series Munich) or “C-Klasse gebraucht” (used C-Class), rarely finds the brand’s own vehicle offer on Google. Hardly any brand is directly present with specific vehicles within the radius of a search. Most of these results go to third parties such as mobile.de, AutoScout24, Kleinanzeigen, AutoUncle and 12gebrauchtwagen. mobile.de ranks in the top 10 for all eleven used-car search terms analyzed, AutoScout24 for ten. Manufacturer domains hold 8 of 107 positions, mainly where they run their own used-car marketplace with model pages. For searches with a city name, individual dealers and branches rank.
Yet brands have the best starting position for these searches: certified vehicles from their own dealer network, manufacturer warranties, high credibility and domains with strong ranking potential. With indexable inventory pages per model and location, they can capture demand for immediately available vehicles themselves, down to the specific car at the local dealer.
Source: SISTRIX, Google top 10 for eleven used-car search terms with model and location reference (107 results), Germany, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Takeaway: Manufacturers gain reach before the brand decision with comparison and guidance content. Dealer groups win the contact phase with local SEO for dealer locations and active review management.
AI benchmark: Volkswagen is named in almost two thirds of AI purchase advice answers
AI answers name Volkswagen in 148 of 234 cases, almost two thirds. Hyundai, Kia and Tesla appear far more often than their registrations would suggest.
For this part, SISTRIX analysed 78 questions without a brand reference in ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews and AI Mode (SISTRIX Prompt Tracking, Germany, retrieved 14 Oct 2026). The analysis counts which manufacturers the 234 answers name for questions about vehicles, purchase criteria and leasing. The benchmark counts brand mentions and answers with a mention, i.e. answers that name a brand at least once (prompt set and counting).
| GEO rank | Brand | Mentions | Answers with mention | Registration rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volkswagen | 523 | 148 | 1 |
| 2 | Mercedes-Benz | 332 | 112 | 2 |
| 3 | BMW | 370 | 104 | 3 |
| 4 | Hyundai | 240 | 84 | 9 |
| 5 | Audi | 263 | 83 | 5 |
| 6 | Kia | 217 | 79 | 13 |
| 7 | Škoda | 203 | 73 | 4 |
| 8 | Toyota | 204 | 64 | 14 |
| 9 | Tesla | 170 | 63 | 16 |
| 10 | Dacia | 132 | 45 | 10 |
View more brands
| GEO rank | Brand | Mentions | Answers with mention | Registration rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Porsche | 98 | 43 | 24 |
| 12 | Opel | 81 | 39 | 7 |
Source: SISTRIX Prompt Tracking, 78 unbranded prompts, Germany, retrieved 14 Oct 2026 (last 7 days). Mentions and answers summed across ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews and AI Mode. GEO rank by answers with a mention across 48 brands (how the GEO rank works).
Volkswagen achieves by far the highest presence and appears in 148 of 234 answers. Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi also belong to the leading group. So the leaders in registrations and search demand are also particularly frequent in AI purchase advice.
Hyundai, Kia and Tesla, by contrast, come up far more often than their registration rank would suggest. Despite registration rank 9, Hyundai reaches GEO rank 4. Kia moves from registration rank 13 to GEO rank 6, Tesla from 16 to 9. For Kia and Hyundai, recurring recommendations based on warranty and charging technology play a part. Tesla also benefits from a positive presence regarding range, efficiency and charging infrastructure. Toyota (registration rank 14, GEO rank 8) and Porsche (24 and 11) are ahead of their sales position as well.
SEAT, Opel and Ford rank lower in AI purchase advice than in registrations
SEAT drops from registration rank 6 to GEO rank 20, Opel from 7 to 12 and Ford from 8 to 14. For SEAT, the KBA includes CUPRA, while AI systems name CUPRA as a separate brand. CUPRA alone reaches 24 answers (GEO rank 17), just ahead of SEAT with 22. Ford stands out in particular, because the brand holds a much stronger position in Google than in the AI ranking. BYD, too, ranks only 22nd despite the strongest registration growth.
Overall, the order of AI mentions resembles new registrations even slightly more closely than Google visibility and brand search demand. A strong digital presence nonetheless often goes hand in hand with high AI visibility. Whether AI recommendations will shift sales themselves remains open. Deliberate visibility in AI answers therefore gains weight.
ADAC is the most cited AI source
ADAC, Germany’s largest motoring club, is used as a source in 128 of the 234 analysed answers. Trade media, vehicle portals and brokers also play an important role. Manufacturer domains appear less often, but are also cited for concrete product information.
| Domain | Answers with citation | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| adac.de | 128 | 358 |
| youtube.com | 78 | 282 |
| autobild.de | 49 | 116 |
| finn.com | 39 | 61 |
| carwow.de | 37 | 58 |
| autohero.com | 32 | 57 |
| meinauto.de | 28 | 50 |
| mobile.de | 22 | 37 |
| kia.com | 7 | 17 |
| hyundai.com | 7 | 12 |
View more brands
| Domain | Answers with citation | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| bmw.de | 6 | 8 |
| mercedes-benz.de | 6 | 7 |
| tesla.com | 4 | 6 |
Source: SISTRIX Prompt Tracking, 78 unbranded prompts, Germany, retrieved 14 Oct 2026. Answers with citation = answers citing the domain, summed across ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews and AI Mode (maximum 234). Citations = all mentions of the domain as a source.
Of the 24 most cited individual pages (at least seven citations), 13 come from ADAC. Particularly in demand are the electric car ranking, energy consumption tests, the 2026 breakdown statistics and value-for-money and charging comparisons.
Manufacturer information can also serve as direct evidence. Kia’s seven-year warranty page is cited five times in three URL variants. The kia.com domain as a whole reaches seven answers with 17 citations – the most citations of any manufacturer domain.
This gives independent tests and verifiable product information more weight. Therefore, both can influence which vehicle attributes AI systems pick up in their answers. The more structured, fact-based and consistent the content an AI system finds, the more likely it is to be used as a source for an answer.
However, source selection changes quickly and differs by AI system. YouTube is the second most frequent source overall, but is cited only in Google AI Overviews and AI Mode (in 39 answers each). In ChatGPT, however, YouTube currently appears in no answer as a source. ADAC, by contrast, is used in all three systems.
Sentiment analysis: AI systems pick up brand strengths – but also issues with earlier models
The sentiment analysis of 7 Oct 2026 examines which attributes and reservations AI systems repeatedly associate with each manufacturer. The focus is on concrete purchase criteria such as warranty, range, reliability, space, running costs and residual values.
| Brand | Frequently mentioned strengths | Recurring reservations |
|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen | Family and company cars, model range, service network | Software issues with earlier ID models, warranty |
| Mercedes-Benz | Comfort, driver assistance, EV technology | Repair costs, warranty, recalls |
| BMW | Driving dynamics, long-distance, company cars, hybrid technology | Workshop costs, warranty |
| Škoda | Space, value for money, Enyaq and Elroq | Warranty, recalls of individual models |
| Audi | Connectivity, quattro, comfort, company cars | Costs, technical issues with individual model series |
| SEAT / CUPRA | Value for money, sporty models, leasing | Recalls, delivery times |
| Opel | Low-cost leasing offers, family cars, commercial vehicles | Recalls, issues with earlier infotainment systems |
| Ford | Commercial vehicles, family SUVs, business offers | Recalls, technical issues with older models |
| Hyundai | EV technology, fast charging, five-year warranty | Earlier issues with charging electronics and 12-volt batteries |
| Fiat | City cars, entry prices, leasing | Infotainment, residual values |
View more brands
| Brand | Frequently mentioned strengths | Recurring reservations |
|---|---|---|
| Toyota | Hybrid technology, reliability, Relax warranty | 12-volt battery issues with individual models |
| Dacia | Purchase price, space, practical models | Comfort, equipment, safety of individual models |
| Kia | Electric models, fast charging, seven-year warranty | Earlier issues with battery and charging electronics |
| Tesla | Efficiency, range, Supercharger network, software | TÜV inspection results of individual models, driver assistance |
| BYD | Equipment, value for money, battery technology | Residual values, dealer and service network |
Source: SISTRIX AI, sentiment analysis, as of 7 Oct 2026.
Warranty and electric mobility are among the most frequently mentioned purchase arguments. In particular, AI answers repeatedly praise Kia and Hyundai for their EV technology and manufacturer warranties. Similarly, Toyota performs well with durable hybrid technology and its Relax warranty. For Škoda, space and everyday practicality play an important role.
The German market leaders also have clear strengths. Volkswagen is associated with a broad model range and a dense service network. For Mercedes-Benz, comfort and technology come first, for BMW driving dynamics and long-distance capability. Audi, in turn, is often mentioned for its connectivity and all-wheel-drive technology.
Tesla, meanwhile, stands for range, efficient drivetrains and software. For BYD, equipment and attractive prices are in the foreground, alongside reservations about residual values and the service network.
For several manufacturers, issues with earlier model generations still appear in AI answers. Tesla, for example, combines positive breakdown statistics with critical TÜV inspection results for individual models. Such mixed findings can shape the brand image in AI purchase advice at the same time.
Influencing their image in AI positively will be a key challenge for manufacturers. Already today, it is particularly relevant how complete and up to date key product information is in their own content and in external sources.
Full benchmark: every brand's strengths and weaknesses as seen by AI
The full PDF report contains all collected GEO, SEO, website and off-site data as well as detailed sentiment profiles of the 15 brands with a robust data basis, each with strengths and reservations from AI answers.
ChatGPT names car brands more often than Google AI Overviews and AI Mode
The table lists, per AI system, the share of the 78 questions in which a brand is named. Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and BMW form the leading group everywhere. Overall, ChatGPT names most of the analysed manufacturers more often than the two Google systems. Audi is an exception: the brand appears slightly more often in AI Overviews (39.7% versus 37.2%).
| Brand | ChatGPT | Google AI Overviews | Google AI Mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen | 67.9% | 59.0% | 62.8% |
| Mercedes-Benz | 50.0% | 43.6% | 50.0% |
| BMW | 47.4% | 41.0% | 44.9% |
| Hyundai | 47.4% | 30.8% | 29.5% |
| Audi | 37.2% | 39.7% | 29.5% |
| Kia | 41.0% | 32.1% | 28.2% |
| Škoda | 38.5% | 21.8% | 33.3% |
| Toyota | 39.7% | 23.1% | 19.2% |
| Tesla | 30.8% | 19.2% | 30.8% |
Source: SISTRIX Prompt Tracking, 78 unbranded prompts, Germany, retrieved 14 Oct 2026 (period: last 7 days). Share of prompts whose answer names the brand at least once.
Takeaway: AI systems base recommendations on tests and on warranty, charging and breakdown data. Manufacturers therefore strengthen their AI presence with verifiable product facts on their own domain and in independent sources. Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) describes the way there.
AI purchase advice and Google visibility closely track sales
Across all brands, AI presence and Google visibility closely track new registrations. Among the 20 brands with the most registrations, however, Google follows sales slightly more closely than AI.
The four rankings summarise how each manufacturer’s market position relates to its digital presence. Registrations and AI visibility are particularly close. The comparison also identifies brands that are strong online and could convert better. Others sell strongly and could win additional customers digitally.
| Brand | Registration rank | Change in vehicles (approx.) | Search rank | SEO rank | GEO rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen | 1 | −24,000 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Mercedes-Benz | 2 | +3,800 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| BMW | 3 | +7,800 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Škoda | 4 | +21,200 | 8 | 8 | 7 |
| Audi | 5 | +7,000 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| SEAT | 6 | −5,700 | 26 | 19 | 20 |
| Opel | 7 | +6,100 | 15 | 12 | 12 |
| Ford | 8 | −8,400 | 11 | 7 | 14 |
| Hyundai | 9 | +600 | 9 | 11 | 4 |
| Dacia | 10 | −400 | 12 | 16 | 10 |
View all 47 brands with registration data
| Registration rank | Brand | New registrations Jan–Sep 2026 | Search rank | SEO rank | GEO rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volkswagen | 396,444 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2 | Mercedes-Benz | 194,859 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| 3 | BMW | 189,320 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | Škoda | 186,973 | 8 | 8 | 7 |
| 5 | Audi | 153,020 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| 6 | SEAT | 117,432 | 26 | 19 | 20 |
| 7 | Opel | 105,375 | 15 | 12 | 12 |
| 8 | Ford | 74,630 | 11 | 7 | 14 |
| 9 | Hyundai | 71,400 | 9 | 11 | 4 |
| 10 | Dacia | 53,176 | 12 | 16 | 10 |
| 11 | Renault | 51,348 | 13 | 10 | 13 |
| 12 | Fiat | 51,272 | 31 | 20 | 17 |
| 13 | Kia | 50,047 | 14 | 18 | 6 |
| 14 | Toyota | 50,022 | 10 | 6 | 8 |
| 15 | Peugeot | 46,321 | 16 | 13 | 15 |
| 16 | Tesla | 44,810 | 5 | 15 | 9 |
| 17 | BYD | 42,788 | 6 | 33 | 22 |
| 18 | Citroën | 40,696 | 19 | 21 | 23 |
| 19 | Volvo | 38,454 | 20 | 17 | 15 |
| 20 | Mazda | 36,083 | 18 | 23 | 20 |
| 21 | Mini | 32,811 | 34 | 25 | 19 |
| 22 | MG Motor | 27,363 | 47 | 40 | 30 |
| 23 | Nissan | 24,686 | 27 | 24 | 25 |
| 24 | Porsche | 21,675 | 7 | 5 | 11 |
| 25 | Suzuki | 16,371 | 22 | 14 | 27 |
| 26 | Land Rover | 10,797 | 43 | 27 | 26 |
| 27 | Mitsubishi | 9,529 | 23 | 28 | 36 |
| 28 | Jeep | 8,777 | 32 | 29 | 29 |
| 29 | Smart | 6,631 | 25 | 32 | 30 |
| 30 | Honda | 6,128 | 24 | 9 | 30 |
| 31 | Polestar | 3,805 | 28 | 41 | 27 |
| 32 | Alfa Romeo | 3,480 | 29 | 31 | 30 |
| 33 | Subaru | 2,944 | 36 | 35 | 36 |
| 34 | Lexus | 2,640 | 35 | 34 | 24 |
| 35 | DS Automobiles | 1,620 | 45 | 38 | 45 |
| 36 | Ferrari | 1,305 | 21 | 22 | 36 |
| 37 | GWM | 1,189 | 46 | 47 | 30 |
| 38 | MAN | 1,009 | 40 | 30 | 39 |
| 39 | Lamborghini | 921 | 17 | 26 | 39 |
| 40 | Iveco | 712 | 44 | 43 | 39 |
| 41 | Aston Martin | 443 | 30 | 36 | 45 |
| 42 | Bentley | 332 | 37 | 37 | 39 |
| 43 | Maserati | 294 | 38 | 39 | 45 |
| 44 | Lotus | 226 | 39 | 44 | 39 |
| 45 | Rolls-Royce | 215 | 33 | 42 | 39 |
| 46 | Cadillac | 50 | 41 | 46 | 45 |
| 47 | Nio | 20 | 42 | 45 | 30 |
Sources: KBA (January to September 2026), SISTRIX search volume (as of 5 Oct 2026), SISTRIX Visibility Index (12-week median to 12 Oct 2026), SISTRIX Prompt Tracking (retrieved 14 Oct 2026). Notes on the brand set, CUPRA and ambiguous brand names: scope of the brand set.
Google and AI visibility closely track registration figures
| Comparison | Correlation (47 brands) | Top 20 by registrations | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registrations – search demand | 0.77 | 0.56 | Strong: frequently searched brands tend to sell many vehicles. Luxury brands and fast-growing manufacturers deviate. |
| Registrations – SEO | 0.84 | 0.76 | Very strong: brands with high registrations usually also have high organic Google visibility. |
| Registrations – GEO | 0.92 | 0.70 | Very strong: in unbranded AI purchase advice, the order of brands closely follows sales. |
| Search demand – SEO | 0.86 | 0.71 | Very strong: high brand interest usually goes with a strong presence in Google search. |
| Search demand – GEO | 0.80 | 0.76 | Strong: frequently searched brands are also often named in AI answers. |
| GEO – SEO | 0.83 | 0.83 | Very strong: brands that are highly visible in Google tend to be frequently present in AI answers too. There appear to be synergies. |
Source: own calculation (Spearman rank correlation) across 47 brands with KBA data and the top 20 by registrations. Data as in the ranking table (rank correlation method).
Across all 47 brands with KBA data, AI presence tracks new registrations most closely (0.92), followed by Google visibility (0.84). Among the 20 brands with the most registrations, the relationship reverses: here Google visibility follows sales more closely (0.76) than AI presence (0.70). The high overall AI value therefore stems mainly from the gap between volume and niche brands. For the large manufacturers, Google and AI paint a similar picture. Neither metric alone reflects sales. The next part of the series examines which factors are behind these relationships.
Digital visibility is a key prerequisite – sales success comes from the interplay
Successful car brands are often strong online as well. Moreover, across the entire brand field, AI and Google visibility closely match new registrations. The links between registrations, SEO and search demand are also remarkably high. Good rankings alone, however, do not guarantee additional vehicle sales. Statistical relationships do not prove cause and effect; at most they suggest it.
However, marketing and selling cars is complex. Between the first search and the new registration lie many decisions: which model fits the need? Is it available at the desired price and with suitable financing? Is the vehicle available in the region? How easy is it to arrange advice, a test drive and the purchase?
Turning digital visibility into demand and vehicle sales requires many levers to work together. Brand marketing, product management, GEO and SEO, website teams, sales and the dealer network have to collaborate along the entire customer journey. Even a highly visible manufacturer website loses prospects if suitable vehicles, offers or regional availability are missing where people search.
This is a key task for automotive groups with many brands, markets, sales units and dealer organisations. The goal is to guide prospects from the first research to the right vehicle offer and on to the purchase.
Takeaway: Digital visibility is a precondition for sales success, but no substitute for product offer and dealer network. Teams that steer brand, website, retail and AI presence together achieve the greatest effect.
Part 2 of the series, the Acceleration Playbook, is coming soon. It derives the ranking factors for each stage of the car buying journey from this benchmark.
Book a free consultation: more vehicle enquiries through targeted automotive GEO & SEO
digitalagenten supports car manufacturers, importers and dealer groups in aligning GEO, SEO consulting, local visibility and conversion optimisation. This covers everything from the first vehicle search to the regional dealer offer. A tailored benchmark and competitor analysis delivers an automotive GEO & SEO benchmark for a specific brand and market. In addition, the guide Automotive SEO 2025 covers the fundamentals for manufacturers and dealers.
The free, no-obligation initial consultation identifies concrete starting points for a brand. These include searches with potential, presence in AI answers and the path from manufacturer website and dealer network to the test drive. It also covers how to roll this out across markets and locations.
FAQ on the automotive GEO & SEO benchmark: methodology, metrics and use
Which data sources does the Automotive GEO & SEO Benchmark 2026 use?
The Automotive GEO & SEO Benchmark 2026 combines six data sources for the German market:
- New registrations: KBA (German Federal Motor Transport Authority), press release no. 41/2026 of 5 Oct 2026 (January to September 2026).
- Search demand, Google visibility and unbranded top 10: SISTRIX (retrieved 27 Sep to 12 Oct 2026).
- AI presence and AI sources: SISTRIX Prompt Tracking (retrieved 14 Oct 2026).
- Sentiment: SISTRIX AI (as of 7 Oct 2026).
- Website usage: Similarweb (September 2026, retrieved 13 Oct 2026).
- Backlinks: Majestic Fresh Index (as of 13 Oct 2026).
In addition, digitalagenten calculates the rank correlations from this data.
How does the SISTRIX Visibility Index measure Google visibility?
The SISTRIX Visibility Index scores a domain’s rankings in Google Germany. The calculation combines positions, the search volume of the terms and the expected click-through rate. A higher value therefore means more organic reach.
The Automotive GEO & SEO Benchmark uses the median of twelve weekly values (27 Jul to 12 Oct 2026). Otherwise, closely ranked brands would swap places depending on the reference date. The median smooths out these fluctuations and keeps the ranking stable.
How comparable is the Similarweb data across manufacturer domains?
Similarweb estimates website usage across all traffic sources. Similarweb traffic data is available at global level only. Monthly visits measure reach. Visit duration and pages per visit, in contrast, measure intensity. Unique visitors count each person only once per month.
International .com domains bundle visits from all markets. German manufacturer domains, however, mainly reflect users in Germany. Visit numbers for the two groups are therefore only partly comparable. For this reason, the Automotive GEO & SEO Benchmark also compares them separately. All values are estimates and work best for relative comparison.
What do visit duration and pages per visit say about purchase interest?
Visit duration measures how long users engage with vehicles, equipment or offers. A longer dwell time suggests strong interest.
For pages per visit, website structure also plays a role. A lean website takes users to the right vehicle in a few clicks. A deeply structured website, by contrast, needs more page views for the same information. As a tendency, more pages suggest that users looked at more models and variants. For luxury brands, a visit often serves exploration without concrete purchase intent.
What do Trust Flow, Citation Flow and referring domains mean?
- Trust Flow (TF): Majestic metric for trust in the link environment. A higher value means links from more trustworthy websites.
- Citation Flow (CF): measures link popularity, mainly the volume of links.
- Referring domains: number of distinct domains with at least one link.
- External backlinks: number of all incoming links. On its own, however, it says little.
The Automotive GEO & SEO Benchmark uses the Majestic Fresh Index. It reflects current links, while the Historic Index collects the full history.
How were the 100 unbranded search terms analysed?
The Automotive GEO & SEO Benchmark analyses 100 search terms without brand names. They cover five phases of buying a car: orientation, learning, contact, purchase and ownership. Examples from the German market translate as “best family car”, “electric car with long range”, “car dealership near me” and “book a test drive”.
For each term, SISTRIX collected the Google top 10 in Germany (retrieved 27 Sep 2026). In total, 896 results went into the analysis. digitalagenten then assigned each domain to a provider group, such as manufacturers, trade media, portals or dealers.
How were the AI answers collected and counted?
The basis is 78 German-language questions without a brand reference, for example on vehicle classes, purchase criteria and leasing. SISTRIX Prompt Tracking ran them in ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews and Google AI Mode (Germany, last 7 days, retrieved 14 Oct 2026). This results in 234 answers.
The benchmark counts two values. Mentions capture every reference to a brand. Answers with a mention count the answers that name a brand at least once. Each brand can therefore reach a maximum of 234.
How is the GEO rank calculated?
The GEO rank sorts 48 brands by their answers with a mention. These are the 47 brands with KBA data plus CUPRA. Brands with the same number share a rank. Brands without any mention in AI answers share the last rank, 45.
Škoda combines two SISTRIX entries (Skoda, škoda). CUPRA counts separately from SEAT: 24 answers, 41 mentions, GEO rank 17. The KBA, by contrast, counts CUPRA under SEAT.
How was the sentiment analysis of the car brands created?
This analysis builds on the SISTRIX AI evaluation of 7 Oct 2026. It captures which strengths and reservations AI systems repeatedly associate with a manufacturer.
The focus lies on purchase criteria such as warranty, range, reliability, space, running costs and residual value. The table in the article summarises the most frequent patterns per brand. The full PDF contains detailed profiles of the 15 brands with a robust data basis.
What does the rank correlation mean, and what not?
The Spearman rank correlation measures how similar two rankings are. A value of 1 means identical order, 0 means no relationship. The benchmark calculates it across 47 brands with KBA data and, in addition, for the top 20 by registrations.
Ties enter with averaged ranks, and ranks are reassigned within each selection. CUPRA is not included because the KBA counts CUPRA under SEAT. A high correlation indicates a relationship but does not prove a cause. It cannot tell whether visibility drives sales or the other way round.
Why do the tables refer to 47, 48 and 50 brands?
The Automotive GEO & SEO Benchmark covers 50 brands. Its registration rank refers to 48 brands with KBA data, because the KBA does not report Chevrolet and Jaguar separately. The correlations also use only the 47 brands with complete values.
SEAT values for search, GEO and SEO exclude CUPRA, while the KBA counts CUPRA under SEAT. For ambiguous brand names such as Jaguar or Lotus, the search rank is probably too favourable. In addition, brand search does not include model names such as Golf, Octavia or Model Y.
How can OEMs, importers and dealer groups use the benchmark?
The Automotive GEO & SEO Benchmark places each brand against the German market. Marketing and digital teams can spot gaps between sales, demand, Google visibility and AI presence. Importers see where their brand falls short of its market share. Dealer groups find levers in the contact phase, for example location pages and reviews.
For a specific brand, market or dealer group, a tailored benchmark and competitor analysis goes deeper. It adds models, regions and direct competitors, including markets beyond Germany.
Which parts of the series come next?
The series follows the cycle Research, Learn, Design and Build. Part 1, this Automotive GEO & SEO Benchmark, delivers Research and Learn: market data and the patterns behind it.
Part 2, the Acceleration Playbook, is coming soon. It sets out the ranking factors along the five buying phases and identifies the content and sources that count in Google and in AI answers. After that, the player and stakeholder matrix maps the tasks of manufacturers, retail and internal teams across a group. In addition, the benchmark will be updated with new KBA data.
Lorenz Wacker
Managing Partner