February 3, 2026
As digital platforms evolve and become more integrated into daily life, so too has the vehicle-buying journey. Today, modern vehicle shoppers have moved beyond simple reviews and are actively seeking diverse, experiential and highly technical content to inform their purchase decisions. This shift in the path to purchase is made evident in new research from Escalent, highlighting how TikTok has become a primary destination for automotive research and discovery.
In a survey of Escalent’s independent EVForward® research program—the largest, most comprehensive study of electric vehicle (EV) buyers and electrified powertrain adoption—TikTok emerged as one of the most widely used online platforms for dedicated automotive content. In a separate study conducted in partnership with TikTok, the platform indexed the highest among major social and digital platforms in the early phases of the vehicle buying journey, with 75% of TikTok shoppers—defined in the study as shoppers who used TikTok in their vehicle buying process—using the platform for discovery and 80% using it for research. These data emphasize the important task automakers and dealers have in assessing and reshaping their TikTok strategies to compete and win.
The Evolving Vehicle Buyer
The automotive market is rapidly changing, becoming increasingly complex and more difficult to navigate as a shopper. Coupled with rising costs, the level of consideration and research needed to make an informed decision has also risen significantly. Seeking authentic, honest reviews, insights and technical knowledge to guide them through the purchase journey, today’s vehicle buyers are leveraging digital platforms—particularly TikTok—to understand their options and determine what will best fit their lives.
The research showcased TikTok’s ability to open doors to new brands and models. Four in five (81%) TikTok shoppers indicated the platform increased their interest in brands they were unaware of or had never considered, and a similar proportion (78%) said it did the same for specific vehicle models. When it comes to EVs, data show that TikTok shoppers are more amenable to exploring EVs than non-TikTok shoppers—defined in the study as shoppers who did not use TikTok in their vehicle buying process. More than half of TikTok shoppers are considering a hybrid (56%) or EV (51%) compared with non-TikTok shoppers considering a hybrid (44%) or EV (35%).
“Before TikTok partnered with Escalent to conduct a separate study to explore its role in the vehicle purchase journey, our independent EVForward research found that more than half of EV Owners and EV Intenders are consuming automotive content often or almost always on TikTok, the highest rate among all online platforms we’ve measured,” said K.C. Boyce, a vice president in the Automotive & Mobility practice at Escalent. “These behaviors indicate vehicle shoppers are gravitating to spaces where information is fast, visual and grounded in real experience to explore, understand and make sense of the growing EV market. For automakers and dealers, this represents a pivotal opportunity to earn confidence, consideration and long-term loyalty from buyers by meeting them in the places where they are already seeking clarity.”
TikTok Imperative
Brands that invest consistently in TikTok stay visible throughout the vehicle buying journey, becoming part of the research process, not just the final push to buy. By connecting broader content, such as reviews and technical comparisons of vehicles, to the localized dealership experience, auto brands have the potential to increase awareness and consideration—ultimately driving conversion.
“This research reinforces what we see every day on TikTok: vehicle buying has become a cultural, community-driven experience,” said Brian Torpey, director of Product Strategy & Operations for Automotive at TikTok. “People turn to TikTok to discover new vehicles and features, learn from real experiences and build confidence in complex decisions—from researching EV technology to connecting with their local dealerships about relevant offers and inventory. TikTok has become a place where automotive inspiration, understanding and decision-making naturally come together.”
The research shows that vehicle buyers are discovering, learning, comparing, and making decisions on TikTok early and often throughout the purchase journey. The brands that maximize their visibility on the platform by showing up with credible information, relatable storytelling and content will remain top of mind as vehicle buyers move from research to purchase decision.
To learn more about the research and review the findings, download the thought paper, How TikTok Drives Modern Vehicle Buying, published by Escalent and TikTok by clicking the button below.
About the TikTok Marketing Sciences—US Navigating the New Auto Buying Journey Study
Escalent surveyed 2,016 online respondents from August 18 to September 15, 2025 across the United States (n=1,181) and Canada (n=835). Respondents were ages 18–64 who had purchased a vehicle in the last six months or were planning to purchase a vehicle within the next 12 months. The sample included both TikTok users and non-users and comes from an opt-in, online panel. As such, any reported margins of error or significance tests are estimated and rely on the same statistical assumptions as data collected from a random probability sample. Escalent will supply the exact wording of any survey questions upon request. Note: This news release and the thought paper include only US data.
About EVForward®
The data reported come from Escalent’s EVForward database, a global sample of more than 50,000 new-vehicle buyers aged 18 to 80, weighted by age, gender and location to match the demographics of the new-vehicle buyer population and by vehicle segment to match current vehicle sales. The sample for this research comes from an opt-in, online panel. As such, any reported margins of error or significance tests are estimated and rely on the same statistical assumptions as data collected from a random probability sample. Escalent will supply the exact wording of any survey question upon request.
