5 best CRMs for automotive businesses in 2025

Fifty-seven percent of buyers are now willing to purchase a car online, according to 2024 Adtaxi research, up from 49% the previous year. As more people begin their car-buying journey on your website, sales teams must decipher who’s serious about driving the car off the lot — and who’s just kicking the digital tires.

An automotive CRM solves that problem by using customer data to manage the sales pipeline and score leads based on their value and intent to buy. This helps create a faster close rate and, ultimately, higher revenue for your dealership.

In this article, we’ll review five popular automotive CRMs, including feature breakdowns, a comparison table, and a how-to guide to help you decide. Our staff writer used AI to assist primarily in research and editing to ensure the most helpful guide, and humans reviewed this article before publication.

Below, we’ll talk about VinSolutions, Salesforce, and HubSpot, to name a few. Airstream used HubSpot to decrease cost per lead by about 44%. If you’re ready to optimize leads and sales with a CRM, read on.

Table of Contents

• What is an automotive CRM?
• CRM Comparison Table
• Best CRM Software for Automotive Businesses
• Benefits of CRM Software for Automotive
• 4 Important Features for an Automotive CRM
• How to Choose a CRM for Automotive (Step-by-Step)
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Meet HubSpot, the Top CRM Choice for Automotive Companies

What is an automotive CRM?

An automotive CRM collects and stores relevant customer data from all your separate sources, such as your website and walk-ins. A CRM like HubSpot can unify data and power your sales, marketing, and service departments, helping you track every customer interaction and ensure the best experience every time.

Best CRMs for Automotive at a Glance

CRM	Best For	Key Features	Pricing	Free Trial Available
HubSpot	Dealerships wanting an all-in-one platform that unifies sales, marketing, and service with a free CRM that scales with growth	All-in-one customer platform, lead capture & lead scoring, HubSpot’s AI (Breeze)	HubSpot’s CRM is always free and includes free tiers for all six core products. Paid plans for its core products start at $15/seat/month.	Free tiers
Salesforce	Large dealerships seeking a complex CRM with an automotive-specific add-on	Automotive Cloud add-on, pipeline inspection, Salesforce’s AI (Einstein)	Starts at $25/user/month	30-day free trial
Reynolds & Reynolds (FOCUS CRM)	Dealerships that want a DMS, POS, CRM, and other automotive software all from the same provider	Integrated with Reynolds & Reynolds automotive software, sales coaching, ID scan	Contact for pricing	No
VinSolutions	Dealerships seeking a dealer-first CRM with native automotive software integrations	GPS-based vehicle inventory management, predictive insights, Cox Automotive integrations	Contact for pricing	No
CDK	Large dealerships wanting to streamline operations with CDK’s Dealership Xperience Platform	360-degree customer view, Dealership Xperience Platform, AI-assisted equity mining	Contact for pricing	No

Best CRM Software for Automotive Businesses

The right automotive CRM can be the difference between a prospect driving their new car off the lot or walking away empty handed. Let’s analyze the five best automotive CRMs to ensure you choose the one that best fits your dealership.

1. HubSpot

Best for: Dealerships wanting an all-in-one platform that unifies sales, marketing, and service with a free CRM that scales with growth

Key HubSpot Features

• All-in-one customer platform: Every car dealership employee knows that it’s not just about the pre-sales and sales. There’s also post-sales, marketing, customer service, and more. HubSpot Smart CRM connects your sales, marketing, customer service, and operations so you can ensure all teams and data are aligned.
• Lead capture & lead scoring: Never miss a lead again. Use Marketing Hub forms and sync them with HubSpot Smart CRM to automatically unify and organize leads from various places — social media, walk-ins, emails, and form submissions. Plus, you can create custom lead scoring so your sales team knows which contacts to prioritize.
• HubSpot’s AI (Breeze): Breeze is the suite of AI tools woven into the HubSpot customer platform. Have Breeze surface relevant information about a prospect so you can prepare for a call, draft personalized emails based on CRM data, or answer customer questions via live chat — all in seconds.

HubSpot Pricing

• HubSpot’s CRM is always free, and it offers free plans for all six core products (marketing, sales, service, content, operations, and commerce).
• Each core product has a free, Starter, Professional, and Enterprise plan. Paid plans start at $15/seat/month and go up to $3,600/month for the Marketing Hub Enterprise plan (which includes five core seats). Commerce Hub is a payment processor that is free to use but charges fees per transaction.
• HubSpot pricing depends on your specific needs and add-ons. Use this HubSpot pricing calculator to see your custom price.

2. Salesforce

Best for: Large dealerships seeking a complex CRM with an automotive-specific add-on

Key Salesforce Features

• Automotive Cloud add-on: This is an industry vertical add-on to the CRM, built specifically for automotive companies such as OEMs and dealerships. Automotive Cloud has native vehicle inventory management so you can track vehicles and parts across different locations.
• Pipeline inspection: Give your sales team the visibility they need to manage and optimize their pipeline, such as customer vehicle preferences, prior purchases, and service history. They’ll also get visual cues and alerts that signal whether they’re about to close a deal — or lose it.
• Salesforce’s AI (Einstein): Use AI to predict the likelihood of closing a deal, with pointers on when to reach out to the potential buyer and how, such as highlighting the latest vehicle features.

Salesforce Pricing

• Salesforce offers a 30-day free trial.
• Salesforce’s CRM pricing plans are as follows:
• Starter Suite: $25/user/month
• Pro Suite: $100/user/month
• Salesforce’s Automotive Cloud is priced as follows (billed annually):
• Enterprise: $325/user/month
• Unlimited: $500/user/month
• Agentforce 1 Service: $750/user/month
• Agentforce 1 Sales: $750/user/month

Salesforce has many add-ons, so be sure to check its pricing page for details or contact its sales team for a custom quote based on your specific needs.

3. Reynolds & Reynolds (FOCUS CRM)

Best for: Dealerships that want a DMS, POS, CRM, and other automotive software all from the same provider

Key FOCUS CRM Features

• Integrated with Reynolds & Reynolds automotive software: The platform is a suite of software tools for the automotive industry. You can use its vehicle management inventory software, AutoVision, to get real-time data on cars in stock and connect that with the CRM.
• Sales coaching: Get real-time data and insights to coach salespeople while the customer is still in the store.
• ID scan: Automate your data entry and get customers in test drives faster with ID Scan. In less than two seconds, salespeople can scan a customer ID and upload that information to the CRM.

FOCUS CRM Pricing

• Reynolds & Reynolds does not publicly list its pricing for its FOCUS CRM. To get a quote, fill out the contact form or start a chat on its website. You can also call its sales team at 800-767-7879.

4. VinSolutions

Best for: Dealerships seeking a dealer-first CRM with native automotive software integrations

Key VinSolutions Features

• GPS-based vehicle inventory management: This built-in inventory management, powered by HomeNet, ensures you and your customers always know which vehicles are on your lot. This eliminates unnecessary back-and-forth and helps you sell faster.
• Predictive insights: Predictive AI analyzes customer behavior, including service history, so your sales team can hone in on high-value leads that are likely to convert. Generative AI helps your team personalize and automate email and text follow-ups.
• Cox automotive integrations: It provides many dealership-specific integrations, including Dealertrack DMS, Kelley Blue Book, and Autotrader. Additionally, third-party integrations are available.

VinSolutions Pricing

• VinSolutions does not list prices on its website. To get a quote, fill out the VinSolutions contact form or call its sales team at 866-578-8152.

5. CDK (formerly known as “Elead”)

Best for: Enterprise dealerships seeking AI-powered equity mining and dealer management tools

Key CDK Features

• 360-degree customer view: Keep track of every lead that walks your lot or visits your website. The CRM stores information about previous communications, vehicle preferences, and service history.
• Dealership Xperience Platform: This dedicated suite of tools for dealerships includes CRM, desking, vehicle inventory, and a dealer management system.
• AI-assisted equity mining: Find sales opportunities in your service drive through AI-assisted equity mining. Identify existing customers with enough equity in their vehicle to reasonably trade in and upgrade to a new one. It uses predictive modeling to score customers and show dealers which ones are most likely to buy.

CDK Pricing

CDK does not list pricing on its website. To get a quote, call CDK’s sales team at 833-620-2129 or fill out its contact form.

Benefits of CRM Software for Automotive

1. Accurately connect the best cars to the right customers and boost sales.

Your CRM needs to be able to pull all relevant data so that you can make the best decisions. Vehicle inventory is a key part of this process; you’ll need to connect cars to the right customers. A CRM can store vehicle preferences, connect to your inventory management system, and then help your sales rep reach out at the right time when the right vehicle is available.

While HubSpot doesn’t have native inventory management, there are plenty of third-party integrations you could use, or you could use HubSpot’s API to build a custom integration with your vehicle inventory management software of choice.

2. Retain customers beyond the initial car sale by bringing them back for servicing.

Cars are big purchases that happen every few years. It’s routine service and maintenance that keeps revenue consistent and helps customers get the best ROI on their car. With an automotive CRM, you can easily track service history and send timely reminders when a car’s maintenance is due.

With HubSpot, you can use tasks to remind your service department to follow up with a customer after a specified amount of time, or set up an automated email campaign that nudges customers to come in for servicing.

3. Break down silos and unify teams.

In the fast-paced business of selling cars, service rarely knows what sales promised, and marketing often launches campaigns without knowing the details of each segment. With a CRM like HubSpot, however, all of that changes. HubSpot Smart CRM comes with sales, marketing, and service tools so that all of those teams can access the same customer records, ensuring a personalized, consistent experience for every customer.

4. Capitalize on the growth of online car shopping.

A good CRM can help you score internet leads so you don’t waste time on online shoppers who aren’t serious about moving forward. A CRM with built-in marketing tools, such as HubSpot’s Marketing Hub, can take it further and help you create compelling landing pages.

4 Important Features for an Automotive CRM

• Vehicle inventory management: There’s nothing worse than an online lead showing up at the lot only to find out the car they saw on your website was sold long ago. Ensure your CRM can easily integrate with your vehicle inventory management software so you never overpromise. While HubSpot doesn’t have native vehicle inventory management, you can hire a HubSpot solutions partner to build something custom for you, check out HubSpot’s developer-friendly API documentation to do it yourself, or use a third-party integration.
• Integrations with dealership software: You‘ve got a sizeable tech stack already, including your DMS and inventory management software. Before you choose a CRM, you’ll want to check that it connects well with your current software. Again, HubSpot has an App Marketplace, but if none of those work for your software, you can always work with a HubSpot solutions partner or check out HubSpot’s API documentation.
• Mobile app: Your sales reps are on the move — on the lot or on test drives. They don’t always have a computer in front of them. HubSpot’s mobile app — with its caller ID, conversations inbox, and reports and dashboards — ensures your sales team stays productive no matter where they are.
• Appointment scheduling: Make your sales team’s lives easier by getting a CRM with built-in scheduling. For example, HubSpot lets you create one-on-one scheduling pages so customers can book meetings with sales reps.

How to Choose a CRM for Automotive (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Gather information internally. If you already have a CRM and are considering switching, talk to your sales team about what they like and dislike about the current software. This can be an in-person meeting or a brief survey.

If you don’t have a CRM yet, ask your sales team about their current workflows and what could make them better. While you’re at it, ask for recommendations on which automotive CRMs they’d like to use.

Step 2: Gather information externally. In this step, you’ll start doing external research. This blog post is a good place to start. Also check out the product and help pages of the CRMs you’re considering. Talk to their sales reps, too, to get better insight into how good the company’s customer service is.

Step 4: Assemble your decision-making team. Select a handful of people, including a sales team leader, an IT team member, and maybe your general manager. This decision-making team will test out software and make the final call.

Step 5: Demo your top CRM options. Every CRM provider should offer a free trial or demo to give you a true feel for the software before you spend any money on it. Choose your top three options, and sign up for free trials or demos. You’ll gather much more information this way than simply reading product pages.

Step 6: Choose a reputable, proven automotive CRM. We highly recommend that you evaluate CRM options and look for case studies of automotive companies that have successfully implemented them. For example, HubSpot has saved CarProUSA.com 50 hours a week and increased MarineMax’s annual revenue by 113%. Whatever CRM you choose, look for stats and proof that it can generate ROI for automotive companies like yours.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best CRM for automotive?

The best CRM for automotive is one that suits your specific business needs. HubSpot is a top choice for a dealership because it creates a unified customer profile, has AI-powered lead scoring, and helps your sales team know who and what to prioritize. And most importantly, the HubSpot platform is extremely intuitive and easy for customers to modify. The CRM is always free, so customers can upgrade to paid add-ons as their business scales.

What features should I look for in a CRM for dealerships?

Your automotive CRM should be able to easily integrate with vehicle inventory management systems and other dealership software like a DMS. It should also have appointment scheduling built in, since that’s a crucial part of the sales process. For example, HubSpot comes with a free meeting scheduler so your reps can book calls fast. Lastly, look for an easy-to-use mobile app so your sales reps can communicate with prospects no matter where they go.

Is HubSpot good for dealerships?

HubSpot is good for small to midsize dealerships, especially ones that need a cost-effective, easy-to-implement CRM. HubSpot’s CRM is always free, and HubSpot offers six core products with free plans (marketing, sales, content, operations, service, and commerce) that are easily upgraded to paid plans as the business grows.

How much does a CRM for automotive cost?

It depends. HubSpot Smart CRM is free, with paid core product plans starting at $15/user/month. Depending on the number of seats and the features you want, an automotive CRM can cost upwards of thousands per month.

Meet HubSpot, the Top CRM Choice for Automotive Companies

HubSpot Smart CRM accelerates business growth by unifying sales, marketing, and service on its all-in-one customer platform. See why leading automotive companies like Airstream and Suzuki choose HubSpot as their automotive CRM.

• Free Forever CRM That Can Be Configured for Dealerships – HubSpot’s CRM is free (forever) with free plans for all of its six core products for marketing, sales, content, service, and operations. Though not dealer-specific, HubSpot can be configured for automotive customers, and if you need help, solutions partners are experienced with HubSpot customization. Customers frequently comment on how easy HubSpot is to implement. The HubSpot team has found that the average time for customers to fully operationalize the HubSpot Starter Customer Platform is just five days.
• Advanced Marketing and Service Workflows – CarProUSA.com worked with HubSpot Solutions Partner Media Junction to automate its process for getting member reviews, building a workflow to automatically send emails soliciting reviews, and getting notified every time a new one is posted. Airstream uses HubSpot’s marketing automation to send highly targeted follow-up emails with a content offer and the user’s closest dealer.
• All-in-One Sales, Marketing, and Service – Connect your sales floor, service drive, and marketing team with shared customer records. Since they’re all working from the same database, they’ll have full visibility and be better aligned, with no leads slipping through the cracks.

Suzuki South Africa saw a 21% increase in sales after implementing HubSpot, even while the overall car market declined. Airstream boosted leads generated by 78% using HubSpot’s marketing automation, all while decreasing cost per lead through better targeting and lead distribution to their dealer network.

Ready to see real results from your CRM? Take HubSpot for a spin for free.