In September 2026, we analyzed 5,630 ChatGPT and 5,630 Google Gemini recommendations across five automotive categories to compile the EMARKETER AI Visibility Index. Our index tracks how often brands are mentioned, how they rank against competitors, and how those rankings have shifted since the previous month. This article will be updated quarterly to highlight our key takeaways for the automotive industry’s performance.

Overall AI Visibility Leaderboard: Q4 2026

Toyota continued to have a higher brand visibility rate than any other automotive brand. It appeared in 38% of AI recommendations in September 2026, leading in both the gas-powered and hybrid car categories.

The top 10 leaderboard remained unchanged from July. Each automotive brand maintained its place on the overall leaderboard. But Chevrolet increased its visibility by 1 percentage point, while Mercedes-Benz and Ram decreased by 1 point each.

Japanese automakers performed well in AI visibility, as did US-based brands. Toyota and Honda occupied the top two spots, while Mazda, another Japanese brand, also appeared in the top 10. Three US-based automakers—Ford, Chevrolet, and Ram—made the top 10 as well.

Honda was the only brand to appear on the leaderboard in three out of five automotive categories. In addition to having the highest visibility rate in motorcycles, it ranked second in both gas-powered and hybrid cars.

Three categories featured standout brands with mention rates that far surpassed competitors. Toyota dominated the hybrid category with a mention rate of 87%, which was 48 percentage points higher than No. 2 Honda. The leading brands in motorcycles (Honda) and utility vans and trucks (Ford) both had a 20-percentage-point visibility lead on their competitors.

Category AI Visibility Leaderboard: Electric Vehicles

Key Movements

Tesla was mentioned in 58% of AI recommendations in the electric vehicle (EV) category, up from 56% in July. This improvement gave it a slightly larger lead over Hyundai, which saw its brand mention rate decline from July.

Brand Mention Rate vs. Share of No. 1 Mentions

Hyundai stood out as a close second in visibility after Tesla. While Tesla had a higher mention rate (58%) compared with Hyundai (46%), the two brands both had a No. 1 mention rate of 33%.

Citations by Platform

Frequently cited sources in the EV category were mostly in line with the overall automotive industry. Electrek, a niche publication focused on EVs, appeared in a small percentage of Gemini recommendations, but mainstream automotive publications like Car and Driver and Edmunds.com were the most frequently cited nonbrand sources.

FAQ: Automotive

Which automotive brands were mentioned the most in AI-generated recommendations?

Toyota was the most frequently mentioned automotive brand in AI-generated recommendations in September 2026, appearing in 38% of recommendations across ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Honda ranked second at 36%, followed by Ford at 30%, Chevrolet at 22%, and BMW at 21%. Toyota’s leadership was driven by strong visibility in gas-powered and hybrid cars, while Honda stood out across three of the five automotive categories. Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Ram, and Mazda rounded out the overall top 10.

Why do AI platforms recommend some automotive brands more than others?

Automotive brand recommendations vary by category, AI platform, and the sources used to generate recommendations. Toyota’s leadership in gas-powered and hybrid cars and Honda’s dominance in motorcycles demonstrate how category performance shapes visibility. Source selection also matters: ChatGPT relied primarily on automaker websites, while Google Gemini cited publishers more frequently. Car-buying guides such as Edmunds.com and iSeeCars were prominent sources on both platforms, highlighting the importance of third-party automotive content.

Which automotive categories are most competitive in AI-generated recommendations?

Electric vehicles and gas-powered cars were the most competitive automotive categories in AI-generated recommendations in September 2026. Toyota, the gas car category leader, had a 44% brand mention rate, which topped Honda’s mention rate by only 5 percentage points. Tesla ranked No. 1 in the electric vehicle category with a 58% mention rate, followed by Hyundai at 46% and Chevrolet at 37%. By comparison, hybrid cars, motorcycles, and utility vans and trucks featured more dominant category leaders.

Why is AI visibility important for automotive brands?

AI visibility is important for automotive brands because AI platforms like ChatGPT and Google Gemini are reshaping how consumers discover vehicles and compare options. Each AI recommendation featured about four brands in September 2026, so automakers absent from those short lists risk dropping out of consideration. Automotive brands should also track No. 1 mention rates, because consumers may favor the brand that appears first in AI-generated recommendations.

What were the biggest AI visibility trends for automotive brands this quarter?

The biggest automotive AI visibility trend in Q4 2026 was a sharp contraction in Google Gemini’s source pool, with unique cited domains falling 63% between July and September. Overall brand rankings held steady, as the automotive industry’s top 10 remained unchanged. And Gemini showed greater visibility for luxury brands, including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche.

FAQ: EMARKETER’s AI Visibility Index

How is the automotive AI Visibility Index measured?

EMARKETER’s AI Visibility Index is based on a structured analysis of ChatGPT and Google Gemini recommendations in response to US-based interactions across five automotive categories: gas cars, hybrid cars, electric vehicles, motorcycles, and utility vans and trucks. Each interaction asks ChatGPT and Gemini for product recommendations using standardized prompts (e.g., “best electric pickup,” “hybrid SUV for families”). Prompts vary by product type, product attribute, consumer need, target audience, and price tier to capture a representative range of real-world consumer questions for each category.

How does EMARKETER choose the prompts?

Prompts are built with EMARKETER analysts and researchers who cover each industry, then validated and prioritized using consumer search volume data. Prompts reflect the language consumers actually use.

What is “brand mention rate”?

Brand mention rate is the percentage of each AI tool’s recommendations that mention a given brand.

What is “No. 1 mention rate”?

No. 1 mention rate is the number of ChatGPT and Google Gemini recommendations that mention a given brand first as a percentage of all ChatGPT and Gemini recommendations that mention the brand.

How can I improve my brand’s AI visibility?

Brands strengthen how often AI assistants recommend them by sharpening their generative engine optimization (GEO) strategy and building the trust signals AI models weigh. EMARKETER’s AI Visibility Index shows where a brand stands today and how that position moves month over month—the baseline for any optimization effort. To learn more about how the index can help your brand, including custom-scoped advisory insights, visit our AI Visibility Index hub.

What do EMARKETER PRO and PRO+ subscribers get?

EMARKETER PRO subscribers get in-depth quarterly reports featuring further category breakouts, data cuts, and analysis. PRO+ subscribers can access the AI Visibility Index’s complete data set, including monthly updates across every category cut, in the live dashboard.