New international research has confirmed what many in the industry already suspected: when people get in the car, they turn on the radio. And they would be lost without it.

The study, carried out by research agency Fifty5Blue across 8,000 car buyers in six countries including the UK, was presented at WorldDAB Automotive 2026 in Frankfurt. Its findings make compelling reading for any business in the automotive sector thinking about where to spend their advertising budget.

What the data tells us

When 8,000 car buyers across six countries were asked about their in-car audio habits, the results pointed overwhelmingly in one direction. Radio is not simply present in the car, it is the medium drivers reach for most, rely on most and would miss most if it disappeared. Here are the headline findings at a glance:

Finding	Figure
Car buyers who listen to radio in the car	83%
Say radio is the audio they use most often	50%
Consider radio a “must-have” feature in a new vehicle	62%
Would really miss radio if it was no longer available	85%
Say it is important their next vehicle has DAB/DAB+ or FM	91%
DAB+ listeners who like using the platform	95%

Key highlights from the study:

• 83% of car buyers listen to radio in the car, with half saying it is the audio they use most often. Streaming services came in a distant second at 20%, followed by personal music at 12%, with podcasts and audiobooks trailing further behind.
• Radio is not just being tolerated in the car. It is the dominant choice by a significant margin.
• 62% of car buyers consider radio a must-have feature when purchasing a new vehicle. That puts it ahead of built-in navigation, touchscreen displays and smartphone mirroring systems. The things that automotive manufacturers invest millions in developing and promoting rank below radio in the minds of buyers.
• And perhaps most telling of all: 85% of car buyers say they would really miss radio if it was no longer available. That is not passive habit. That is genuine loyalty to the medium.

Source: Fifty5Blue research commissioned by WorldDAB, presented at WorldDAB Automotive 2026, Frankfurt. As reported by Radio Today, June 2026. radiotoday.co.uk

Why This Is Important for Car Dealerships and Garages

Car buyers represent one of the most valuable and engaged audiences any advertiser can hope to reach, because they are actively making one of the biggest purchasing decisions of their lives. The research shows that at the very moment they are thinking about cars, driving them and shopping for them, they are also listening to radio, which places your brand directly in the environment where buying decisions take shape.

Radio reaches people while they are already in the car and already receptive to messages about vehicles, dealerships, finance and servicing, in a way that no other medium can replicate as naturally or as consistently.

It also delivers broad reach at a far lower cost per thousand than television or print, without the ad-blocking, skipping and scrolling that undermine much of digital advertising, which makes the return on investment genuinely difficult to match. This is exactly what happened when a North Yorkshire dealership tripled its enquiries and boosted website visits by 126% after returning to radio advertising.

The audience is loyal and long-term rather than declining, with 85% of listeners saying they would genuinely miss radio and 91% expecting it in their next vehicle, so campaigns reach both today’s buyers and tomorrow’s across a wide range of age groups.

Because buying a car is a considered decision that plays out over weeks or months, radio’s repeatable, high-frequency format keeps your dealership or garage front of mind throughout that journey, so your brand is the one buyers remember when they are ready to act.

Digital Radio (DAB+) Strengthens the Case Even Further

The research also underlined strong enthusiasm for digital radio, with 95% of DAB+ listeners saying they like using the platform and 91% describing it as easy to access while driving. As more vehicles ship with DAB+ as standard, listeners are enjoying more stations, clearer audio and richer in-car experiences, all of which mean more targeted, higher-quality environments for your advertising to appear in.

For automotive advertisers, that translates into the ability to reach precisely the right audience through targeted digital audio advertising, on the right station, in the right region, at the right time of day.

WorldDAB President Jacqueline Bierhorst summed it up plainly: “This research gives a clear verdict from car buyers: broadcast radio belongs in cars.”

For automotive businesses, the message is equally clear. If radio is where your customers are, that is where your brand needs to be.

Source: Fifty5Blue research commissioned by WorldDAB, presented at WorldDAB Automotive 2026, Frankfurt. As reported by Radio Today, June 2026. radiotoday.co.uk

Advertise Your Dealership or Garage on Radio

At Hits Radio Advertising, we work with automotive businesses of all sizes to put their message in front of drivers at exactly the right moment. Whether you are a national dealership group, a regional independent or a local garage, we can build a campaign that reaches the right audience, in the right place, at the right time.

Our team can help you with:

• New and used car sales campaigns that reach in-market buyers
• Finance and leasing offers promoted to a receptive, decision-ready audience
• Servicing, MOT and aftercare messaging to keep your customers coming back
• Seasonal and plate-change campaigns timed for maximum impact
• Local, regional and national reach tailored to your footprint and budget

The data has spoken. Car buyers are in their cars, they are listening to radio, and they would be lost without it. There has never been a better time to put your automotive brand in front of them.

Get in touch with the team today to find out how radio advertising can drive results for your business.