CarExpert to expand independent testing, launch video ads and campaign attribution tool in 2027
The Australian publisher outlined its plans to advertisers and industry partners at RevUP 2026 events in Sydney and Melbourne, alongside consumer research showing car review websites remain the most trusted source for new-car buyers.
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What CarExpert announced
CarExpert will expand its vehicle testing, launch a video advertising format and add a new campaign attribution tool in 2027, plans it presented to industry partners at its RevUP 2026 events in Sydney and Melbourne. AutoTalk Australia reported the announcement, which also covered consumer research on how Australians shop for new cars. 1
CarExpert's own newsroom describes the RevUP 2026 events as sharing new research on how Australians buy cars, highlighting the company's role in AI search and independent testing, and outlining 2027 plans to work more closely with manufacturers and dealers to improve the buying journey. 2
Consumer research on the buying journey
According to research presented by CarExpert, buyers spend months researching across search engines, reviews, video, manufacturer websites and AI tools, and car review websites remain the most used and most trusted source in that process. The company says 54% of surveyed purchasers said CarExpert influenced which car they bought, and one in four bought a vehicle they had not initially considered. CarExpert says it reaches 1.28 million Australians a month. These are the publisher's own figures from its own research, presented to industry partners. 1
CarExpert co-founder and co-chief executive Alborz Fallah told the presentations that people might start with two or three cars in mind, spend weeks researching, change their shortlist and eventually buy something they had not originally considered. 1
AI search and content structure
CarExpert cited September data from AI visibility platform Profound showing it was the most-cited automotive publisher in Australian AI-generated answers, with an 8.2% share of citations ahead of YouTube, carsales and Drive. "AI is changing how people search, and there's no point pretending otherwise," Fallah said, according to AutoTalk Australia. "People are asking ChatGPT, Gemini and Google questions they might previously have researched across several websites, and that's having an impact on the publishing industry. But those answers still need to come from somewhere." 1
In response, the company says it is changing how its content is structured and distributed, including updates to its digital vehicle showrooms, which combine pricing, specifications, variants and reviews for each model. CarExpert's newsroom separately documents earlier product work in this area, including a rebuilt Car Chooser launched in August 2026 that ranks more than 500 new cars into a shortlist. 12
Testing investment and new advertising products
CarExpert says it will continue testing vehicles at a dedicated proving ground in 2027 and plans to expand its Megatest comparisons, which put multiple vehicles from the same segment side by side. "If we're going to tell people how a car performs, we need to actually test it. That means doing the same tests, under the same conditions," co-founder and co-chief executive Paul Maric said, according to AutoTalk Australia, describing it as a significant investment the business believes is worth making. 1
For advertisers, CarExpert is launching Expert Stories, a video format using its reviewers, and developing CarExpert CAPI, an attribution tool designed to show partners how campaigns perform across platforms. It is also expanding contextual advertising. Commercial director of media Maddie Harris told the presentations the aim is to reach buyers across a long research period, noting someone might watch a review today, compare models next month and only be ready to buy well after that, while the company works to give partners a better understanding of how that activity contributes to decisions. 1
Context: buying service and recent recognition
CarExpert's new-car buying service works with more than 1200 dealers to compare offers for customers, and AutoTalk Australia reports the business won Best New Car Advisory and Buying Service at the FDI Insider Awards this year, along with a People's Choice Award at the Finder Innovation Awards. CarExpert's newsroom separately confirms the FDI Insider Award as Best New Car Advisory and Buying Service – Australia 2026, announced on 6 October 2026. 12
The company's newsroom also records recent commercial expansion, including a full end-to-end new-car buying service introduced in July 2025, the CarExpert Exchange dealer portal launched in October 2025, and Maddie Harris's appointment as Commercial Director – Media in November 2025. 2
Parallel investment in testing facilities in New Zealand
The 2027 testing commitment follows a similar move across the Tasman. CarExpert New Zealand has signed a three-year partnership with Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, making the facility its primary filming and vehicle testing location with access to the sealed Club Circuit and off-road facilities for independent and repeatable testing. CarExpert's corporate newsroom reports the deal also includes naming rights sponsorship of the monthly Caffeine & Gasoline event and a media partnership supporting the venue's motorsport, driving experiences and road safety initiatives, ahead of the October launch of the CarExpert NZ YouTube channel. 32
CarExpert New Zealand Country Manager Mat McNay said in the announcement that a controlled environment lets the team test and compare vehicles properly, using the same surfaces, corners and measurements across different cars. The Australian YouTube channel the NZ operation builds on has grown to more than 650,000 subscribers, according to CarExpert's own announcement. 3
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Cited source mix
3 cited pages across 2 websites
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- corporate.carexpert.com.au2 pages
- autotalk.com.au1 page
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- CarExpert sets out 2027 plans for testing, video and ad attributionRole not assessedSource extract saved
Why these labels?CarExpert sets out 2027 plans for testing, video and ad attribution
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Cited in 8 paragraphs: What CarExpert announced; Consumer research on the buying journey; AI search and content structure; Testing investment and new advertising products; Context: buying service and recent recognition.
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Text retrieved 19 Oct 2026. The retained extract did not reach our text limit. Extraction can still omit page content.
- CarExpert NewsroomRole not assessedSource extract saved
Why these labels?CarExpert Newsroom
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We have not documented this publisher’s role. An unassigned label is not a negative rating.
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Cited in 5 paragraphs: What CarExpert announced; AI search and content structure; Context: buying service and recent recognition; Parallel investment in testing facilities in New Zealand.
This describes its use in our report. It does not establish the source’s editorial stance or independently corroborate every claim.
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Text retrieved 19 Oct 2026. The retained extract did not reach our text limit. Extraction can still omit page content.
- CarExpert Newsroom | CarExpert NZ partners with Hampton Downs in three-year dealRole not assessedSource extract saved
Why these labels?CarExpert Newsroom | CarExpert NZ partners with Hampton Downs in three-year deal
Who produced it
We have not documented this publisher’s role. An unassigned label is not a negative rating.
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Cited in 2 paragraphs: Parallel investment in testing facilities in New Zealand.
This describes its use in our report. It does not establish the source’s editorial stance or independently corroborate every claim.
Evidence record
Text retrieved 19 Oct 2026. The retained extract did not reach our text limit. Extraction can still omit page content.
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