We analyzed 530 car dealerships across nine Greater Toronto Area cities. About seven in ten, 71.9%, have no website at all.
For an industry where buyers do almost all of their research online before setting foot on a lot, that is a remarkable number. Most of these are smaller and used-car dealers rather than the big franchise showrooms, and they are competing for shoppers who expect to browse inventory, check financing, and read reviews from their couch.
Key takeaways
- 71.9% of the 530 GTA car dealerships analyzed have no website.
- Vaughan is the toughest market (88.2% with no site); Mississauga is the strongest (47.2%).
- With most direct competitors absent online, a fast, mobile-friendly site is enough to be the business customers actually find.
Why this matters for car dealerships
Car buying starts online and stays there for weeks. By the time someone visits a lot, they have already shortlisted dealers based on inventory, price, and reputation. A dealership with no website is left out of that entire research phase, which is where the decision is really made.
Inventory is the heart of it. Buyers want to see what is on the lot right now, with photos and prices. A dealer who cannot show inventory online loses the shopper to one who can, often before any conversation happens.
Car dealerships with no website, by city
The spread here is the widest of any industry: from 47% in Mississauga to 88% in Vaughan. Mississauga dealers are clearly ahead, while in Vaughan nearly nine in ten have no site, leaving a large opening for any dealer there who builds one.
| City | Car dealerships | % with no website |
|---|---|---|
| Vaughan | 68 | 88.2% |
| Toronto | 207 | 79.7% |
| Hamilton | 45 | 71.1% |
| Markham | 34 | 70.6% |
| Brampton | 40 | 65.0% |
| Mississauga | 89 | 47.2% |
What a car dealership website should have
- Current inventory with photos and prices
- Financing and trade-in information
- An easy way to book a test drive or enquire about a specific vehicle
- Reviews and dealer credentials to build trust
Related: dealership web design
Methodology
Figures come from 530 car dealerships listed on OpenStreetMap, pulled via the Overpass API in June 2026 across nine GTA cities. "No website" means no website is recorded in OpenStreetMap, so the absolute rate is an upper bound; the city comparisons are reliable because the same data gap applies to every market.
Frequently asked questions
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Jacob
Founder of Elevate Web Design. Building fast, conversion-focused websites for small businesses across Canada and the US since 2018.