Despite economic pressures and ongoing affordability concerns, car sales have been resilient, and shopper attitudes and misconceptions have created opportunities for dealerships.

CDK Global’s 2026 "The State of the Car Buyer" report shows that shopper attitudes vary across powertrains, but there are often common misconceptions driving those opinions.

For example, while gas-powered vehicles tend to cost lessto buythan other powertrains, the number of gas buyers who think the purchase price of their vehicles was higher than other powertrains was 60%, up from 25% last year.

On the flip side, 41% of electric-vehicle buyers believe EVs cost more to maintain than gas, hybrid or plug-in hybrids. But, according to CDK, alternative powertrains often have a “better total cost of ownership over five years.”

High gas prices have driven consumer interest in alternative powertrains, 64% of non-EV buyers reporting that inflation at the pump has increased their openness to hybrids or plug-in hybrids.

As for how consumers purchased their vehicles, a mix of online and in-store shopping was prevalent, but it varied by powertrain.

The majority of gas shoppers chose dealerships, but there was a surprising number of online-only shoppers. At 11%, gas shoppers had the highest rate of virtual purchases compared to 6% for hybrids, 7% for plug-in hybrids, and 6% for EVs.

CDK said the rise in online-only shopping could be due to Carvana moving into the new-car segment, as well as the presence of other expanding online marketplaces like Amazon Autos.

The takeaway: Be prepared to answer car shoppers’ questions about the pros and cons of the different powertrains and to dispel misconceptions about the affordability of each.