The 2026 rankings just dropped, and they offer a fascinating snapshot of where some of the industry’s most forward-thinking operators are placing their bets.
Automotive News released its 2026 Top 150 Dealership Groups list, the definitive annual ranking of U.S. auto retail groups by new-vehicle sales volume. We were honored to see that 113 of those 150 groups partner with Impel, about 3 out of 4 of the largest, most influential dealer groups in the country.
To be clear: these groups didn’t earn their place on this list because of Impel. Their position reflects decades of operational excellence, smart leadership, and relentless focus on the customer. We’re proud to be one of many partners supporting their work.
Looking at the 136 groups that appeared on both the 2025 and 2026 lists — an apples-to-apples view — Impel coverage grew from 76% to 78%. A modest but meaningful shift in a single year, among accounts that take years to evaluate, pilot, and adopt new technology.
What These Groups Have in Common
The Top 150 is an extraordinarily diverse cross-section of the industry — different brands, regions, ownership structures, and growth strategies. Some are publicly traded giants. Others are tightly-held family operations. A few are scaling through acquisition. Still others are squeezing more performance out of every existing rooftop.
What they share is a forward-thinking mindset and a willingness to challenge the status quo. Fragmented systems, manual follow-up, missed calls, and inconsistent customer experiences aren’t accepted as the cost of doing business. They’re viewed as solvable problems, and these groups are investing in the technology, talent, and processes to solve them.
Looking Ahead
The dealer groups setting the pace right now seem to share a common conviction: that technology isn’t a side bet on the future — it’s becoming infrastructure for the present.It’s how teams scale outreach without scaling headcount. It’s how every lead gets a real and complete answer in real time. It’s how service drives stay full and sales pipelines stay active.
We’re grateful to work alongside so many of these groups, and inspired by what they’re building. Their willingness to invest in modernizing the dealer experience is moving the entire industry forward.
Congratulations to all 150 groups recognized by Automotive News. You’re setting the standard the rest of the industry is working toward.
Curious how Automotive AI can support your group? Let’s connect.