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Before this project, shoppers on CarGurus often found it easy to search for cars , but hard to actually compare them. Once people narrowed down to a few good options, they’d open multiple tabs, take screenshots, or even jot down notes just to see which one was the better deal.
We heard the same frustration over and over: “I just want to know which car is better for me.”
This wasn’t just a user issue, it was a business opportunity. When buyers lose confidence or momentum at this stage, they drop off the funnel. Helping them compare options clearly could mean higher engagement, stronger trust, and better conversions for both consumers and dealers.
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Process
My Role and Objective
Role: Lead UX Designer & Researcher
Scope: End-to-end experience design — from research and discovery to prototypes and testing
Success looked like:
Helping users easily compare vehicles side by side
Reducing bounce/drop-off at the comparison stage
Increasing engagement with dealer listings
Constraints:
Compressed 8-week timeline
Limited content team
Needed to work within existing CarGurus design system
Understanding the problem
We began by looking closely at how users were making decisions on the site. Our research included:
10 remote user interviewss with active car shoppers
Behavioral analytics across search and listing pages
Competitive audit of other comparison tools
Search intent analysis
Key insights:
User reviews where the number 1 trusted source. They wanted a clear signal that they could rely on, something objective.
Lifestyle fit mattered more than specs. People weren’t comparing torque or fuel economy charts, they were asking, “Will this car actually work for my daily life?” Things like trunk space for kids’ gear or confidence in winter driving mattered most.
Comparison felt like work. Shoppers said it took too long to piece together everything they cared about. They wanted a faster, more guided way to decide, without opening five tabs or keeping notes in another app.
“I don’t care about horsepower, I just want to know if it’s a good fit for my family.”
These insights reframed the problem: users didn’t need more data. They needed clarity, confidence, and an easier way to see which car was right for them.
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Outcome
Quantitative results (first 90 days):
+22% increase in engagement
+15% lift in click-throughs to dealer SRP
+9% increase in average session duration
Qualitative impact:
Users described the feature as “clear,” “reliable,” and “way less work.”
Dealers saw an improvement in lead quality, buyers came more informed and confident.
What worked:
Translating specs into lifestyle language users could relate to
Clear trust signals throughout the experience
Leveraging AI to scale content creation without compromising tone or accuracy
What I’d improve next time:
Personalization: allow users to select what matters most (commute, family, performance)
Deeper transparency: show how AI-generated insights are validated
Reflection:
This project was a turning point in how we approached AI at CarGurus. Instead of replacing human writers, AI became a creative partner, helping us deliver clarity and confidence at scale. It reinforced that great UX isn’t just about what users see, but how sure they feel about the decisions they make.
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