The Most Googled Car in Every StateAutoweekJim MotavalliWed, September 9, 2026 at 11:23 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleThe Most Googled Car in Every StateHearst OwnedThe Ford F-150 is still the best-selling vehicle in the US, and has been for many years, but it doesn't win the "Most Googled" award, state-by-state. Believe it or not, the Honda Civic leads over any other model, ranking first in 15 of the 50, among them Pennsylvania, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Connecticut, Wisconsin, and Virginia.The research, based on Google Keyword Planner data and 175 auto-related keywords across 50 states, was done by Car Mats Customs. The data was collected in August, long after early March when gas prices started their meteoric rise because of the Iran war. Oil went over $100 a barrel on the international market this month, and in the US on September 9, gasoline averaged $4.22 per gallon.The Most Googled Car Models in Each StateThe most popular car to Google across the US is the Honda Civic.Car Mats CustomsEconomy cars are in again, surveys show. According to Alex Bland, senior director of research and market intelligence at Cox Automotive, "Three-fourths of the folks we talked to said [fuel economy] is going to impact their buying decision in some way. Seventy-four percent told us they're more likely to consider a fuel-efficient vehicle for their next purchase."AdvertisementAdvertisementBland added, "We saw a lot of love for hybrids come up here," though that's not reflected in the Google results. Data like this may reflect frustration, aspirations, and curiosity more than actual future purchases. There's no guarantee that Americans, who love their SUVs, will start buying compact cars again. But they're certainly considering it.Only one state, California, picked an electric car—the Tesla Model Y. That's not surprising, because 19.1 percent of new vehicle purchases in California are battery electrics, far more than any other state. Data showed the Model Y generating 135,000 monthly searches in California.The Ford F-150 does come in second, with firsts in 12 states, though if you were expecting that the model would be a clean sweep in the South, you'd be wrong. The F-150 rules in Idaho, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico, and Arkansas. If there's a red-state, blue-state thing going on, it's not apparent. Georgia and Florida like the Toyota Camry, as do Kansas, Missouri and Kentucky. Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi like the Kia K5!The Kia K45 popped up in a couple states.KiaThe Camry is in third place for Googling, with 10 states. Also getting some nods are the Toyota RAV4 (Maine, Alaska, Minnesota, Colorado, New Hampshire, and West Virginia) and the Honda CR-V (New York). What's it all mean? According to Karsten Killerich, CEO of Car Mats Customs, "The Honda Civic has the widest geographic reach in the study. Its strong performance across different parts of the country highlights the continued interest in practical, fuel-efficient cars."AdvertisementAdvertisementKillerich added that the F-150 "remains especially prominent in states where pickups are valued for work, towing, and everyday utility." It was Googled 74,000 times per month in Texas. It's interesting, then, that the F-150 Lightning electric truck was a bust on the market. Perhaps if it were still around, sales would now be picking up.Since we're on the subject, another survey, from Undisclosed.co.uk, looked at used cars in Great Britain. The Kia Sportage wins top honors in 38 out of 50 UK cities. Second was the Nissan Qashqai, with interesting series-hybrid power. Third in the survey is the Ford Fiesta, a vehicle long gone from our shores and American consideration. It also went off the British market, in 2023. But these are used cars we're talking about. The BMW 1-Series and Audi A1 were also contenders. Britons are feeling the fuel pinch, too.
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