What is being ranked?
There is no defensible universal ranking of the ten largest U.S. dealer groups from public disclosures alone. Companies use different units—operated locations, dealership stores, or new-vehicle franchises—and some report global operations while major private groups disclose no comparable current total. This guide therefore reports the latest primary-source figures with their original scope instead of converting them into a misleading league table.
Network size is not a tech-stack map: see the AutoNation technology stack for how one public group actually runs DMS, web, and CRM. Acquisition-heavy groups look different: the Lithia & Driveway technology stack is the companion operating view. Penske’s three operating ecosystems are documented in the Penske technology stack. After the count, the usual next question is which DMS the largest groups use.
These figures are not revenue, vehicle-sales-volume, public-versus-private, or global footprint rankings. A rooftop here means the count unit stated by the cited company; it is never assumed to mean the same thing across companies.
State of Automotive Rooftop Evidence Register
The Rooftop Evidence Register is The State of Automotive's repeatable method for preserving the source date, geographic coverage, count unit, and exclusions beside each reported figure. The current evidence shows why a headline “top 10” stack rank is unreliable: six public-company disclosures use at least three different count units, and two of the largest networks include non-U.S. operations in their reported total.
| Dealer group | Reported count | Definition and coverage | Primary source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lithia & Driveway | 455 locations | United States, United Kingdom, and Canada; the filing does not give a U.S.-only location total in this statement. | 2025 Form 10-K |
| Penske Automotive Group | 148 franchised dealerships | United States; excludes its 217 non-U.S. franchised dealerships and used-vehicle dealerships. | 2025 Form 10-K |
| AutoNation | 323 new-vehicle franchises from 245 stores | United States; a franchise count is not the same unit as a dealership-location count. | 2025 Form 10-K |
| Asbury Automotive Group | 223 new-vehicle franchises at 171 dealership locations | United States; the company separately reports 39 collision centers. | 2025 Form 10-K |
| Group 1 Automotive | 145 dealerships | United States; excludes its 109 U.K. dealerships and collision centers. | 2025 Form 10-K |
| Sonic Automotive | 111 franchised-dealership stores / 134 new-vehicle franchises | United States; excludes EchoPark and powersports stores. | 2025 Form 10-K |
How the Rooftop Evidence Register works
The population begins with U.S. franchise dealer groups that operate multiple dealerships. Each row must use the group's current annual report, SEC filing, investor report, or official location list. The source date, count unit, geography, and exclusions stay attached to the value. Secondary roundups are not used to fill a missing primary-source count.
- Inclusion: operated or owned dealership networks with an identifiable group-level primary source.
- Exclusion: collision centers, auctions, parts centers, powersports, and used-vehicle networks unless the company explicitly includes them in the cited dealership count.
- Acquisitions and divestitures: retain the reporting date; do not retroactively add or subtract stores without a new primary disclosure.
- Conflicts: prefer the most recent primary filing that defines the count. If a press release and filing differ, show the later dated disclosure and explain the unit difference.
- Unknowns: mark a figure not publicly comparable rather than estimating it from brand pages, market reports, or old rankings.
Major groups awaiting a comparable published count
The following groups are part of the review population but are not assigned a rank here. Their official sites are retained for recheck; a count will be added only when it has a dated definition and coverage that can be cited beside the figure.
- Hendrick Automotive Group — Company locations; no comparable figure published in this evidence register.
- Ken Garff Automotive Group — Company locations; no comparable figure published in this evidence register.
- Morgan Automotive Group — Company locations; no comparable figure published in this evidence register.
- Holman — Company locations; no comparable figure published in this evidence register.
Why rooftop and revenue rankings differ
A group with more franchises can operate fewer physical dealerships when one store carries multiple brands. Revenue also depends on vehicle mix, geography, service, finance, and used-vehicle operations. A buyer comparing dealer groups should treat rooftop count as a network-size indicator, not evidence of revenue, sales volume, technology adoption, or operating quality.
What to verify before using a dealer-group count
- Use the count unit stated in the source: location, store, or franchise.
- Check whether the source includes U.S. only, North America, or global operations.
- Read acquisition and divestiture announcements issued after the reporting date.
- Confirm whether collision, used-vehicle, or non-franchised operations are included.
- For an RFP, investor memo, or market-sizing model, retain the source link and date.
- Review the group's individual profile in the dealer-group directory before drawing a technology or market conclusion.
Source register and corrections
Every reported figure above links to the primary document used. We recheck this register after annual reports, earnings releases, and material acquisition or divestiture announcements. To report a source error or provide a newer primary disclosure, email noreply@thestateofautomotive.com with the company name, source URL, source date, count unit, and proposed correction.
Limit: this is a documented evidence register, not a claim that the listed companies are a definitive top-ten order. A number is removed or relabeled when its source, date, geography, or definition can no longer be verified.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns the largest car dealership group in the United States?
This page does not name one universal largest group. Public companies report franchises, dealership locations, and global operations differently, while major private groups may not publish an audited count. AutoNation reported 323 U.S. new-vehicle franchises at December 31, 2025; that is not directly comparable with a location-based figure.
What is the largest independent dealer group?
“Independent” is not a consistent reporting category. It can mean privately held, unaffiliated with an OEM, non-public, or used-vehicle focused. Confirm the ownership definition, country scope, and count unit before using that label in a procurement, investment, or market analysis.
Why do dealer-group rooftop rankings differ?
A reported figure may count dealership locations, new-vehicle franchises, used-vehicle stores, collision centers, or international operations. Acquisition dates and divestitures also change the total. A credible comparison keeps the source date and the company’s count definition with every number.
Do these figures cover franchises?
Only where the source says so. AutoNation, Asbury, and Sonic disclose both franchise and store figures. Penske discloses U.S. franchised dealerships. Lithia’s cited statement reports locations across three countries, and Group 1’s cited statement reports U.S. dealership locations.
When were the figures last verified?
The source register was reviewed on September 14, 2026. The six reported figures on this page are from company filings describing operations at December 31, 2025. Recheck each row after earnings releases, annual reports, and material acquisition or divestiture announcements.