As 2025 closes, we’re reflecting on another year of helping California clients and families navigate one of life’s biggest purchases. Working with an auto broker like Cartelligent changes everything about the car buying and leasing experience. This year proved it more than ever.
We’ve had the privilege of working with hundreds of clients who came to us with questions, concerns, and sometimes just a vague sense that there had to be a better way to buy or lease a car. What they discovered is that having someone firmly on your side transforms the entire process. Here are some of their stories.
Some of our most rewarding client relationships this year started with the frustration: “I’ve been looking everywhere, but I just can’t find…”
Finding a specific car in a particular color or with exact options isn’t impossible when you work with an auto broker. It just requires access to inventory systems most buyers never see, relationships with dealers across California and beyond, plus the patience to keep searching for the perfect configuration. We had clients who’d spent months searching dealer websites for a Hyundai Ioniq 5 in Digital Teal with the specific trim package they wanted. We located one being delivered to a Bay Area dealer the following week. Shifting to searching for an incoming car gave this client an advantage: they got the color they wanted by extending their timeline by a week. Once we shifted to incoming inventory, we found it immediately. One extra week of waiting versus three years of walking up to a car in the wrong color? Not a difficult decision.
When a client needs a specific configuration our job is to make it happen without the runaround.
One of the most valuable conversations we have with clients doesn’t start with “What car do you want?” It starts with “What does this car need to do for your life?”
A Peninsula family came to us convinced they needed a three-row luxury SUV. After discussing their actual usage: two very young kids, occasional weekend trips, and a 40-mile daily commute, we suggested they test drive a Toyota RAV4 Prime. The plug-in hybrid range covered the commute on electricity alone, the cargo space exceeded their needs, and the monthly payment was $400 less than the luxury SUV they’d been considering. Six months later, they told us it was the best automotive decision they’d ever made.
One client was excited about getting a brand new BMW X5 50e. It is one of those rare vehicles that’s genuinely fun to order: you get exactly what you want in a car that’s quick, capable, and plug-in efficient. But, there’s homework that comes with custom orders, and it takes someone to manage the order from start to finish. To make it simple, we ask clients a few direct questions about colors, must-have features, and must-not-have features. Then we handle the order process for them, removing it from their mental load entirely. No evenings spent researching option packages or checking order status.
Throughout the year, we guided dozens of clients through the car comparison process across internal combustion engines, hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and fully electric vehicles.
The Ioniq 5 claimed the top spot this year, and it’s easy to see why. Distinctive design, impressive range, ultra-fast charging, and competitive pricing made it the electric vehicle that convinced hesitant buyers to make the switch.
The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid dominated our hybrid and plug-in hybrid purchases this year. For many California families, it offers the perfect balance of efficiency, practicality, and value.
Here are the top cars our clients drove home this year:
Reflecting on the year, three themes emerged from client conversations about why they chose to work with an auto broker like Cartelligent:
Time Saved Our clients didn’t waste weekends searching from dealership to dealership. They didn’t research for months trying to decode pricing and incentives. We gave our clients back their weekends, so they could spend their time where it matters most instead of negotiating with salespeople.
Confidence Gained The traditional car buying process is designed to create uncertainty. Is this a good price? Should I lease or buy? Is there a better deal somewhere else? When you work with a concierge car buying and leasing service like Cartelligent, those questions get clear answers backed by market data and over two decades of experience.
Advocacy Experienced Every client who came to us had the same underlying concern: “I’m going to get taken advantage of.” We exist to flip that script entirely. Your interests are our only priority. No dealer incentives. No sales quotas. Just straightforward guidance from someone who works for you.
As we close out the year, we’re already seeing what’s ahead. More electric vehicle options, continued strong hybrid demand, and even more clients who deserve better than the traditional car buying experience.
If we’ve helped you this year, thank you for trusting us with one of life’s bigger decisions. If you know someone starting their new car search, we’d be honored if you’d send them our way.
If you’ve been putting off your next vehicle purchase because the process seems overwhelming, we understand. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Whether you’re searching for a specific vehicle configuration, weighing a complex buy or lease decision, or simply want someone on your side during the process, we’re here to help.
Get Started with a free consultation and discover why hundreds of California families chose to work with Cartelligent, and why they say they will never ever buy a car any other way.
Hear from our happy clients about their experiences
“I can’t recommend this service enough. Cartelligent helped us in each step of the process, providing unbiased opinions, helpful information and valuable insights. Christian was wonderful and available to answer all our questions. The ROI of this service is very high.”
Gabriela Belo
“Incredible service from start to finish. Ethan made what is typically a stressful experience into one of the most simple transactions I’ve had…Walked us through every step and made sure any features we wanted were taken care of and at the best price possible. I absolutely recommend taking advantage of this option when you are looking for your next car. “
Nick McCarthy
“I cannot recommend Cartelligent and Ethan Sparrow enough. An excellent experience of buying a new car and selling my old one. So simple. All completed within four days. All of the paperwork simply completed and they were able to make a super deal on the price of my new car. Couldn’t be happier. This is a service that takes the anxiety out of car buying and selling while also saving you money. Hard to beat that!”
Robert Britton
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