Google has continued the expansion of its Vehicle Ads programme, making the format available to advertisers in Spain, Italy and Germany from March 2026. The update, announced through Google Merchant Center, marks the first time dealerships and automotive retailers in these three countries have had access to Google's inventory-based advertising solution.
The latest rollout adds some of Europe's most important automotive markets to a programme that has gradually expanded beyond the United States over the past two years. Dealers in these countries can now promote their stock directly through Google using vehicle-specific listings powered by inventory feeds and Performance Max campaigns.
Further international expansion has also been signalled, although Google has not yet confirmed which markets will be added next.
Unlike traditional search ads that rely on headlines and descriptions written by advertisers, Vehicle Ads use structured inventory information supplied through a feed. This allows Google to automatically display information about individual vehicles rather than generic promotional messages.
Listings typically feature:
The information shown within the advert is pulled directly from the dealership's uploaded inventory data rather than manually created copy. This means accuracy and feed quality are essential.
When someone clicks on a listing, they are taken directly to the vehicle's page on the dealer's website. Instead of being sent to a general landing page or stock catalogue, shoppers arrive at the exact Vehicle Description Page (VDP) relating to the car they viewed.
This creates a more streamlined buying journey and allows potential customers to move quickly from researching a vehicle to submitting an enquiry, requesting finance information or arranging a visit to the dealership.
Google describes the format as a lower-funnel advertising solution designed to reach consumers who are actively searching for a vehicle. Because campaigns are powered through Performance Max, listings may appear across several Google properties rather than only within traditional search results.
You can learn more about the platforms involved through:
Vehicle Ads are focused solely on stock vehicles. They do not currently support:
As a result, dealerships with multiple revenue streams cannot combine all products into a single feed. Only qualifying passenger vehicle inventory is eligible for the format.
Businesses selling motorcycles, commercial vehicles or specialist products should review Google's eligibility requirements carefully, as availability may vary depending on the market and product category.
For dealer groups with sizeable aftersales operations, this means Vehicle Ads remain a tool dedicated to vehicle sales rather than a broader automotive advertising solution.
Running Google Vehicle Ads requires two Google platforms to work together:
Dealers must upload a vehicle inventory feed containing information about every vehicle they wish to advertise.
Performance Max campaigns are then used to distribute those listings across Google's advertising network.
Compared with standard retail product feeds, automotive feeds contain additional information, including:
Feed accuracy plays a major role in campaign success. Incorrect or incomplete data can result in listings being disapproved, preventing them from appearing to shoppers.
One of the most important aspects of running Google Vehicle Ads is maintaining a high-quality inventory feed. Unlike conventional search campaigns, where advertisers create keywords and ad copy manually, Vehicle Ads depend almost entirely on the information supplied through Merchant Center.
Automotive feeds contain a number of mandatory attributes that help Google understand and match vehicles with relevant searches. Alongside information such as the make, model, price and mileage, used vehicles in certain European countries must also include registration details.
Before the March 2026 expansion, Google introduced additional requirements for used vehicle listings in France, Germany, Italy and Spain. Dealers advertising used stock in these countries must provide the date_first_registered attribute in a year-and-month format.
For example, a vehicle first registered in March 2020 should be submitted as:
2020-03
Listings that omit this information or use an incorrect format may be rejected by Merchant Center, preventing them from appearing in Vehicle Ads altogether.
This requirement applies regardless of whether dealers manage their own feeds or rely on a third-party provider. Retailers using external feed management companies should ensure their partners have updated their systems to support the new field.
Vehicle data can be submitted in several ways, and each method has its own technical requirements.
Dealers using spreadsheet or tab-delimited feeds must include registration dates directly within the appropriate column. Those using XML feeds need to ensure the information is wrapped within the correct tags, while businesses using Google's Content API must follow the latest API specifications.
Because these systems are structured differently, changing from one submission method to another can sometimes introduce formatting issues. Fortunately, Merchant Center diagnostics allow advertisers to identify errors and understand why individual vehicles have been disapproved.
Alongside registration information, other key data points include:
Additional details such as body style, fuel type and optional equipment can also be supplied. Although these fields are not compulsory, they may help improve relevance and visibility for certain searches.
Performance Max is the only campaign type currently available for Vehicle Ads. Traditional Search and Shopping campaigns cannot be used to serve this format.
Once a Merchant Center account has been linked with Google Ads, Performance Max uses automation and machine learning to decide where and when inventory should appear.
Campaigns can potentially deliver visibility across several Google properties, including:
Unlike traditional paid search campaigns, dealers do not choose keywords manually. Instead, Google's systems analyse vehicle information and user intent to determine which listings should be shown.
This automated approach can work particularly well for retailers with large inventories, although it also means advertisers surrender a degree of control over placement and keyword targeting.
For several years, marketers have called for greater transparency within Performance Max. Google began introducing more detailed reporting capabilities during 2026, helping advertisers better understand where campaigns are generating results.
Spain, Italy and Germany are the latest countries to receive Vehicle Ads, but they are far from the first.
The format initially launched in the United States before expanding internationally. Australia gained access in early 2024, while the United Kingdom followed later that year.
Each rollout has shared a similar structure:
The addition of Germany, Italy and Spain represents one of the most significant expansions to date. Together, these countries account for a substantial proportion of Europe's automotive market and possess mature online car-buying audiences.
Interestingly, the registration-date requirement had already been introduced for France alongside these markets, leading many industry observers to speculate that France could be among the next countries added to the programme.
Across Europe, dealers have traditionally relied on specialist automotive portals to market their stock. Vehicle Ads give retailers another route to connect with buyers by displaying inventory directly within Google's ecosystem.
Instead of requiring shoppers to visit a third-party marketplace, Google places vehicle listings in front of consumers while they are actively searching.
This creates a different type of competition for established classified websites and could gradually change how consumers discover vehicles online.
Meanwhile, Amazon has also been investing in automotive retail, although its automotive initiatives have so far remained concentrated on the US market. Both technology giants are moving towards deeper integration between inventory data and digital commerce, signalling continued evolution in the automotive retail landscape.
