CDK Drive vs Dealertrack DMS

Head-to-head comparison for car dealers evaluating Core Systems. Both vendors are in the same subcategory, so the comparison is apples-to-apples.

CDK Drive
Enterprise DMS for franchise dealers.
Founded1972
HQHoffman Estates, IL
SegmentFRANCHISE
PricingSaaS + per-user
OwnershipPUBLIC
ParentBrookfield
Employees1000+
Dealertrack DMS
Open-platform dealer management system
Founded
HQ
SegmentBOTH
PricingPer rooftop / month
OwnershipPRIVATE
ParentCox Automotive
Employees

What each vendor does

CDK Drive

Long-standing DMS with deep third-party integrations.

Dealertrack DMS

Dealertrack DMS emphasizes open integration and transparent pricing, serving franchise and independent dealers within the Cox Automotive ecosystem.

Notable customers

CDK Drive
15000+ rooftops
Dealertrack DMS
None listed

Integration matrix

Integration kindCDK DriveDealertrack DMSOverlap
dmsSelfNone
Only CDK Drive (1)
Self
Shared integrations (0)
Only Dealertrack DMS (0)

Feature checklist

FeatureCDK DriveDealertrack DMS
Mobile app● Yes● Yes
Open API / webhooks● Yes● Yes
SSO / SAML● Yes● Yes
Native AI tools● Yes○ —
Third-party marketplace● Yes○ —
Two-way texting○ —○ —
Video messaging○ —○ —
Digital retail workflow○ —○ —
Desking & payments● Yes○ —
Credit prequal / soft pull○ —○ —
Inventory syndication○ —○ —
Custom reporting dashboards● Yes● Yes
Call tracking & recording○ —○ —
Spanish-language support● Yes○ —
Multi-rooftop management● Yes● Yes
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Choose CDK Drive vs Dealertrack DMS

Choose CDK Drive if…
  • You run franchise rooftops — this product is designed specifically for that segment.
  • You value the stability and disclosure of a publicly traded vendor.
  • Your budget process aligns better with SaaS + per-user pricing.
  • You want the longer track record in the dealer tech category.
  • You need broad DMS connectivity — this vendor lists 1 DMS integration.
  • You want more reference proof points from named dealer groups.
Choose Dealertrack DMS if…
  • You need one platform that covers both franchise and independent rooftops.
  • You prefer a privately held company with direct access to leadership.
  • Your budget process aligns better with Per rooftop / month pricing.
  • You want the longer track record in the dealer tech category.

Quick facts scorecard

DimensionCDK DriveDealertrack DMSEdge
Track record1972A
Scale1000+
Segment breadthFRANCHISEBOTH
Integrations listed10A
DMS connectivity1 DMS0 DMSesA