In Costa Rica, video does not sell the car: it sells the visit to the dealership. And there is one variable no other market has with this much force: the terrain.

What buyers check before visiting

  • Behaviour on gravel roads. A good part of the country has unpaved roads. A video climbing a dirt slope in the rainy season is worth more than any spec sheet.
  • Real ground clearance. Not the number: the video crossing a speed bump or a stream.
  • The boot with real things in it. Suitcases, surf gear, shopping. The spec says litres; the video says whether it fits.
  • Real consumption on a specific route. With the number at the end.
  • The cost of ownership. Parts, servicing, annual road tax. In Costa Rica this is the central objection and almost nobody answers it on video.

Which creators to hire

The one who resembles your buyer and lives where they live.

A Central Valley family testing an urban vehicle converts one audience. Someone from a rural area testing a four wheel drive converts a completely different one. The technical review with drone footage impresses and sells less than either.

The brief that produces good material

Include: which exact version is filmed, which terrain must be shown, the segment's main objection, three hooks, the disclosure wording and the list of what cannot be claimed.

That last point matters: consumption, power and safety figures are regulated data.

The format that fills the showroom

The most effective is not the review: it is the dealership walkthrough. Someone showing how to get there, how they were received, what they asked and what they were told.

It reduces the friction of the first visit, which is exactly the barrier separating an interested party from a buyer.

The Costa Rican calendar

The peaks are December with the annual bonus, January once the road tax is paid and the budget is free, and the last days of each month because of sales targets. The onset of the rainy season drives high clearance vehicles and traction.

Where to go next

In automotive, video sells the visit, not the car. Our complete UGC guide for brands explains the rest of the process.