Study Google reviews. Car dealerships, especially, love to leave fake 5 star reviews for themselves. It's so easy to spot, with 1 or very low review count fakes. And every 5 star review is worded so similarly. It's hysterical to see so many fakes again and again.
HOWEVER, I'm here for a purpose. A review admittedly 7 years old. I found some old emails and my blood boiled just enough, I needed to leave this.
A friend of mine wanted a small crossover SUV. I had been helping her look for awhile. Saw a used 2018 Kona with less than 5,000 miles for a good amount lower than new. Contacted the dealer on a Sunday. Yep, they have it still. I'll be down in an hour. And, wouldn't you know it, it was sold before I got there. Certainly, that's possible. But I was cautious. My friend was on her way down. Since I was there, let me talk numbers on a new one. It was December 2nd. Deals were to be had. Tony wrote down a number on a blank piece of paper. My antenna was up even more. But he was nice, so I let him do his thing. My friend gets there and we look and talk. She wants a Kona. She came with a friend of hers who will co-sign. Numbers are discussed and they are higher than I'd like for her. But she's fine with a higher payment. It's her decision. But going over the numbers with the finance manager, I notice the number agreed upon(on that blank sheet of paper) isnt the number used on the finance sheet.
I'm telling her we need to cut bait and walk out. But they want to go through with it. They also try to sell her on all the dealer add ons. I'm insistent that we decline most. This I will not allow. Instead of a lightly used vehicle for under $20G, she's buying a $24G new one and being pushed with add ons to make it over $27G. I do my best to knock that down, we come to an agreement and we walk out. She's supposed to pick it up on Monday.
Well, wouldn't you know it, financing didn't work out. They tell her she needs to pay more up front or redo financing. She calls me to tell me what's going on. I tell her to walk away. We'll find something better. I had another dealer I was referred to by a friend who works with their Toyota affiliate ready to give us a great deal on a demo.
But Empire tired her out. She paid OVER $27G for a car with a $23G sticker and her financing was high as well. All the stuff I got her to decline on the first deal, she got pushed on and accepted without me there. Again, makes my blood boil thinking about them.
Slimy, slimy, slimy. My biggest regret as a car guy who likes to help out others was even letting her step foot in this place. One day I was visiting her at her place, a year later. I removed her Empire plate frames and crushed them. The only good deals made will be for themselves. You will always be taken advantage of here. They will prey on the uninformed.
SS
Shane Sullivan
2 days ago
Unfortunately, this experience reinforced the worst stereotypes about car dealerships. The vehicle was listed online at one price, but when I arrived they tried to add $3,000 because I did not have a trade-in. Once I pushed back, the fee was immediately dropped, which suggests it was never legitimate in the first place.
To make matters worse, the vehicle was advertised online as “Certified,” but during negotiations they admitted it was not actually certified.
Misleading pricing and inaccurate listings make it hard to trust the dealership.
MM
Madeline Marie
3 days ago
Ronnie was excellent—professional, honest, and a great listener who made sure he understood what I was looking for. The team seemed very tight-knit and worked well together, and everyone had a positive, professional attitude. The dealership also has a very family-oriented atmosphere, which made it a pleasant place to do business. Great experience overall.
Had a great time purchasing my 2026 Hyundai Kona today at Empire Hyundai of Fall River! Process was extremely smooth. Bought several new vehicles in my life but would have to rank this at the top. Giovanni my salesman was great! Great attitude and very knowledgeable about the whole process. Empire employees really work as a team. Met Giovanni, Connor, Henry and Brandon for different matters and all were fantastic! Most importantly the price was considerably less for similar vehicles at other dealerships.👍
TM
Tillie Matos
Mar 2, 2026
Such a nice dealership! Finally walk into one and it's clean, everyone was friendly & they had an abundance of vehicles to look at & choose from. I was looking to get into a larger vehicle and as nervous as I was to make a major purchase like this I felt that it went pretty smoothly. I was satisfied with the deal. It also helped that I had such a sweet young man help me out, Devin. He made me feel welcome, was very thorough as far as explaining all the perks of the new vehicle. Thank you for an overall excellent experience!