<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0206</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2020-03-17</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001144980</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ASBURY AUTOMOTIVE GROUP INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ABG</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001358706</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ABRAMS CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>222 BERKELEY STREET, 21ST FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BOSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02116</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001165407</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ABRAMS CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>222 BERKELEY STREET, 21ST FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BOSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02116</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001292250</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Abrams David C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>222 BERKELEY STREET, 21ST FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BOSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02116</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001112443</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ABRAMS CAPITAL, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>222 BERKELEY STREET, 21ST FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BOSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02116</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001292420</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Abrams Capital Partners II, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>222 BERKELEY STREET, 21ST FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BOSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02116</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1996340</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares reported herein as beneficially owned by Abrams Capital, LLC (&quot;Abrams Capital&quot;) represent shares held for the account of Abrams Capital Partners II, L.P. (&quot;ACP II&quot;) and other private investment funds for which Abrams Capital serves as general partner. Shares reported herein for Abrams Capital Management, L.P. (the &quot;LP&quot;) and Abrams Capital Management, LLC (the &quot;LLC&quot;) represent the above-referenced shares beneficially owned by ACP II and shares beneficially owned by other private investment funds for which the LP serves as investment manager. The LLC is the general partner of the LP. Shares reported herein for Mr. Abrams represent the above referenced shares reported for Abrams Capital and the LLC. Mr. Abrams is the managing member of Abrams Capital and the LLC.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Each Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the reported shares except to the extent of its or his pecuniary interest therein, and the inclusion of such securities in this report shall not be deemed an admission of beneficial ownership for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">As of March 17, 2020, 1,617,754 of the shares reported herein were held for the account of ACP II, Abrams Capital may have been deemed to beneficially own 1,912,944 of the shares reported herein, and Mr. Abrams, the LP and the LLC may have been deemed to beneficially own all of such shares.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Abrams Capital Management, L.P., by Abrams Capital Management, LLC, the General Partner, by David C. Abrams, Managing Member</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2020-03-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Abrams Capital Management, LLC, by David C. Abrams, Managing Member</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2020-03-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ David C. Abrams</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2020-03-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Abrams Capital, LLC, by David C. Abrams, Managing Member</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2020-03-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Abrams Capital Partners II, L.P., by Abrams Capital LLC, the General Partner, by David C. Abrams, Managing Member</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2020-03-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
