The way people car shop has dramatically changed over the past few decades. Thanks to the internet, there are many ranked, best car review sites to aid car shoppers. People can view used cars or read reviews of vehicles they are interested in by simply going online. They can perform simple or complex searches on the search engine of choice, watch videos on YouTube of cars they may be interested in, or visit dealer websites, all of which can provide them with a wealth of information.
Auto review websites are an especially important tool for car shoppers. It can help buyers select the best brands and also know what to avoid. Shoppers can run vehicle history reports, shop for the lowest car prices available in their market, know what others paid for similar cars, or find the market value of the car. You can also see if the make and model of a particular car have had problems, recalls, or history of maintenance troubles or if the car has earned a trouble-free reputation. Some sites also offer consumer reviews of auto dealers.
With so many auto review sites, these days, people do not go into dealerships until they are ready to buy. Instead, nearly nine out of ten car buyers use the web to shop for an auto. The largest portion of their time, over five hours, is spent doing research online, with 8 out of 10 people using third-party websites or apps to do so.
If you are considering buying a used car, here is a shortlist of some of the best car review sites to help you in your decision making:
Edmunds
If you’re in the market for a used car, Edmunds is considered one of the top resources for prospective buyers. The site offers ranked reviews of cars by categories, such as best SUVs by size, best sedans, trucks or other criteria like most fuel-efficient cars. The user-friendly site allows for quick search of makes and models, etc. listing the car’s rank, and pros and cons.
Cars Direct
Another excellent resource is Cars Direct. The site allows shoppers to search its vast database of used cars by make and model. Once selected, reviews are available to read for as long as the car has been on the market.
Car Gurus
Car Gurus offers a wide search selection for prospective car shoppers. A Research Tab in the site’s header allows for easy navigation. The link takes shoppers to a dedicated page to research any car they have in mind or by categories such as best user ranked cars by model, size, or popularity.
Cars.com
Another very good resource for car shoppers is Cars.com, which also has a Research Tab in the header for easy navigation. Viewers can search by make, model and year. You can research cars by type. For example, if you haven’t decided on a Minivan, you’ll find a complete selection of makes and models by simply clicking on Minivan link, and once on the page, viewers can search by year.
DealerRater
Find a dealer just for you at DealerRater. This car review site partners with and provides Kelly Blue Book, Autotrader, Cars.com, and J.D. Power with reviews of dealers and services for prospective buyers. It allows shoppers to directly find the right person at the dealerships. It features an exhaustive list of dealer reviews—there are over 6 million of them—cars for sale and even car recalls. The site utilizes a sophisticated filtering process combining automation and human moderation to ensure that every review is written by a real person who is sharing their real-life experience.
The internet is a valuable tool for any used car shopper. Search for make and model, all the options you’re looking for, or simply by car type. You can find the best year that the car you’re interested in was manufactured, and even the worst year. It’s all there, these days finding the best car review sites is at the tip of your fingers.