The internet age is an amazing time to be alive, isn’t it? When I imagine libraries full of think, heavy and dusty encyclopedias…or even think about having to write a research paper the old-fashioned way…I’m SO grateful for modern technology!
And car-buying is another area that is completely enhanced with the internet. Now you have loads of information at your fingertips, empowering you to get exactly the car you’re looking for!
While I believe that nothing can replace an in-person test drive, I suggest using the internet to read up on car models long before you hit the dealership. That way, you’ll be better prepared to communicate with a car salesman and make the process a whole lot easier overall.
Car review sites are a great place to get familiar with the pros and cons of all the various models out there. They can help you decide what’s right for you and your lifestyle.
With that said, here are some of my favorite places to get car reviews online!
This site is an amazing, expansive resource for expert reviews on pretty much every car under the sun. I love the layout because you can simply enter in the car make, model and year you are looking for, then it will direct you to in-depth reviews, as well as pricing in your area, and so much more. It’s one of the easiest sites to navigate and the design is so user-friendly!
Of course, I can’t skip over the famous Kelley Blue Book. This site is mainly known as the go-to source for finding out the value of vehicles, but it also has a great car review section of its own. Here, you can skim the latest reviews or search a specific model. I also love their “Top 10” lists that offer categories like “Top 10 SUVs under $30,000.” This allows shoppers to narrow down their options depending on specific needs. So smart!
Like Kelley Blue Book, this site is a household name. People go to Consumer Reports for reviews on all kinds of products, and cars are no exception. I appreciate that they have a tab called “Not sure where to start?” that allows you to look through a new car or used car buyer guide. This site is very thorough and handy for all types of buyers.
This site is a little different from the others because it sticks to a blog format. The perk of the blog style is that you can simply scroll down over and over again until you find something that looks interesting. If you feel overwhelmed by all the options on other sites, this is the place to go! It’s also a great read to keep up on even when you’re not necessarily in the market to buy a car.
Now here’s a site that is totally comprehensive in the car-buying process. You can read reviews and then be buying that same car with a few clicks of the button. It’s pretty crazy what we can do in this day and age! Autotrader is a great option if you want to stick to one site for reviews, tips on buying and selling, pricing information and even financing help. This site truly has it all.
What I LOVE about this site is the option it gives to compare one car with another. You can look through a drop-down menu and select the specific make/model/year of two (or even three!) different cars, and then it spits out side-by-side comparisons of the vehicle. The comparison includes pricing, features, fuel economy, overall review ratings and more. This is particularly amazing because while other sites sometimes compare two vehicles in a review, this let’s you customize it to be any car you want. It’s SO helpful!
If you like visuals, Motortrend will be your new favorite site. Here, you’ll find a vast amount of photos of every vehicle you could ever want to research. They also have a great layout that categorizes the reviews into different sections and let’s you find just what you’re looking for, whether it’s the first look at a new model or a one-year review.
This is a popular site among car lovers, but it’s also great for novices too. Aside from the usual guide to specific vehicles, Car and Driver has cool videos that give you a different look at the car models you’re interested in. They also do instrumented tests and comparison tests so you really know what to expect from your potential new ride.
If you struggle to keep interested in car reviews, head straight to Jalopnik. Your attention will be held for longer than you can imagine! Jalopnik is a hilarious site that does a great job of making cars fun for anyone and everyone — not just car enthusiasts! They make all kinds of posts, but you can find interesting car reviews from people who seriously know their stuff. Be warned though, you’ll definitely want to stop and read posts about everything from car history to car bloopers along the way!
This show may have originated in the UK, but Top Gear has taken America by storm, and their website is worth a visit when you’re doing car research. There are many British models that you won’t find in the U.S., but they also have an extensive guide to American car brands like Chevrolet and Ford. The reviews are succinct and detailed, so you can quickly digest helpful information!
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