Car Buying Guide
The Consumer Reports Car Buying Guide will help you navigate the new & used automobile buying process from beginning to end.
Google Cardboard 360 Virtual Reality (VR) tour of consumer reports test track.We put you in the passenger seat as the Consumer Reports Auto Test team takes our cars through their paces at the largest and most sophisticated independent automobile testing center devoted to the consumer interest anywhere in the world.
Don’t get taken for a ride as you shop for your new vehicle
- get tips and tricks to help you negotiate pricing and financing like a pro.
If you are a current ConsumerReports.org website subscriber, you have full access to this app. If you are not a website subscriber, you may download this app for free but must purchase the in-app pass to receive access to Consumer Reports car Ratings and road test videos.*
Features include:•Consumer Reports car Ratings (ConsumerReport.org website subscribers and in-app pass subscribers only)•Consumer Reports road test video summaries (ConsumerReport.org website subscribers and in-app pass subscribers only)•Overall Score (new)-Consumer Reports’ new scoring system encapsulates road-test performance, reliability, owner satisfaction, and safety into one overall score, which will make it simpler to identify the models that are truly best in class.•MSRP and invoice look up•Information on how to get the best trade-in•Vehicle price negotiating tips •Ways to get the best interest rate•Lease and loan total cost and monthly payment calculators designed to give you your real cost as well as the ability to compare leasing vs loanssurvey information from 1.4 million car drivers covering-Owner satisfaction-Maintenance costs-Reliability
•360 Virtual Reality (VR) tour of our Consumer Reports Test Track.Videos can be watched in 360 with or without Google Cardboard.
360 video is available on Android phone versions 5 and higher.
* In-app purchases of the monthly $2.99 pass are charged to your Google Wallet Account upon confirmation of the purchase. Your pass will AUTOMATICALLY RENEW unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You may manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renew by going to Manage Purchases in the Settings section.
Category : Shopping
Reviews (29)
Waste of money! I want 2.99 back. This app starts out as free but to actually look up info on a car they charge. Then the info is total garbage. The only info you get is reliability (average, below average, above average) or owner satisfaction in percent. That's it. No other information beyond what u can already look up for free on three internet!
Organizes cars in categories different from the scheme used in the CR website. No easy way to do a side by side comparison between models, so you end up going back and forth to compare details. Video playback frequently halts, even on a clear 4G LTE connection. Requires you to restart playback from the beginning.
A disappointment. Outdated information that can easily be found on line, verbatim. Reading the material on two different vehicles were inaccurate, describing previous model years so provided zero insight for purchasing a new car. This was a waste of time and money.
For a subscription you don't really get anything. The reliability report is extremely vague and pretty much any other app can provide the rest of the information.
Useless app. Can't pull up any info on cars I'm interested in buying. Either not listed, it says details came be loaded. Disappointed. Don't waste your money
CR is great. This app is very useful and I can see all the cars they have tested, and watch videos on the cars. Thanks CR!
Why is there a $2.99 monthly fee? I am a long term CR member and have both paper and electronic subscriptions and am now being charged for this app also. Should be part of my electronic membership. CR is to help us consumers save $. I rather have the $2.99 I am being charged go to the CR foundation to support the great work you do.
No details, price your car doesn't even let you price a used vehicle. No details available that are available on website. Don't really understand what this app is doing...
Only gives ratings on new cars not previous years. Waste of money
Pictures & videos don't show up. Only general info is given. Might as well just use their website.
Where are the ratings that make your organization so valuable?..i get that you need to have a subscription in order to use this app .. but id much rather carry this information on my phone vs. Your auto edition magazine when visiting the dealer!
Very slow response .. no easy way to compare vehicles!
This app is worthless.
I have always checked Consumer Reports reviews when buying a car. I downloaded the app, paid my $2.99, and can only see general info about the cars I'm considering, no CR ratings. I could get that general info anywhere on the web, so what did I just pay for? This app is either useless or so poorly designed that I can't find what I need.
Great app...works very well and I can find the ratings easily. Great job CR!
Very useful information
Unless I'm missing something, all of the owner ratings aren't on there and when I go to research a car, half of the models don't even show up. Like another user said...I expect way more from CR!
I wanted to know how much was a fair price for a used car. This was not a helpful app at all. As a long time cr subscriber this app is a huge disappointment.
Car Pricing doesn't show Ford! Seriously! Unacceptable!
Crashes more than at works. I expected more from Consumer Reports.
Terrible. Minimal information available. I drive a VW Golf R and it is not even listed. The base Golf and Golf R are completely different vehicles which means different reliability ratings etc. If the GTI is separate, the Golf R should be too as it is the upgraded GTI. This app needs an upgrade or I want reimbursed.
Waste of money. Nowhere near the amount of information available in the print magazine and the annual buying guide. CU should be ashamed.
Description should state upfront that the app includes info only on cars retailing in the u.s. ...Was looking to compare the Nissan Micra with other compact cars. The car I am interested in is not included in the app. at all.
The prices are generated by Truecar. All Truecar prices are prearranged with the car dealerships. You can do a better negotiation by yourself and beat Truecar price. The CR app claims it will not share your telephone number with the dealer. Now, all types of numbers are calling my cell phone all day disturbing my sleep (night worker). Shame on CR, I will uninstall this app.
Liked the previous way Consumer Reports car pricing worked. Sent you REAL price paid by car dealers. Used to be able to get a better deal that way. Don't like using True Car at all. CR, love you and your work, but you blew this one for consumers TOTALLY. Please go back to the old, consumer friendly way.
No support etc. ( per the End User Agreement: 27. NO SUPPORT OR UPGRADE OBLIGATIONS. You agree that you are not entitled to any support, telephone assistance corrections, Updates, upgrades, bug fixes and/or enhancements of the Application from us or our distributors.). I purchased this app because it promises to give access to multiple levels of information both in the app and through the website and more when I was reviewing what was included after downloading and before purchasing. It doesn't allow for the creation of a user name or password. I tried to used my associated email address yet it doesn't recognize it. The info the app provides is very limited and the most barebones it could be with a few images to supplement it. Really really really disappointed. I canceled my subscription in less than a half hour after making the purchase! Also it doesn't provide a way to contact Consumers Reports in any way from within the app. Not even too report an issue!!! Don't waist your time or money! Move along nothing to see here!
Loan estimator doesn't work. Cost of ownership doesn't show you any data. Engines HP and torque is not always listed.
This app is woefully inadequate with only severely limited information. You'd think that an organization that built its reputation on rating others would realize how poor this app is. Not worth the space it hogs on your phone. I am uninstalling it.
Used to be good not good anymore will not let you build a car