Car Reviews

If you’re in the market for a new vehicle, your first step probably shouldn’t be to visit a showroom to check out the latest models. Car salespeople are trained to identify uninformed buyers and to swoop in for the kill. By reading car reviews, you’ll be more informed about price, features and performance, which could save you thousands of dollars when it’s time to sign on the dotted line.

How to read a car review

A well-written car review should help you accomplish a few basic goals. First, a review should contain detailed information about the MSRP (manufacturer’s suggested retail price) and the cost of the various options. In other words, you shouldn’t experience sticker shock when you visit the showroom for the first time. Second, these reviews should offer basic comparisons to other cars in the same class. By the time you finish reading the review, you should be able to compile a short list of other cars for comparison.

Finally, you should try to determine the car’s long-term reliability from the review. While most car reviewers are only exposed to the vehicle for a relatively short time, some publications offer long-term tests that involve driving the car for 30,000 miles or more.

Online resources are generally an excellent source for car reviews. You can find plenty of performance specs, photographs and real-world experience with hundreds of vehicles on this website.