Consumer Reports expands new car pricing information

Consumer Reports has just launched some new enhancements to the vehicle model pages on our website, including free information and enhanced pricing data.

Visitors to ConsumerReports.org can now preview the model overview pages and access basic vehicle data, including base MSRP and invoice price, without logging in.

Subscribers to our upgraded Cars Best Deals Plus service will discover an enhanced pricing section on each model page, which now includes the average price paid and the CR Bottom Line Price. From there subscribers can link to our new fully integrated car price reports. Here are the details:

• Zip code-specific prices, dealer advertising costs, and incentives.


• Enhanced guidance in evaluating the attractiveness of a vehicle price based on what others have actually paid for the same make, model, and trim.


• Side-by-side comparison of standard and optional equipment for all vehicles in the report to help users determine which trim is right for them.


• Integrated access to Best Local Price quotes from the Consumer Reports Build & Buy (car buying) service.


• Graphical presentation of summary pricing information for the configured vehicle.


• The maximum purchase price for the researched vehicle that could be considered a good deal based on analysis of recent local transaction prices.


• A Dealer Willingness to Negotiate rating of High, Medium, or Low, indicating how flexible dealers have been recently in negotiating price for the researched model.


• Integration of TrueCar pricing content with unique CR performance and ratings data.

The more detailed information will help users more effectively evaluate pricing offers from dealerships in the context of local market conditions and thereby better set target price levels when negotiating for a vehicle. "Local Prices" also features a link to the lowest available CR Build & Buy service-provided local price quote for the target vehicle.

In addition to the new pricing data, Cars Best Deals Plus subscribers also receive:

• Our full track report with detailed test notes from our automotive engineers--much longer than a road test.


• Detailed lists of frequently reported reliability trouble spots based on over 1.3 million vehicles in our latest subscriber survey.


• Detailed owner satisfaction information based on our annual survey covering specific vehicle aspects: drive, style, features, cost, comfort, value, and size. Find out which features owners like and dislike about their vehicles and which cars they will buy again.

The Cars Best Deals Plus information is an additional $13 a year on top of the general Consumer Reports annual subscription, or you can buy an individual price report for $14.

The Build & Buy service is free for all ConsumerReports.org subscribers. And during the first year we offered the service, participants saved more than $4,000 off MSRP on average.

Before you buy a new car, check out our new pricing information and comparisons in our model overview pages or in a New Car Price Report.

—Consumer Reports