Driveway Review: New Car Buying Sites

Driveway is one of the newest platforms offering a buy-from-home option for getting a new car. While it focuses more on selling used cars, there are still plenty of new cars to choose from. When you buy a new car from Driveway, it comes with all the manufacturer warranties you'd get elsewhere (drivetrain, bumper-to-bumper). Driveway also offers a 7-day or 400-mile return policy, so you aren't stuck with a car that doesn't meet your expectations after buying it online.

Easy filters and clean browsing UI

To start your search for a new car, enter the make, model, and year in the provided boxes on the right-hand side of the page. This will lead you to a screen with a wealth of information, from pricing to safety details, as well as basic stats like MPG and MSRP. To get a price quote, click on the red "Get a Dealer Quote" button and enter your ZIP code. You can narrow down the options by body style and color too if you're going for a specific look.

Over 41,000 cars in new inventory

Despite being a newer site in the realm of buying cars online, Driveway has an impressive number of new cars in its inventory. There are over 41,000 new cars to choose from within 50 miles of our target location. In terms of specific cars, there's plenty to pick from. We found 7,078 sedans, 24,096 crossovers, 7,729 trucks, and 533 coupes (two doors).

Everything you need right on the listing page

Driveway makes it simple to access detailed information about each vehicle. From dozens of photos and the VIN to features and financing calculators, you'll find everything you need to make an informed decision. The listings will show you the asking price and compare it to current MSRPs as well as an at-a-glance style overview of car details (like colors and drivetrain) along with features from different trim levels. Driveway also goes the extra mile to include opportunities for additional warranty or protection coverage.

Prices from $17,986

The prices at Driveway are competitive and include both budget-friendly cars and luxury vehicles. The prices range from $17,986 to $329,950. The cheapest car is a Nissan Versa and the most expensive a Mercedes-Benz S Class. On top of that, we researched our three example cars, the Toyota Corolla, the Nissan Rogue, and the Tesla Model 3, to see how prices at Driveway compare to other sites. Here's what we found:

• Toyota Corolla: Not offered on Driveway
• Nissan Rogue: $28,111 to $39,111
• Tesla Model 3: Not offered on Driveway

Shockingly, despite the high inventory, two of our three example cars weren't available. In fact, there were zero Toyotas or Teslas of any kind on Driveway. We're not sure why!

Impressive convenience features

Driveway offers several convenient features. Want to trade in your old car when buying a new one? You can easily add a trade-in to your new car purchase, and Driveway will even arrange for it to be picked up from your home. If you want to take advantage of rebates and incentives, many of these are included automatically in the pricing, and other options may appear during the checkout process, like military and first responder discounts.

Return within 7 days or 400 miles

With cars selling quickly these days, if you find a Driveway car you want, it's wise to act fast. Any vehicle they sell requires a $500 refundable deposit to hold it for you. This deposit is charged to your credit card and credited towards your purchase if you buy the car. If you cancel the order or get approved for a loan with $0 down, the deposit is refunded. However, putting down a deposit doesn't guarantee availability, and another buyer could buy the car before you finalize your purchase. Thankfully, if you do decide to buy a car, you have 7 days or 400 miles (whichever happens first) to test drive the car and return with no hassle if you don't like it.

Some issues for buyers

It all sounds pretty great so far, right? We thought so too, until we looked at buyer feedback. Driveway is relatively new, but its parent company Lithia Motors Inc. has been around for a bit. The BBB gives Lithia a "D-" rating for having 175 complaints in the past year. On the other hand, customers have a more middle-ground opinion of Driveway. On Trustpilot, the company shows a 3.8-star average rating. Customers who sell on Driveway are very happy with the service. However, those who bought complained about issues with license tags and undisclosed issues or damage to the car.

Doesn't quite hit the mark

Yes, Driveway can bring a new car right to your doorstep, but so can most local dealerships these days. What Driveway offers in convenience is overshadowed by its shortcomings and poor reviews. Who wants a new car with damage they weren't expecting? Plus, with some major makes and models missing from their 40,000+ car lineup, customers may struggle to find what they need despite the large inventory.

On the Driveway website