Carvana Review: Used Car Sites

Carvana is a well-known name in the online car-buying world, standing out with its 100% digital approach. You can shop for used cars online without dealing with salespeople, commissions, or pressure. After purchasing, you have the option to pick up your car at a Carvana "vending machine" or have it delivered directly to your home. Every car listed on Carvana undergoes a 150-point inspection. The inspection results are transparent, showing what was repaired or replaced and noting any cosmetic issues. Each vehicle also comes with a CarFax history report, providing a detailed look at the car's past.

Great filters and impressive features

The Carvana website is user-friendly. You can start by searching for your desired make and model or using keywords. There are also filters to narrow your choices by payment options, price range, body style, and more. After narrowing your search, you can sort the results by price, mileage, vehicle age, or alphabetically by make and model. As an added feature, once you pick out a car you love, Carvana allows you to place a $100 pre-order hold on a vehicle undergoing inspection before it's listed for sale. This hold is refundable if you change your mind. This feature can be useful if you want to reserve a car that isn't yet available.

23,000+ vehicles in stock

In our area, there were 23,906 different vehicles available at the time of our review. This included options in a 50-mile radius of our location. When we break that down by body style, here are some of the numbers for different types of cars: 6,182 sedans, 11,665 crossovers, 2,586 trucks, and 1,015 coupes. Notably, Carvana has the second highest number of vehicles in inventory of any company in our review.

Tons of valuable information on each listing

When you dive into the listings, it's clear that Carvana was a site designed to offer a totally online and simplified experience. You'll be able to see a full array of photos on each listing, and extra notices like "recently listed" or alerts for open recalls on the vehicles. Carvana will also show specific photos and marks for "imperfections" on the vehicle, so when you receive it nothing is a surprise. The key information for vehicles is listed with cute icons that make it simple and easy to see at a glance, including MPG, drivetrain, color options, engine, transmission type, fuel, and how the vehicle was previously used. You'll also have access to CarFax reports and access reviews from previous owners to see what others thought of the specific car you're looking at.

Prices from $14,195

The prices at Carvana are higher than most at the starting point. They range from $9,990 to $99,990. On the lower end, you can find a 2010 MINI Hardtop, while on the higher end, you'll find the Lexus LC from 2024. Noticeably, Carvana is missing some of the high-end makes and models available on other sites. So, despite Carvana's huge inventory, if you're looking for a Lamborghini or a Ferrari, you'll need to browse elsewhere.

Price comparison

To compare regular car pricing, we examined four vehicles to see how their prices and mileage stacked up between Carvana and other platforms. The cars we checked included a Toyota Corolla, a Nissan Rogue, a Tesla Model 3, and a Jaguar F-Type. Here are the results of our comparison:

• Toyota Corolla: $11,990 (2009 with 97,000 miles) - $30,990 (2022 with 7,000 miles)
• Nissan Rogue: $11,590 (2012 with 109,000 miles) - $30,990 (2022 with 12,000 miles)
• Tesla Model 3: $22,990 (2018 with 90,000 miles) - $43,590 (2023 with 5,000 miles)
• Jaguar F-Type:  $29,990 (2016 with 73,000 miles) - $33,590 (2016 with 37,000 miles)

1-2 day delivery on some vehicles

One feature we appreciate is the clear delivery timeline for each vehicle. For example, a car we liked was available for delivery within one to two business days if we completed the purchase within a few hours. Carvana can be a good option if you need a car quickly, unlike some competitors that might take up to 14 days or more. In some areas, delivery is free, but even within those zones, delivery costs can reach up to $590, depending on the distance and the car you choose.

Returns within 7 days

After purchasing, you have a 7-day "test own" period. If the car doesn't meet your expectations, you can return it for a refund or exchange it up to three times for another vehicle. Every Carvana car comes with a 100-day/4,189-mile limited warranty, and you can add extra protection or warranties during the checkout process to further protect your vehicle and your purchase.

Multiple class-action lawsuits for Carvana

Feedback on Carvana is divided. On sites like Trustpilot, the average rating is 4.3 stars out of 5. Positive comments highlight the seamless process, timely delivery, and vehicle condition. Many customers who have both bought and sold cars through Carvana are very satisfied. The Better Business Bureau, however, tells a completely different story. The company used to hold an "A-" rating and has slid down to an "F" rating in the past few years. Currently, class-action lawsuits are pending with Carvana in at least three different US states for "business and marketplace misconduct". Yikes! Considering the concerns that it raises, Carvana falls pretty low on our list of recommended sites for buying used cars.

Too many concerns to be competitive

While Carvana's site and sales would make it stand out in any other circumstance, the concerning information from the BBB keeps it from doing so. For this reason, Carvana is a below-average site for buying your used car. Despite its high inventory, Carvana is also missing out on the supercar market and many customers might feel the prices are too high compared to other sites.

On the Carvana website