Many websites provide information about the value of your car, and they all claim to have the most accurate data. So, what is the difference betweeden these sites? What should you know before you use them?

CarGurus and Kelley Blue Book provide used car values to consumers, and both sites have different ways of calculating used car values. However, at Kelley Blue Book, we do think there are differences you should know about.

If you just need to quickly get the value of your car or research new or used cars, we feel there is no better destination than KBB.com.

About CarGurus

Founded in 2006, CarGurus made a name for itself in only a few years and is now one of the most highly trafficked automotive sites on the internet. Created by one of the co-founders of TripAdvisor, CarGurus got its start as a blog and messaging site where people could post reviews, ask questions and share their experience with dealers. Because consumers were using the early CarGurus site to talk about dealers, dealers reached out to CarGurus to advertise. “And the rest,” as they say, “is history.”

Today, Car Gurus focuses almost exclusively on classified listings and the ability to connect interested buyers with dealers and other sellers that have the cars they want. At any one time, CarGurus may have over 5 million listings for new, certified pre-owned, and used cars on its site. But for many people, the decision on what to buy next starts with the car, truck, SUV, or van they already have.

CarGurus Instant Market Value

So, to answer the question “What’s my car worth”, CarGurus created the CarGurus Instant Market Value.

The CarGurus Instant Market Value (IMV) is an estimated fair retail price for a vehicle based on a detailed analysis of comparable current and previous car listings in your market.

CarGurus calculates and continually updates their IMV daily using a complicated algorithm that considers millions of data points, including the car’s make, model, trim, year, mileage, options, and vehicle history. They factor in current and recently sold vehicles when doing their pricing analysis for IMV. CarGurus adjusts its Instant Market Value based on data from over 150 different urban and rural car markets nationwide.

While consumers can use the IMV as a reference point for vehicle pricing, CarGurus stresses that the IMV is not an official appraisal or guarantee. However, unlike some other valuation sites like Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com, CarGurus does make a distinction for the Private Sale Estimate vs. the Trade-in Value.

Outside of used car values, CarGurus also works with over 40,000 businesses nationwide to provide automobile-related goods and services like financing. Perhaps because of the company’s connection with TripAdvisor, CarGurus was one of the pioneers in the area of dealer ratings and reviews.

CarGurus does not currently offer values or information about motorcycles, powersports, boats, or recreational vehicles (RVs, aka “campers”). For its first several years, CarGurus was privately held, but it went public via IPO in 2017.

IMV and Instant Market Value are trademarks of CarGurus. CarGurus is not affiliated with Kelley Blue Book or Cox Automotive.

About Kelley Blue Book Values:

Ever hear, “What’s the Blue Book® Value?” The Blue Book value is well known as the gold standard for vehicle values and pricing. The site is a trusted source to determine what a car is worth and what a buyer should expect to pay for their next new or used car.

Quick KBB Facts:

• Kelley Blue Book got its start in 1926 and has had a continuous legacy of providing used car values for almost a century.
• KBB.com generates 40 million unique pricing reports every month to trusted consumers and dealers.
• Kelley Blue Book is a part of Cox Automotive, which gives more data and more resources to drive results for both consumers and clients.
• We provide a comprehensive set of products and services that help both car buyers and car sellers.
• KBB offers different types of values, including Private Party Value, Trade-In Value, Suggested Retail Value, and Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) Value.
• KBB.com also offers resources for finding a new or used car, selling your car, researching auto repair pricing, finding car service centers in your area, maintenance pricing, and a resource for looking at car recalls.

How Kelley Blue Book Gets Its Data

Kelley Blue Book uses:

• Predictive analytics
• Industry and field analysis to review trends and provide the most current, market-reflective information.
• We utilize 250+ data sources with 3.0 trillion data points to provide objective, data-driven information that inspires consumer confidence and peace of mind.

Blue Book® Values has the most current objective, data-driven, and market-reflective information available. We also take into account the season and the part of the country you are located in. In addition, we offer regionalized values and pricing using over 100 different areas in the United States.

Many of these differences may be subtle, but they help vehicle buyers and sellers determine what their car is worth. With our high-level analysis and data, we have earned the trust of consumers.

Let’s review the different value reports Kelley Blue Book provides.

Used Car:

• Trade-In Value The amount you can expect to receive when trading a car in at a dealership.
• Private Party Value The amount you can expect to receive when selling your car to another consumer. This value is typically higher than the trade-in value, because unlike dealerships, you don’t have costs like rent or salespeople to worry about.
• Used Car Fair Purchase Price (retail value) This is the amount that a consumer would reasonably expect to pay to buy this used car at a dealership.
• Certified Pre-Owned Price (CPO) For some newer used cars, the dealership may offer a factory-backed certification process. The price is usually about 10% higher than a conventional used car, but many people like the confidence of buying a certified car.

New Car:

• New Car Fair Purchase Price (once called the New Car Blue Book Value) This is the amount that a consumer would reasonably expect to pay to buy this new car at a dealership.
• Where to see these prices These values are displayed, both on KBB.com and on dealers’ websites nationwide. Look for the Kelley Blue Book® Price Advisor. It has white, green, and red zones. If you see the price in the Green Zone of the Price Advisor, you can be confident that it is a fair price for both buyer and seller alike.

Kelley Blue Book also reports values for motorcycles and is part of Cox Automotive which gives us more data and resources to drive results for both consumers and clients.