Car Buying Guide

Car Buying Guide Free App

Rated 3.15/5 (307) —  Free Android application by Consumer Reports

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About Car Buying Guide

The Consumer Reports Car Buying Guide will help you navigate the new & used automobile buying process from beginning to end.

Google Cardboard 360 Virtual Reality (VR) tour of consumer reports test track.
We put you in the passenger seat as the Consumer Reports Auto Test team takes our cars through their paces at the largest and most sophisticated independent automobile testing center devoted to the consumer interest anywhere in the world.

Don’t get taken for a ride as you shop for your new vehicle - get tips and tricks to help you negotiate pricing and financing like a pro.

If you are a current ConsumerReports.org website subscriber, you have full access to this app. If you are not a website subscriber, you may download this app for free but must purchase the in-app pass to receive access to Consumer Reports car Ratings and road test videos.*

Features include:
•Consumer Reports car Ratings (ConsumerReport.org website subscribers and in-app pass subscribers only)
•Consumer Reports road test video summaries (ConsumerReport.org website subscribers and in-app pass subscribers only)
•Overall Score (new)
-Consumer Reports’ new scoring system encapsulates road-test performance, reliability, owner satisfaction, and safety into one overall score, which will make it simpler to identify the models that are truly best in class.
•MSRP and invoice look up
•Information on how to get the best trade-in
•Vehicle price negotiating tips
•Ways to get the best interest rate
•Lease and loan total cost and monthly payment calculators designed to give you your real cost as well as the ability to compare leasing vs loans
survey information from 1.4 million car drivers covering
-Owner satisfaction
-Reliability

•360 Virtual Reality (VR) tour of our Consumer Reports Test Track.
Videos can be watched in 360 with or without Google Cardboard.

360 video is available on Android phone versions 5 and higher.

* In-app purchases of the monthly $2.99 pass are charged to your Google Wallet Account upon confirmation of the purchase. Your pass will AUTOMATICALLY RENEW unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You may manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renew by going to Manage Purchases in the Settings section.

How to Download / Install

Download and install Car Buying Guide version 2.5.1 on your Android device!
Downloaded 100,000+ times, content rating: Everyone
Android package: org.consumerreports.carguide, download Car Buying Guide.apk

All Application Badges

Free
downl.
Android
4.0.3+
Bug
buster
For everyone
Android app

App History & Updates

What's Changed
Highs and lows for every tested model, CR’s pick on the best model of that car, and direct links to our road tests.
Other changes:
- It’s easier to find recommended models when browsing by brand.
- For used cars, miles per gallon (MPG) is now based on data from car owners
- Fix to an issue that was causing fewer road test videos to be shown.
- Bug fixes and other enhancements under the hood
More downloads  Car Buying Guide reached 100 000 - 500 000 downloads
Version update Car Buying Guide was updated to version 2.5.1
Version update Car Buying Guide was updated to version 2.3
More downloads  Car Buying Guide reached 50 000 - 100 000 downloads

What are users saying about Car Buying Guide

P70%
by P####:

Says password is incorrect but I am able to log into the website just fine.

Q70%
by Q####:

Great job guys. Thanks for useful app.

Q70%
by Q####:

This App does what's it supposed to do...

Q70%
by Q####:

Why offer this app for widescreen tablets if you're not going to provide widescreen support? Everything has to be in portrait. Disappointing.

Q70%
by Q####:

Terrible. Minimal information available. I drive a VW Golf R and it is not even listed. The base Golf and Golf R are completely different vehicles which means different reliability ratings etc. If the GTI is separate, the Golf R should be too as it is the upgraded GTI. This app needs an upgrade or I want reimbursed.

X70%
by X####:

Description should state upfront that the app includes info only on cars retailing in the u.s. ...Was looking to compare the Nissan Micra with other compact cars. The car I am interested in is not included in the app. at all.

Q70%
by Q####:

The prices are generated by Truecar. All Truecar prices are prearranged with the car dealerships. You can do a better negotiation by yourself and beat Truecar price. The CR app claims it will not share your telephone number with the dealer. Now, all types of numbers are calling my cell phone all day disturbing my sleep (night worker). Shame on CR, I will uninstall this app.

X70%
by X####:

This app is woefully inadequate with only severely limited information. You'd think that an organization that built its reputation on rating others would realize how poor this app is. Not worth the space it hogs on your phone. I am uninstalling it.

Q70%
by Q####:

Liked the previous way Consumer Reports car pricing worked. Sent you REAL price paid by car dealers. Used to be able to get a better deal that way. Don't like using True Car at all. CR, love you and your work, but you blew this one for consumers TOTALLY. Please go back to the old, consumer friendly way.

Q70%
by Q####:

I tried to watch a video of theirs and there's sound but no picture. I tried to use the loan feature to see what I'd be paying for the car and it won't let me select the car or calculate based on the price I manually entered. Additionally it's only allowing me to factor leasing a car, not to buy it. So it's telling me my monthly payment would be $0 for a $20k loan.

Q70%
by Q####:

No support etc. ( per the End User Agreement: 27. NO SUPPORT OR UPGRADE OBLIGATIONS. You agree that you are not entitled to any support, telephone assistance corrections, Updates, upgrades, bug fixes and/or enhancements of the Application from us or our distributors.). I purchased this app because it promises to give access to multiple levels of information both in the app and through the website and more when I was reviewing what was included after downloading and before purchasing. It doesn't allow for the creation of a user name or password. I tried to used my associated email address yet it doesn't recognize it. The info the app provides is very limited and the most barebones it could be with a few images to supplement it. Really really really disappointed. I canceled my subscription in less than a half hour after making the purchase! Also it doesn't provide a way to contact Consumers Reports in any way from within the app. Not even too report an issue!!! Don't waist your time or money! Move along nothing to see here!

Q70%
by Q####:

Apparently the login issue hasn't been fixed because I am unable to login and when I downloaded the experience our test track video all I got was audio with a black screen. Out of 5 cars I tried to look at 3 of them wouldn't open. If CR can't create an app that works how are we supposed to rely on thier reviews?

Q70%
by Q####:

The app has very little data compared to the website. The UI is great, but if there's not enough necessary content, it doesn't do any good.

Q70%
by Q####:

Only shows an overall reliability rating doesn't show the breakdown of what parts are reliable or not. Not what I would expect from an app from a payed service

Y70%
by Y####:

Says there's an error and the mechanics know about it

M70%
by M####:

Loan estimator doesn't work. Cost of ownership doesn't show you any data. Engines HP and torque is not always listed.

Q70%
by Q####:

A Mini Cooper is a pickup & Nissan Frontiers don't exist, apparently. Bizarre.

Q70%
by Q####:

Totally useless! No customer reviews for any of the four cars I researched.

Q70%
by Q####:

What kind of an App for automobile ratings didn't cover all used cars? The first car that I went to look up, 2007 Saturn Ion, wasn't a selectable choice

H70%
by H####:

Refine Search w/used cars search in TrueCar doesn't work

Q70%
by Q####:

Terrible.. Tells you nothing about the car

Q70%
by Q####:

Gives you very little information per car

M70%
by M####:

Got this app to review a very common SUV and it wasn't listed.

Q70%
by Q####:

Missing reviews and info on cars. Not loading.

B70%
by B####:

Subscribed and downloaded in order to price a new Mazda. For over a month have been unable to access pricing on Mazda's. Can access other brands. Tells me that their "mechanics" are aware of the problem. Great! Do something!!!

O70%
by O####:

Does little to provide useful information about used vehicles. Nothing close to the older format online or what was in the monthly magazine. Did i say, I hated it?

Z70%
by Z####:

Accessing the website works fine but app refuses to accept password. Very poor implimentation of the app.

Q70%
by Q####:

It's clear that the CR folks are dialing this one in... right down to the raw HTML tags in many of the vehicle descriptions!

S70%
by S####:

I can't log in. However, I can log in to the general consumer reports app, following which I'm automatically logged in to this app. Needs a better filter system to narrow selections by features that matter to the buyer.

V70%
by V####:

App works fine on my phone, except the summary descriptions display HTML formatting syntax instead of interpreting the syntax. For example, it always starts with with lots of other HTML syntax sprinkled in. Otherwise, it doesn't crash on my phone as others have indicated and is very useful for my upcoming car purchase.

A70%
by A####:

Consumer Reports do the most thorough real world evaluations hands down

I70%
by I####:

I HATE double dipping. I see no reason to waste trees on magazines that I don't read. Don't charge me MORE for digital only access to a magazine that you no longer have to print or mail now that I am choosing to move to digital only. This company has grown fat, and takes advantage of the very people who have supported it for so long. I am done.

X70%
by X####:

The app seems to work OK, but the list of models is incomplete and somewhat inaccurate. for example... No mention at all of the Nissan Frontier... Also, I looked up my 2007 Vw Rabbit and they claimed 24 mpg but mine gets 30mpg and it has 135000 miles... makes me question their accuracy

Y70%
by Y####:

LOVED this app, and while it was working, it was the "go to" app for information on cars, new and old. We are searching for a new car and before putting down money on such a big purchase, it's great to have CR so handy. Unfortunately, our search isn't done and the app is too unstable, crashing after just a few seconds. Installed, reinstalled but behaving the same. I have to use the laptop now but that's much less conspicuous when you're at the dealer! CR please fix!!

Z70%
by Z####:

Worked great for the first two days I had it. Now, it only stays open for 30 seconds, then crashes.

S70%
by S####:

App closes when selecting a car. CR, you should test your own app like cars.

S70%
by S####:

This app used to work well. Now it crashes every time I try to view the sub-model information from the model page.

S70%
by S####:

Research crashes the app..lame! I paid for this. Want my money back.

S70%
by S####:

App was great, but now nothing happens when you click on a model. Fix it and 5 stars!

S70%
by S####:

I cannot see any car. App just crashing


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Rating Distribution

RATING
3.25
307 users

5

4

3

2

1