Edmunds Vs TrueCar
By Jakob Hansen, 6/14/2021
Edmunds vs TrueCar, what’s the difference and who should you trust?
When starting research for your next new car, the same sites start to frequently show up. Edmunds and TrueCar are two of the leading authorities when it comes to car shopping, but what exactly is the difference between them, and which is going to be more beneficial for your car search?
Currently, there is an endless amount of websites that provide you with a wide array of useful information.
Most of the falsified websites that are out to only get your information have long been pushed out of the market, as shoppers realized that information is available from other sources without the risk. But it’s still difficult to know just which is going to really give you the information that you’re looking for.
Where to Start?
Edmunds and TrueCar are two of the top automotive buying/research sites on the web, and both are able to provide you with information that can prove to be extremely useful when car shopping, but what exactly is the difference?
Edmunds Review
Edmunds.com
Edmunds started life as a shoppers guide publication called “Edmund’s Guides”. Since, Edmunds has grown into one of the top automotive research websites in the world.
On the site, shoppers are able to conduct new car research including comparing vehicles, price shopping, read reviews, and more.
Like most automotive research sites, Edmunds is a non-biased publication and does not receive payment from OEMs for its reviews, opinions, or advice.
It does, however, receive payment for automotive leads, or in laymen’s terms, your information.
Edmunds has a pricing tool known as Edmunds Suggested Price. This provides shoppers with accurate pricing data based on an “analysis of millions of data points, including supply, demand, incentives, options, and recent nearby transactions,” according to Edmunds.
This means Edmunds is constantly scouring the web to provide you with the most accurate and up to date pricing data so you know the best price to pay.
TrueCar Review
Truecar.com
TrueCar is similar overall to Edmunds but started off as a used car search engine, rather than a product advice publication. Over the years, the two sites have grown to fill a nearly identical market niche.
TrueCar, much like Edmunds, does not receive payment from OEM’s, except for your information, which gets moved over to the dealers in the form of a “lead”.
Also to similar to Edmunds, TrueCar is able to provide shoppers with a “TruePrice”, which is an average price of your vehicle of interest “based on what other people actually paid for their cars.”
TrueCar has its own data aggregators that are able to see what other people paid for similar vehicles in your area.
Edmunds Suggested Price vs TrueCar’s TruePrice
Between the two website’s pricing data, which is able to give more accurate information?
To be honest, they are both fairly accurate overall. Neither is going to be a guaranteed price at the dealership, but merely a suggestion of what a “good price” might look like depending on market value.
With this, it’s important to note that both Edmunds and TrueCar will provide you with excellent car buying advice, but not a specific price at which you will be buying your next car.
Alternatives to TrueCar and Edmunds
So what are the other options? KBB, or Kelly Blue Book, is able to provide you with market values based on their own purchasing data. CarGurus is another site with the same capabilities and can be used for new or used car searches.
Kelly Blue Book is able to offer accurate pricing information, for new or used cars. Kelly Blue Book makes estimates of fair market value, and is typically used for used car pricing more than new car, but can be helpful for both.
CarGurus also has what they call "CarGurus Instant Market Value" which compares the vehicle listing price to what CarGurus determines fair market value is for that specific car. This service is good for determining pricing on individual listings rather than getting an overview of make/model value.
How Rydeshopper Can Help
So where do we come into play here?
Our Car Deal Finder is able to provide shoppers with a secure site to handle new and certified preowned car research and connect shoppers with local dealers in a safe, secure manner.
None of your information is ever sold to anyone except the dealers you specify. This means local, qualified dealers that are fighting for your business, not dealers 100’s of miles away expecting you to pay over fair market value.
When you connect with a dealer through Rydeshopper, not only are you provided with MSRP and Invoice Price, but you are connected as a preferred internet shopper—often times privy to special internet pricing.
In short, Rydeshopper is able to connect you as a preferred customer with multiple dealers, all competing for your business. Your privacy is our top priority, and will only be shared with dealers at your request.
So ahead, start researching, start shopping, and find your best deal today.