Recently, I've been doing some car shopping. Nothing too serious, the sort of browsing that industry folks describe as the "top of the funnel." Like 70 percent of our website's visitors, I'm likely to be buying a new car in the next year or so. My reasons may mirror yours: My wife's Ford Escape is now 10 years old. It's still fun to drive and reliable, and the 2.0-liter turbo continues to pack a nice punch, but a beautiful baby girl has me thinking about something a little newer and maybe larger. I'm not too serious yet, just looking, as you might say to shoo away a salesman looking to qualify you.
Of course, I'm not ready to visit dealers yet. Neither psychologically ready, nor am I far enough down the funnel. I'm doing my shopping and research right here. I'm looking up acceleration numbers and our segment rankings, and I'm re-reading reviews and make-model pages to narrow my vague wants to a few choices. As the list winnows, I am starting to click through our new Marketplace listings that accompany our reviews.
You will notice that the listings served up are vastly improved from the hit-or-miss affair they once were. Previously, searching for a bestseller like a Chevrolet Silverado would return several Silverados for sale. But pull up a review of a more niche vehicle like a Mazda Miata, and the listings on that page might display more CX-5s for sale than Miatas.
To get it right for you and to help you locate exactly what you want, we've partnered with Autotrader to improve our vehicle listings. Now, when you're reading a review of the Kia Telluride, you'll see Tellurides for sale and not Sportages.
We hope you find the interface simple to navigate. It's possible to tailor the results by year, new or used, location, mileage, engine, even exterior and interior colors. Make sure to play with the financing tool and even look up the value of your trade-in. Once you make your choice, you can contact the dealer with your information or even make the dealer an offer from the comfort of your couch.
Give it a try and let us know what you think. We're always looking to improve your experience on our site and make it easier for you to find the right car.
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