How Can What Car? Help You Choose a New or Used Car?

Updated

What Car? is a UK car reviews and deals site that can help you shortlist and compare new or used cars through expert reviews, deal listings, and buying advice. It is most useful when you already have a rough budget and body type in mind and want structured comparisons rather than open-ended browsing. The site describes itself as offering "expert car reviews," help to "find great deals," and "the latest automotive news and advice" — so treat it as a research and deal-discovery tool, not a place to complete a purchase.

What you can actually do on the site

Based on the site's own description, What Car? organizes its content around three jobs:

What you need What the site offers How to use it
Judge whether a car is any good Expert car reviews Read the verdict and scoring sections before the spec lists
Compare models you're considering Reviews across new and used cars Read the same sections for each model so comparisons are like-for-like
Pay less than list price Car deals Check deal listings for the models already on your shortlist
Understand the market Automotive news and advice Use advice pieces for buying process questions; use news for timing context

Using reviews to compare cars

Reviews are the core of the site, and the existing question "Are What Car? Car Reviews Written by Experts?" points to the main thing to verify: the site presents its reviews as expert-written. When comparing, read each review in the same order so you don't favor whichever car you read first.

A practical sequence:

  1. Start with the verdict. Read the summary judgment before any detail — it tells you who the car suits.
  2. Check the sections that match your priorities. If you care about running costs or practicality, read those sections for every candidate, not just the first one.
  3. Note where reviewers flag compromises. A review that praises a car but names a specific weakness (ride, boot space, infotainment) is more useful than one with no criticism.
  4. Compare new vs used versions of the same model. Used reviews often highlight what changed between model years, which matters if you're buying second-hand.

Expected result: a shortlist of two or three models with a written reason for each, plus the specific weakness you're willing to accept.

Finding deals without over-trusting them

The site lists car deals, but the description does not state pricing, eligibility, or whether deals require registration or finance. Treat any deal as a lead to verify, not a final price:

  • Check whether the deal applies to the trim and engine you actually want — headline deals often target one specific version.
  • Confirm the deal's conditions (finance, deposit, model year) on the dealer or provider page before counting it in your budget.
  • Compare the deal price against the review's view of the car — a discount on a model the review criticizes is not automatically good value.

Where the site stops and you take over

What Car? supports research and deal discovery. It does not replace a test drive, an insurance quote, or a check of a used car's history. Use the reviews and advice to build your shortlist and your questions, then verify the specific car — especially a used one — before committing.

If you're starting from zero, the most efficient path is: pick a body type and budget, read three reviews in the same format, check deals only for those three models, and use the advice section for anything about the buying process itself.