Loans Car Loans What Is the Blue Book? The Blue Book Explained By Cassidy Horton Updated on June 20, 2022 Reviewed by Ebony J. Howard Reviewed by Ebony J. Howard Ebony Howard is a certified public accountant and a QuickBooks ProAdvisor tax expert. She has been in the accounting, audit, and tax profession for more than 13 years, working with individuals and a variety of companies in the health care, banking, and accounting industries. learn about our financial review board In This Article View All In This Article Definition and Examples of the Blue Book How the Blue Book Works Alternatives to the Blue Book Photo: MoMo Productions / Getty Images Definition The Blue Book (short for Kelley Blue Book) is a website and online resources that helps people buy and sell cars. Key Takeaways The Blue Book, also known as Kelley Blue Book or KBB, is a guide that provides pricing information for new and used cars, as well as specs and pictures.The Blue Book is one of the most trusted sources for car values. It's used by both consumers and dealerships to determine the value of a car.The Blue Book isn’t the only way to find car pricing information. You can use other industry-trusted resources, such as the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) and Edmunds. Definition and Examples of the Blue Book The Kelley Blue Book is a website and online resource offers car valuations for car owners, as well as car listings for buyers and sellers. The company has been in business for more than 90 years, and used to publish a physical book. It provides pricing information on new and used cars, as well as information on financing and leasing. It’s often regarded as the place to go if you're looking for an accurate valuation of your vehicle. For example, suppose Tyra is thinking of trading in her 2017 Prius for a newer model. She wants to make sure the dealership doesn’t lowball her car’s value, so she looks up the Blue Book value of her car. The Blue Book tells her $16,972 is a fair trade-in value for her car in its condition, so now she knows what to negotiate for at the dealership. Note The "fair market value" or “Blue Book value” of a vehicle is how much you could expect to pay or receive for a specific vehicle this week, based on its condition, age, make, model, and location. How the Blue Book Works The Blue Book is updated at least weekly and can be used to browse listings, get pricing information, and find out more about your favorite cars. The Blue Book is used by both consumers and dealerships to determine the value of a vehicle. Some of its most-used features are listed below. Car Values When it’s time to sell your vehicle, you want to make sure you’re getting a fair price. The Blue Book has an estimator tool to help you determine your car’s value based on its condition and whether you’re trading it in or selling it to a private party. To use the estimator, all you need to do is enter in your car’s make and model, trim information, and the condition of your vehicle. You’ll also provide the zip code where you want to sell your vehicle. For example, the trade-in value range of a 2017 Toyota Prius Two Eco in good condition is $15,742 to $17,655 for Jacksonville, Florida. The private-party value is slightly higher at $16,548 to $18,569.The estimated price range KBB gives you is based on several factors: The car’s make, model, trim, and conditionAuction salesDealership transactionsOnline vehicle listingsIn-house analytics In addition to pricing, KBB results include: The average time it should take you to sell your carHow much of the estimated value you should expect from the saleHow much effort you’ll have to put in to sell it Note The Blue Book has an Instant Cash Offer feature you can use if you want to sell your car quickly. KBB partners with local and nationwide dealerships to generate cash offers based on the information you provide about your vehicle. Cars for Sale KBB provides listings of cars for sale. You can search local inventory, find dealerships, and get a free price quote for a new car. You can also view specs and pictures of vehicles for sale, and vehicle history reports when available. Car Reviews The Blue Book releases a list of the best vehicles on the market each year, broken down into categories for cars, SUVs, trucks, minivans, EVs, and hybrids. So if you know which type of vehicle you’re looking for, you can use this information to compare top choices. You can also check out average prices for these vehicles in the Blue Book’s New Car Buyer’s Guide, read reviews from KBB editors, and shop for these vehicles directly on the site. Car Repair In addition to its estimator tool and car listings, KBB’s website has car repair resources specific to your vehicle that help you: Estimate auto repair and maintenance costsFind repair shops near youView car recallsService and repair guidesDecipher OBD-II codes Alternatives to the Blue Book If you're looking for car pricing information, the Blue Book is a popular resource. However, there are several well-known websites that offer vehicle valuations. Getting valuations from multiple sites can help you gauge the true value of your vehicle. The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) is owned by J.D. Power and Associates and is a source for car, motorcycle, RV, and boat values. You can also use this website to get pricing information for new and used vehicles, as well as specs and pictures. Edmunds, another valuation and listing site, provides price estimates for your vehicle based on the information you provide and, when applicable, instant offers from CarMax. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources The Balance uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Kelley Blue Book. "About Us." Kelley Blue Book. "Used Car Prices." Kelley Blue Book. "My Car's Value: 2017 Toyota Prius Two Eco Hatchback 4D." 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