Methodology

How We Collect and Verify Data

Car Fact Sheet combines data from government agencies and independent research organizations to provide a comprehensive view of new vehicle cost, safety, and reliability. This page explains every data source, every formula, and every limitation.

Data Sources

EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)

Fuel economy data comes from the EPA's annual fuel economy dataset published at fueleconomy.gov. EPA tests are conducted in controlled laboratory conditions using standardized drive cycles. Real-world fuel economy depends on driving conditions, habits, and vehicle maintenance.

What we use: Combined MPG, city MPG, highway MPG, annual fuel cost estimates, CO2 emissions, GHG score, smog score.

Resolution: Per trim. Each trim/engine/transmission combination has its own EPA rating.

Update cadence: The EPA publishes updated fuel economy data annually, typically in January. Fuel prices used in cost estimates are updated more frequently.

NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

Safety ratings come from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). NHTSA tests vehicles in frontal crash, side crash, and rollover resistance scenarios and assigns a 1-to-5 star rating.

Recall data comes from NHTSA's recall database. Recalls are issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA identifies a safety-related defect.

What we use: Overall safety rating, frontal crash rating, side crash rating, rollover rating, rollover probability, recall campaigns, affected components.

Resolution: Safety ratings are per model (not per trim). Recalls are per model year.

Update cadence: NHTSA publishes safety ratings as vehicles are tested, typically throughout the year. Recall data is updated continuously.

IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)

Crash test ratings come from IIHS, an independent nonprofit funded by auto insurers. IIHS tests complement NHTSA by evaluating different crash scenarios including small overlap frontal, side, and roof strength.

What we use: Individual crash test ratings (Good/Acceptable/Marginal/Poor), Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ designations, front crash prevention ratings.

Resolution: Per model. IIHS typically tests the most popular configuration.

Update cadence: Annual. IIHS publishes updated ratings each February.

RepairPal

Reliability ratings come from RepairPal, which aggregates repair data from a network of certified auto repair shops. Ratings are based on repair frequency, severity, and cost.

What we use: Overall reliability rating (out of 5.0).

Resolution: Per model.

AAA (American Automobile Association)

Ownership cost estimates come from AAA's annual Your Driving Costs study. These are averages for vehicle classes, not specific models.

What we use: Estimated annual costs for maintenance, insurance, depreciation, registration/taxes, and financing.

Resolution: Per vehicle class (e.g., "Compact SUV"). These are not specific to any model.

Important: AAA cost estimates are class averages. Your actual costs depend on your location, driving history, insurance rates, and maintenance patterns.

Manufacturer Specifications

Vehicle specifications (dimensions, engine, transmission, drivetrain) come from manufacturer-reported data.

Resolution: Per trim.

Derived Fields

Several fields on the site are computed from source data:

• Annual Fuel Cost = (miles per year / combined MPG) x fuel price per gallon. Uses EPA's standard 15,000 miles/year and current average fuel price.
• 5-Year Fuel Cost = Annual fuel cost x 5.
• HP per Ton = Horsepower / (curb weight in lbs / 2000).
• Price per HP = Base MSRP / horsepower.
• Estimated 5-Year TCO = MSRP + (5-year fuel cost) + (AAA annual maintenance x 5) + (AAA annual insurance x 5).

Signals

Vehicles receive letter grades (A through F) on three axes: Safety, Fuel Cost, and Reliability. These signal badges appear at the top of every vehicle page. Grades are based on published data, not editorial judgment.

• Safety: A = 5-star NHTSA + IIHS TSP/TSP+. B = 5-star NHTSA only. C = 4-star NHTSA. D = 3-star or lower. F = not rated.
• Fuel Cost: Based on percentile rank within body type and price segment. A = top 20%. B = 20-40%. C = 40-60%. D = 60-80%. F = bottom 20%.
• Reliability: A = RepairPal 4.0+. B = 3.5-3.9. C = 3.0-3.4. D = 2.5-2.9. F = below 2.5.

Full grading methodology is documented in our grading criteria page.

Data Summaries

Some vehicle pages include an auto-generated Data Summary block near the top of the page.

• It is generated from the same published fields used elsewhere on the page: crash-test results, recall counts, fuel-cost grades, RepairPal reliability ratings, and estimated ownership cost.
• It is not an editorial review, endorsement, or personalized buying recommendation.
• When important source coverage is missing, especially NHTSA or IIHS crash data, the summary is expected to say that directly rather than filling the gap with opinion.
• Comparable-model links in that block are generated from the dataset's existing similarity map, then narrowed with same-year preference and conservative price guardrails. They are intended to suggest nearby data matches, not to rank substitutes.

If the summary and the detailed source sections ever disagree, the detailed sections and the linked source data should be treated as authoritative.

Known Limitations

• Used cars are not covered. The current dataset includes model years 2024-2026.
• Insurance cost estimates are class averages from AAA, not personalized quotes.
• Depreciation estimates are class averages, not model-specific.
• Some vehicles lack NHTSA or IIHS ratings because they have not been tested.
• EPA fuel economy estimates are based on laboratory testing and may differ from real-world results.
• RepairPal data may not be available for very new models.

Error Reporting

If you find incorrect data on this site, please report it to data@carfactsheet.com with the vehicle and the field that appears incorrect. We verify all reports against the original source and correct confirmed errors.