Shopping for a used car in Canada shouldn’t feel like detective work, but it usually does. You bounce between AutoTrader, dealer sites, valuation tools, and whatever a seller “thinks” their car is worth, and somehow you’re still left wondering whether the thing has heated seats or just heated opinions.
CarCostCanada looked at this chaos and built the one thing Canadian used-car shoppers have always needed—but somehow never got: the Market Value Report – Used, better known as the MVR-Used. And yes, it changes everything.
The magic of this report is simple: it combines all the information scattered across listings, valuation sites, OEM archives, and dealer tools into one clean, easy-to-understand snapshot. Instead of bouncing around the internet like a desperate parts-runner, you get a complete picture—from trim level accuracy to market value—before you ever contact a seller.
The first and most impressive piece is the fair market value. Not a guess, not a generic “book number,” but a real, mileage-adjusted price based on what similar vehicles actually sell for across the country. You also get a pricing curve that shows you immediately whether the seller is being realistic or optimistic to the point of comedy.
Then there’s the trim-level clarity. Anyone who’s ever looked at a used vehicle listing knows the pain of “I think it’s the EX… maybe the LX… hang on, let me check.” The MVR-Used spells out exactly what the vehicle is, what it came with when new, and what equipment it should still have. No more surprise cloth seats on a supposedly “fully loaded” model.
And here’s where the MVR-Used becomes truly dealership-grade: it includes the original MSRP and the price of the factory options. That means you can instantly see how the car was configured when new, how much value it’s actually retained, and whether depreciation is working in your favour or quietly mugging you.
All of this is wrapped up with full vehicle specifications—engine, drivetrain, technology, safety, fuel economy, towing, you name it. It’s the kind of reference dealerships use behind the scenes, but now accessible to every CarCostCanada member without the insider lingo.
Most importantly, CarCostCanada isn’t trying to sell you a vehicle. There are no paid placements, no sponsored listings, and no gentle nudges toward “featured” inventory. The MVR-Used exists for one purpose: to give Canadians unbiased, accurate research before they buy.
Used-car shopping is already confusing enough. The MVR-Used simply hands you the truth—clear, complete, and Canadian. Once you see what a properly researched used car looks like on paper, it’s hard to go back to guessing your way through listings.
If you’re ready to shop smarter, negotiate confidently, and skip the used-car mystery game altogether, CarCostCanada’s MVR-Used is where your search should begin.
When you know more, you pay less. And this is the tool that finally lets Canadians know it all.
James Matthews is the President, General Manager and Co-Founder of LeaseBusters. James launched LeaseBusters in 1990 and is considered one of Canada’s leading experts on new vehicle leases, lease-take-overs and vehicle lease (re)marketing. James can be reached directly at jmatthews at leasebusters.com
