Description of Business and Basis of Presentation	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Description of Business and Basis of Presentation	Note 1. Description of business and basis of presentation Description of business. Cars.com is a leading two-sided digital automotive marketplace that connects car shoppers with sellers and manufacturers (“OEM”s), empowering shoppers with the resources and information to make informed buying decisions. The Company’s portfolio of brands includes Cars.com, Dealer Inspire and DealerRater, in addition to Auto.com, PickupTrucks.com and NewCars.com, Dealer Inspire and DealerRater provide digital solutions for car dealers, including cutting-edge dealer websites, technology and reputation management solutions that improve automotive selling for local dealerships and national OEM brands. In a rapidly changing market, Cars.com enables automotive dealers and manufacturers with innovative technical solutions and data-driven intelligence to better reach and influence ready-to-buy shoppers, increase inventory turn and gain market share. Basis of Presentation. These accompanying Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and the rules and regulations of the United State (“U.S.”) Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements include the accounts of Cars.com and its 100% owned subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain prior year balances have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. In May 2017, the Company separated from its former parent company, TEGNA Inc. (“TEGNA”) by means of a spin-off of a newly formed company, Cars.com Inc. (the “Spin”), which now owns TEGNA’s former digital automotive marketplace business (the “Separation”). The Company filed a Registration Statement on Form 10 relating to the Separation with the SEC, which was declared effective on May 15, 2017. On May 31, 2017, the Company made a $650.0 million cash transfer to TEGNA and TEGNA completed the Separation through a pro rata distribution to its stockholders of all of the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock. Each holder of TEGNA common stock received one share of the Company’s common stock for every three shares of TEGNA common stock held on May 18, 2017, the record date for the distribution. TEGNA structured the distribution to be tax-free to its U.S. stockholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The Company’s common stock began trading “regular way” on the New York Stock Exchange on June 1, 2017. Prior to the Separation, the Company’s financial statements were derived from the historical accounting records of TEGNA and reflects the Company’s financial results as if the Company was a separate entity. The historical financial statements include allocations of certain TEGNA corporate overhead expenses and totaled $2.5 million and $2.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. All significant intercompany transactions between either (i) the Company and TEGNA or (ii) the Company and TEGNA affiliates have been included within the financial statements and are considered to be effectively settled through equity contributions or distributions at the time the transactions were recorded. The accumulated net effect of intercompany and certain post-Separation transactions, between either (i) the Company and TEGNA or (ii) the Company and TEGNA affiliates are included in “Transactions with TEGNA, net.” The total net effect of these intercompany or certain post-Separation transactions is reflected in the Consolidated and Combined Statements of Cash Flows as financing activities. In February 2018, the Company acquired all of the outstanding stock of Dealer Inspire, Inc. and substantially all of the net assets of Launch Digital Marketing LLC (the “Acquisition”) in 2018. The post-Acquisition business related to Dealer Inspire, Inc. and Launch Digital Marketing LLC is referred to collectively as “Dealer Inspire”. For additional information, see Note 4 (Business Combination).

Description of Business and Basis of Presentation

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Description of Business and Basis of Presentation

Note 1. Description of business and basis of presentation

Description of business. Cars.com is a leading two-sided digital automotive marketplace that connects car shoppers with sellers and manufacturers (“OEM”s), empowering shoppers with the resources and information to make informed buying decisions. The Company’s portfolio of brands includes Cars.com, Dealer Inspire and DealerRater, in addition to Auto.com, PickupTrucks.com and NewCars.com, Dealer Inspire and DealerRater provide digital solutions for car dealers, including cutting-edge dealer websites, technology and reputation management solutions that improve automotive selling for local dealerships and national OEM brands. In a rapidly changing market, Cars.com enables automotive dealers and manufacturers with innovative technical solutions and data-driven intelligence to better reach and influence ready-to-buy shoppers, increase inventory turn and gain market share.

Basis of Presentation. These accompanying Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and the rules and regulations of the United State (“U.S.”) Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements include the accounts of Cars.com and its 100% owned subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain prior year balances have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.

In May 2017, the Company separated from its former parent company, TEGNA Inc. (“TEGNA”) by means of a spin-off of a newly formed company, Cars.com Inc. (the “Spin”), which now owns TEGNA’s former digital automotive marketplace business (the “Separation”). The Company filed a Registration Statement on Form 10 relating to the Separation with the SEC, which was declared effective on May 15, 2017. On May 31, 2017, the Company made a $650.0 million cash transfer to TEGNA and TEGNA completed the Separation through a pro rata distribution to its stockholders of all of the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock. Each holder of TEGNA common stock received one share of the Company’s common stock for every three shares of TEGNA common stock held on May 18, 2017, the record date for the distribution. TEGNA structured the distribution to be tax-free to its U.S. stockholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The Company’s common stock began trading “regular way” on the New York Stock Exchange on June 1, 2017.

Prior to the Separation, the Company’s financial statements were derived from the historical accounting records of TEGNA and reflects the Company’s financial results as if the Company was a separate entity. The historical financial statements include allocations of certain TEGNA corporate overhead expenses and totaled $2.5 million and $2.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

All significant intercompany transactions between either (i) the Company and TEGNA or (ii) the Company and TEGNA affiliates have been included within the financial statements and are considered to be effectively settled through equity contributions or distributions at the time the transactions were recorded. The accumulated net effect of intercompany and certain post-Separation transactions, between either (i) the Company and TEGNA or (ii) the Company and TEGNA affiliates are included in “Transactions with TEGNA, net.” The total net effect of these intercompany or certain post-Separation transactions is reflected in the Consolidated and Combined Statements of Cash Flows as financing activities.

In February 2018, the Company acquired all of the outstanding stock of Dealer Inspire, Inc. and substantially all of the net assets of Launch Digital Marketing LLC (the “Acquisition”) in 2018. The post-Acquisition business related to Dealer Inspire, Inc. and Launch Digital Marketing LLC is referred to collectively as “Dealer Inspire”. For additional information, see Note 4 (Business Combination).