Separation from Parent, Description of Business and Basis of Presentation	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Separation from Parent, description of business and basis of presentation	NOTE 1 Separation from Parent, description of business and basis of presentation Separation from Parent. On September 7, 2016, TEGNA Inc. (“TEGNA” or the “Parent”), our former parent company, announced its plan to separate its digital automotive marketplace business, including Cars.com, LLC, the principal entity through which TEGNA’s digital automotive marketplace business has historically been operated, and DMR Holdings, Inc. (“DealerRater”), a leading automotive dealer review website, from its other digital businesses (the “Separation”). The Separation occurred on May 31, 2017 by means of a spin-off of a newly formed company named Cars.com Inc. (“Cars.com,” the “Company,” “our,” “us,” or “we”), which now owns the digital automotive marketplace business. A Registration Statement on Form 10 relating to the Separation was filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on May 5, 2017 and declared effective by the SEC on May 15, 2017 (the “Registration Statement on Form 10”). On May 31, 2017, the Parent completed the Separation through a pro rata distribution to the Parent’s stockholders of all of the outstanding shares of our common stock, and our common stock began trading “regular way” on the New York Stock Exchange on June 1, 2017. Each holder of Parent common stock received one share of our common stock for every three shares of Parent common stock held on May 18, 2017, the record date for the distribution. The Parent structured the distribution to be tax-free to its U.S. stockholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Description of business. Cars.com is a leading online destination that helps car shoppers and owners navigate every turn of car ownership. A pioneer in automotive classifieds, the company has evolved into one of the largest digital automotive platforms, connecting consumers with local dealers across the country anytime, anywhere. Through trusted expert content, on-the-lot mobile app features, millions of new and used vehicle listings, a comprehensive set of research tools and the largest database of consumer reviews in the industry, Cars.com helps shoppers buy, sell and service their vehicles. We have approximately 35 million monthly visits to our web properties. Cars.com generates revenue through online subscription advertising products targeting car dealerships through our direct sales force as well as our affiliate sales channels. We also generate revenue through the sale of display advertising to national advertisers. Our website hosts approximately five million vehicle listings and serves approximately 21,000 franchise and independent car dealers in all 50 states. Cars.com properties include DealerRater, Auto.com, PickupTrucks.com™ and NewCars.com©. The Company is headquartered in Chicago, IL. Basis of Presentation. Historically, TEGNA has not disclosed separate combined interim financial statements for Cars.com, LLC. On August 1, 2016, TEGNA purchased 100% of DealerRater, a leading automotive dealer review website. DealerRater was included in the distribution to Cars.com as part of the Separation. The accompanying financial statements combine the activity for the acquired business from the date of acquisition and reflect the application of push down accounting. The accompanying interim financial statements are derived from the historical accounting records of TEGNA and present our financial position, results of operations and cash flows as of the periods presented as if we were a separate entity. These interim financial statements are presented in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial statements. Accordingly, the interim financial statements do not include all information and footnotes normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Since the Parent’s acquisition of Cars.com, LLC in 2014, Cars.com, LLC has primarily operated as a standalone entity within TEGNA’s broader corporate organization. The historical financial statements include allocations of certain TEGNA corporate expenses. Such costs primarily include insurance and other general corporate overhead expenses and were allocated based on either the actual costs incurred, or Cars.com, LLC’s headcount relative to our Parent’s consolidated headcount. The historical allocated corporate costs were $0.7 million and $0.1 million during the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Our management believes that such allocations are reasonable. These allocated expenses relate to the various services that have historically been provided to Cars.com, LLC by our Parent. However, such expenses may not be indicative of the actual level of expense that would have been incurred by Cars.com, LLC if it had operated as an independent, publicly-traded company or the costs expected to be incurred in the future. All of our internal intercompany accounts have been eliminated. All significant intercompany transactions between either (i) us and Parent or (ii) us and Parent 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 transactions between either (i) us and Parent or (ii) us and Parent affiliates are included in “Parent’s investment, net.” The total net effect of these intercompany transactions is reflected in the Condensed Combined Statements of Cash Flows as financing activities. These interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited annual financial statements, and notes thereto, as of and for the year ended December 31, 2016 included in our Registration Statement on Form 10. These interim financial statements follow the same accounting policies and methods in their application as the most recent audited financial statements. In the opinion of management, the interim financial statements reflect all adjustments (all of which are of a normal and recurring nature), which are necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods.

NOTE 1

Separation from Parent, description of business and basis of presentation

Separation from Parent. On September 7, 2016, TEGNA Inc. (“TEGNA” or the “Parent”), our former parent company, announced its plan to separate its digital automotive marketplace business, including Cars.com, LLC, the principal entity through which TEGNA’s digital automotive marketplace business has historically been operated, and DMR Holdings, Inc. (“DealerRater”), a leading automotive dealer review website, from its other digital businesses (the “Separation”). The Separation occurred on May 31, 2017 by means of a spin-off of a newly formed company named Cars.com Inc. (“Cars.com,” the “Company,” “our,” “us,” or “we”), which now owns the digital automotive marketplace business. A Registration Statement on Form 10 relating to the Separation was filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on May 5, 2017 and declared effective by the SEC on May 15, 2017 (the “Registration Statement on Form 10”). On May 31, 2017, the Parent completed the Separation through a pro rata distribution to the Parent’s stockholders of all of the outstanding shares of our common stock, and our common stock began trading “regular way” on the New York Stock Exchange on June 1, 2017. Each holder of Parent common stock received one share of our common stock for every three shares of Parent common stock held on May 18, 2017, the record date for the distribution. The Parent structured the distribution to be tax-free to its U.S. stockholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Description of business. Cars.com is a leading online destination that helps car shoppers and owners navigate every turn of car ownership. A pioneer in automotive classifieds, the company has evolved into one of the largest digital automotive platforms, connecting consumers with local dealers across the country anytime, anywhere. Through trusted expert content, on-the-lot mobile app features, millions of new and used vehicle listings, a comprehensive set of research tools and the largest database of consumer reviews in the industry, Cars.com helps shoppers buy, sell and service their vehicles. We have approximately 35 million monthly visits to our web properties. Cars.com generates revenue through online subscription advertising products targeting car dealerships through our direct sales force as well as our affiliate sales channels. We also generate revenue through the sale of display advertising to national advertisers. Our website hosts approximately five million vehicle listings and serves approximately 21,000 franchise and independent car dealers in all 50 states. Cars.com properties include DealerRater, Auto.com, PickupTrucks.com™ and NewCars.com©. The Company is headquartered in Chicago, IL.

Basis of Presentation. Historically, TEGNA has not disclosed separate combined interim financial statements for Cars.com, LLC. On August 1, 2016, TEGNA purchased 100% of DealerRater, a leading automotive dealer review website. DealerRater was included in the distribution to Cars.com as part of the Separation. The accompanying financial statements combine the activity for the acquired business from the date of acquisition and reflect the application of push down accounting. The accompanying interim financial statements are derived from the historical accounting records of TEGNA and present our financial position, results of operations and cash flows as of the periods presented as if we were a separate entity. These interim financial statements are presented in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial statements. Accordingly, the interim financial statements do not include all information and footnotes normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

Since the Parent’s acquisition of Cars.com, LLC in 2014, Cars.com, LLC has primarily operated as a standalone entity within TEGNA’s broader corporate organization. The historical financial statements include allocations of certain TEGNA corporate expenses. Such costs primarily include insurance and other general corporate overhead expenses and were allocated based on either the actual costs incurred, or Cars.com, LLC’s headcount relative to our Parent’s consolidated headcount. The historical allocated corporate costs were $0.7 million and $0.1 million during the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Our management believes that such allocations are reasonable. These allocated expenses relate to the various services that have historically been provided to Cars.com, LLC by our Parent. However, such expenses may not be indicative of the actual level of expense that would have been incurred by Cars.com, LLC if it had operated as an independent, publicly-traded company or the costs expected to be incurred in the future.

All of our internal intercompany accounts have been eliminated. All significant intercompany transactions between either (i) us and Parent or (ii) us and Parent 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 transactions between either (i) us and Parent or (ii) us and Parent affiliates are included in “Parent’s investment, net.” The total net effect of these intercompany transactions is reflected in the Condensed Combined Statements of Cash Flows as financing activities.

These interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited annual financial statements, and notes thereto, as of and for the year ended December 31, 2016 included in our Registration Statement on Form 10. These interim financial statements follow the same accounting policies and methods in their application as the most recent audited financial statements. In the opinion of management, the interim financial statements reflect all adjustments (all of which are of a normal and recurring nature), which are necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods.