Description of Business, Company History and Basis of Presentation	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Description of Business, Company History and Basis of Presentation	Note 1. Description of business, company history and basis of presentation Description of business. Cars.com Inc., (the “Company” or CARS) is a leading digital marketplace and solutions provider for the automotive industry that connects car shoppers with sellers and original equipment manufacturers (“OEM”s). The Company’s marketplace empowers shoppers with the resources and information to make confident car buying decisions while our digital solutions and technology platform help sellers improve operational efficiency, profitability and sales. The Company’s portfolio of brands includes Cars.com, Dealer Inspire and DealerRater, in addition to Auto.com, PickupTrucks.com and NewCars.com. Company History. 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 with the United States (“U.S.”) Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on Form 10 relating to the Separation, 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. The Company’s common stock began trading “regular way” on the New York Stock Exchange on June 1, 2017. 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 “DI Acquisition”) in 2018. The post-DI 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). 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 SEC. The Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements include the accounts of CARS and its 100% owned subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated in consolidation. Prior to the Separation, the Company’s financial statements were derived from the historical accounting records of TEGNA and reflect the Company’s financial results as if the Company were a separate entity. The historical financial statements include allocations of certain TEGNA corporate overhead expenses and totaled $2.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. All significant intercompany transactions between either (i) the Company and TEGNA or (ii) the Company and TEGNA affiliates have been included within the Consolidated and Combined 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.

Description of Business, Company History and Basis of Presentation

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Description of Business, Company History and Basis of Presentation

Note 1. Description of business, company history and basis of presentation

Description of business. Cars.com Inc., (the “Company” or CARS) is a leading digital marketplace and solutions provider for the automotive industry that connects car shoppers with sellers and original equipment manufacturers (“OEM”s). The Company’s marketplace empowers shoppers with the resources and information to make confident car buying decisions while our digital solutions and technology platform help sellers improve operational efficiency, profitability and sales. The Company’s portfolio of brands includes Cars.com, Dealer Inspire and DealerRater, in addition to Auto.com, PickupTrucks.com and NewCars.com.

Company History. 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 with the United States (“U.S.”) Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on Form 10 relating to the Separation, 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. The Company’s common stock began trading “regular way” on the New York Stock Exchange on June 1, 2017.

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 “DI Acquisition”) in 2018. The post-DI 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).

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 SEC. The Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements include the accounts of CARS and its 100% owned subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated in consolidation.

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

All significant intercompany transactions between either (i) the Company and TEGNA or (ii) the Company and TEGNA affiliates have been included within the Consolidated and Combined 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.