Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Restricted Stock Units	Car360	Follow-On Public Offering	Carvana Group	Class A Convertible Preferred Stock	Class A Common Stock Restricted Stock Units	Preferred Stock Class A Convertible Preferred Stock	Common Stock Class A Common Stock	Common Stock Class A Common Stock Restricted Stock Units	Common Stock Class A Common Stock Follow-On Public Offering	Common Stock Class B Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Additional Paid-in Capital Car360	Additional Paid-in Capital Follow-On Public Offering	Additional Paid-in Capital Carvana Group	Additional Paid-in Capital Class A Convertible Preferred Stock	Accumulated Deficit	Non-controlling Interests	Non-controlling Interests Car360	Non-controlling Interests Follow-On Public Offering
Stockholders' Equity, beginning of the period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017								100,000	18,096,000			114,664,000
Stockholders' Equity, beginning of the period at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 279,544							$ 97,127	$ 18			$ 115	$ 41,375					$ (12,899)	$ 153,808
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss	(52,672)																	(7,043)	(45,629)
Accretion of beneficial conversion feature on Class A convertible Preferred Stock								$ 1,380									$ (1,380)
Dividends on Class A Convertible Preferred Stock	(1,345)												(1,345)
Exchanges of LLC Units (in shares)									1,436,000			(1,341,000)
Exchanges of LLC Units									$ 2			$ (2)	1,540						(1,540)
Establishment of deferred tax assets related to increases in tax basis in Carvana Group					$ 7,484											$ 7,484
Establishment of valuation allowance related to deferred tax assets associated with increases in tax basis in Carvana Group					(7,484)											(7,484)
Adjustments to non-controlling interests									$ 2			$ (2)	1,540						(1,540)
Forfeitures of restricted stock and restricted stock surrendered in lieu of withholding taxes (in shares)									(20,000)
Forfeitures of restricted stock and restricted stock surrendered in lieu of withholding taxes	(160)												(160)
Options exercised (in shares)									4,000
Options exercised	63												63
Equity-based compensation	1,510												1,510
Stockholders' Equity, end of the period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2018								100,000	19,516,000			113,323,000
Stockholders' Equity, end of the period at Mar. 31, 2018	226,940							$ 98,507	$ 20			$ 113	41,603					(19,942)	106,639
Stockholders' Equity, beginning of the period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017								100,000	18,096,000			114,664,000
Stockholders' Equity, beginning of the period at Dec. 31, 2017	279,544							$ 97,127	$ 18			$ 115	41,375					(12,899)	153,808
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss	(103,922)
Accretion of beneficial conversion feature on Class A convertible Preferred Stock	(1,380)					$ 1,400
Stockholders' Equity, end of the period (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2018								100,000	34,242,000			105,817,000
Stockholders' Equity, end of the period at Jun. 30, 2018	359,109							$ 98,507	$ 34			$ 106	95,008					(29,907)	195,361
Stockholders' Equity, beginning of the period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2018								100,000	19,516,000			113,323,000
Stockholders' Equity, beginning of the period at Mar. 31, 2018	226,940							$ 98,507	$ 20			$ 113	41,603					(19,942)	106,639
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss	(51,250)																	(9,965)	(41,285)
Accretion of beneficial conversion feature on Class A convertible Preferred Stock	0
Dividends on Class A Convertible Preferred Stock	(1,375)												(1,375)
Exchanges of LLC Units (in shares)									8,133,000			(7,506,000)
Exchanges of LLC Units									$ 7			$ (7)	11,052	$ 1,297	$ (132,375)				(11,052)	$ (1,297)	$ 132,375
Establishment of deferred tax assets related to increases in tax basis in Carvana Group					63,748											63,748
Establishment of valuation allowance related to deferred tax assets associated with increases in tax basis in Carvana Group					(63,748)											(63,748)
Issuance of Class A common stock (in shares)									6,600,000
Issuance of Class A common stock, value	172,287		$ 9,981						$ 7				172,280							9,981
Adjustments to non-controlling interests									$ 7			$ (7)	11,052	$ 1,297	(132,375)				(11,052)	$ (1,297)	132,375
Forfeitures of restricted stock and restricted stock surrendered in lieu of withholding taxes (in shares)									(16,000)
Forfeitures of restricted stock and restricted stock surrendered in lieu of withholding taxes	(163)												(163)
Options exercised (in shares)									9,000
Options exercised	106												106
Equity-based compensation	2,583												2,583
Stockholders' Equity, end of the period (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2018								100,000	34,242,000			105,817,000
Stockholders' Equity, end of the period at Jun. 30, 2018	359,109							$ 98,507	$ 34			$ 106	95,008					(29,907)	195,361
Stockholders' Equity, beginning of the period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018								0	41,208,000			104,336,000
Stockholders' Equity, beginning of the period at Dec. 31, 2018	227,428							$ 0	$ 41			$ 104	147,916					(74,653)	154,020
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss	(82,596)																	(28,549)	(54,047)
Exchanges of LLC Units (in shares)									2,020,000			(1,984,000)
Exchanges of LLC Units									$ 2			$ (2)	1,899						(1,899)
Establishment of deferred tax assets related to increases in tax basis in Carvana Group					25,582											25,582
Establishment of valuation allowance related to deferred tax assets associated with increases in tax basis in Carvana Group					(25,582)											(25,582)
Contribution of Class A common stock from related party (in shares)									(72,000)
Issuance of Class A common stock (in shares)										74,000
Adjustments to non-controlling interests									$ 2			$ (2)	1,899						(1,899)
Forfeitures of restricted stock and restricted stock surrendered in lieu of withholding taxes (in shares)									(14,000)
Forfeitures of restricted stock and restricted stock surrendered in lieu of withholding taxes	(433)												(433)
Options exercised (in shares)									27,000
Options exercised	426												426
Equity-based compensation	8,022												8,022
Stockholders' Equity, end of the period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019								0	43,243,000			102,352,000
Stockholders' Equity, end of the period at Mar. 31, 2019	152,847							$ 0	$ 43			$ 102	157,830					(103,202)	98,074
Stockholders' Equity, beginning of the period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018								0	41,208,000			104,336,000
Stockholders' Equity, beginning of the period at Dec. 31, 2018	227,428							$ 0	$ 41			$ 104	147,916					(74,653)	154,020
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss	(146,655)
Accretion of beneficial conversion feature on Class A convertible Preferred Stock	0
Exchanges of LLC Units													3,500						(3,500)
Issuance of Class A common stock (in shares)		100,000					113,850
Adjustments to non-controlling interests													3,500						(3,500)
Stockholders' Equity, end of the period (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019								0	49,732,000			101,381,000
Stockholders' Equity, end of the period at Jun. 30, 2019	393,817							$ 0	$ 50			$ 101	263,409					(129,812)	260,069
Stockholders' Equity, beginning of the period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019								0	43,243,000			102,352,000
Stockholders' Equity, beginning of the period at Mar. 31, 2019	152,847							$ 0	$ 43			$ 102	157,830					(103,202)	98,074
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss	(64,059)																	(26,610)	(37,449)
Accretion of beneficial conversion feature on Class A convertible Preferred Stock	0
Exchanges of LLC Units (in shares)									1,612,000			(971,000)
Exchanges of LLC Units	1								$ 2			$ (1)	1,571		(201,015)				(1,571)		201,015
Establishment of deferred tax assets related to increases in tax basis in Carvana Group					33,573											33,573
Establishment of valuation allowance related to deferred tax assets associated with increases in tax basis in Carvana Group					$ (33,573)											$ (33,573)
Contribution of Class A common stock from related party (in shares)									(43,000)
Issuance of Class A common stock (in shares)		0.0					42,240			78,000	4,830,000
Issuance of Class A common stock, value				$ 297,611							$ 5				297,606
Adjustments to non-controlling interests	1								$ 2			$ (1)	1,571		$ (201,015)				(1,571)		$ 201,015
Forfeitures of restricted stock and restricted stock surrendered in lieu of withholding taxes (in shares)									(13,000)
Forfeitures of restricted stock and restricted stock surrendered in lieu of withholding taxes	(1,557)												(1,557)
Options exercised (in shares)									25,000
Options exercised	372												372
Equity-based compensation	8,602												8,602
Stockholders' Equity, end of the period (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019								0	49,732,000			101,381,000
Stockholders' Equity, end of the period at Jun. 30, 2019	$ 393,817							$ 0	$ 50			$ 101	$ 263,409					$ (129,812)	$ 260,069