What Is AutoGrade®?
This guide explains what AutoGrade® is, how the score is calculated, and what to look for the next time you see an AutoGrade® score on a vehicle.
What Is AutoGrade®?
AutoGrade® is a Manheim-developed condition scoring algorithm (U.S. Patent No. 8,230,362) available to the entire wholesale vehicle inspection industry — not just Manheim. It’s based on the concept introduced in the NAAA-established Condition Grading Scale Guidelines, and it has been refined over time using extensive research, data analysis, and input from customers and users.
The goal is simple: provide a consistent condition assessment across the entire industry by removing subjectivity from how a vehicle’s score is assigned. Instead of relying on one person’s opinion of a vehicle’s condition, AutoGrade® applies the same standard to every vehicle, every time.
How the Score Is Calculated
The AutoGrade® Condition Score takes into consideration the collective existing and repaired damage noted in a vehicle’s condition report. As a vehicle is inspected, any damage found is recorded, and that damage is grouped into one of three levels of impact on the final score: major, moderate, or minor.
What Impacts the AutoGrade® Score?
Major Grade Reductions
- Hail damage
- Poor previous repairs – body
- Body damage / panel replacement
- No keys present / non-drivable
- Structural damage
- Mechanical components: Does the vehicle move forward? Are the airbags deployed?
- Fire, flood, or biohazards
Moderate Grade Reductions
- Glass / windshield damage
- Wheel damage
- Body damage / repair
- Tire replacement required (3/32″ tread or less)
- Interior damage
- Damaged or missing parts
Minor Grade Reductions
- Body damage / cosmetic
- Bumpers / partial damage
- Tire wear (4/32″–7/32″)
- Acceptable previous repairs (per body panel)
For most types of damage, the size, severity, and number of occurrences of a given issue can have a graduated impact on the total score — in other words, a small amount of a certain type of damage will affect the score less than a large amount of the same type of damage.
A Few Special Rules Worth Knowing
One rule that often comes up is how tire tread depth is treated. Tire tread depth is not used to calculate the score unless a tire is marked with 3/32″ or less tread depth and has no associated tire replacement damage on that same tire.
In other words, AutoGrade® does not use both tread depth and the tire damage line item together to calculate the score for the same tire. This ensures there’s no “double dipping” that would unfairly lower a vehicle’s condition score for the same issue counted twice.
Where You’ll See AutoGrade®
You’ll find the AutoGrade® score displayed alongside the vehicle’s condition report and on the Vehicle Details Page (VDP) for every listing. Reviewing the score together with the vehicle’s images and full condition report gives you the clearest picture of what you’re bidding on — the score offers a fast summary, while the condition report and photos provide the supporting detail behind it.
Learn More
AutoGrade is a registered trademark of Cox Automotive, Inc., used with permission. For more information, connect with your sales rep or contact us here.
