Five in a Row:

This post is part of our “Shop Smarter” series, helping consumers navigate today’s car market with confidence.

Karl Chevrolet has earned the 2025 Carfax Top-Rated Dealer designation — for the fifth consecutive year. We are proud to share this recognition with the customers and team who made it possible.

So what does it take to earn this award? Carfax bases Top-Rated status entirely on verified customer ratings and reviews. Advertising spend and dealership size play no role. Real people share real experiences, and Carfax tallies the results. The average score among 2025 Top-Rated Dealers nationwide was 4.6 out of 5 stars. Karl Chevrolet earned a 4.8.

In fact, Carfax first issued these ratings in 2021. Since then, Karl Chevrolet has earned Top-Rated status every single year.

“It’s exciting to celebrate the success of our Carfax Lifetime Dealers, reflected in strong customer reviews,” said Gregg Cleary, Chief Revenue Officer at Carfax. “Powered by more than 10.6 million verified ratings and reviews, this recognition reflects real customer experiences and highlights dealerships built on trust and transparency.”

“We are proud of this recognition by Carfax, as it really reflects the voice of our customers,” said Leo Karl III, dealer principal at Karl Chevrolet. “Thanks to those customers who have taken the time to validate their satisfaction with the level of service our team works hard to provide each and every day. Being top-rated for five consecutive years is no easy feat, so I am especially proud of our team.”

What “Lifetime Dealer” Actually Means

Karl Chevrolet holds an additional distinction beyond Top-Rated status: we are a Carfax Lifetime Dealer. Because of this, we provide a free Carfax Vehicle History Report with every pre-owned vehicle we list. No asking. No upselling. Every time.

Additionally, as a Lifetime Dealer, we use Carfax for Life to send timely maintenance reminders to our customers. This helps us build the kind of lasting relationship that goes well beyond the sale.

We have always believed the best customer is an informed customer. Therefore, Carfax is a natural fit for how we do business. It gives shoppers the data they need, and it gives us a way to back our word with verified facts.

Reviews That Reflect Real Relationships

Why does a five-year streak matter to us? Because it shows up in the right ways. Customers return. They send their kids and neighbors our way. And they take the time to write a review because their experience was worth sharing.

Today, many of the families we serve are the second and third generation of original Karl Chevrolet customers. Some of our pre-owned vehicles first left our showroom as new cars. Our technicians have serviced them throughout their entire lives.

That kind of continuity doesn’t happen by accident. It results from nearly 100 years of doing things the same way: honestly, transparently, and with the long view in mind.

Consistent Standards in an Inconsistent Market

Dealer fees, pricing tactics, and add-on charges vary widely from one dealership to the next. For that reason, we believe verified third-party recognition matters more than ever.

At Karl Chevrolet, our standards have not changed:

• We price every vehicle against Kelley Blue Book and JD Power benchmarks — not our own math.
• Our dealer conveyance fee is $489 — one of the lowest in Connecticut. Many dealers charge $799 to $1,000 or more.
• We include a Carfax Vehicle History Report with every pre-owned vehicle. It is always included and never an add-on.
• We never charged above MSRP during the pandemic. The market would have allowed it. We chose differently.

These are not talking points. Leo Karl Sr. set these standards when he opened this dealership in 1927. His grandsons carry them forward today.

Thank You

First and foremost, this recognition belongs to our team. The sales staff, service technicians, and support staff at 261 Elm Street show up and do things the right way — even when no one is watching.

However, it also belongs to our customers. You came back. You sent your friends and family our way. And you took the time to share your experience with others.

Five years of this recognition means five years of you holding us to the standard we set for ourselves. That means everything to us.

We’ll keep earning it.

Shopping for a vehicle and want to know what to look for in a dealership? Read our guide: Car Shopping… What’s the Real Price? (karldirect.com)

You can verify our Carfax Top-Rated status on any Carfax Vehicle History Report we provide — it’s right there on the report itself.