# Autotrader API

> Autotrader returns car listings and vehicle details, available as a workflow and API.

Autotrader, also called Autotrader.com, returns car listings near a US ZIP code through Search cars. Search cars needs a car make and model plus a five-digit US ZIP code; optional filters include condition, year, price, and distance.

- Page: https://fous.com/tools/autotrader
- Handle: `@autotrader`
- Category: [Commerce](https://fous.com/tools/category/commerce)
- Source website: https://autotrader.com
- Last verified: Sep 29, 2026

## Methods

### Search cars

Operation `search_cars`, version 1. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted.

Search Autotrader car listings near a US ZIP code by make and model, with condition, price, year, and distance filters. Returns up to 100 listings in site order; some listing details may be unavailable.

**Input**

| Field | Type | Required | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `car` | string | yes | `"Toyota Camry"` | Car make and model, for example Toyota Camry. |
| `max_year` | integer | no | `2023` | Newest model year, for example 2024. |
| `min_year` | integer | no | `2018` | Oldest model year, for example 2018. |
| `zip_code` | string | yes | `"30301"` | Five-digit US ZIP code, for example 30301. |
| `condition` | string | no | `"used"` | Car condition, for example used; any includes all conditions. |
| `max_price` | number | no | `20000` | Highest asking price in USD, for example 25000. |
| `max_results` | integer | no | `30` | Maximum listings to return, for example 25; at most 100. |
| `radius_miles` | integer | no | `25` | Search radius in miles from the ZIP code, for example 50. |

**Input schema**

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "car",
    "zip_code"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "car": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Car make and model, for example Toyota Camry.",
      "examples": [
        "Toyota Camry",
        "Honda Civic"
      ]
    },
    "max_year": {
      "type": "integer",
      "minimum": 1900,
      "description": "Newest model year, for example 2024.",
      "examples": [
        2023
      ]
    },
    "min_year": {
      "type": "integer",
      "minimum": 1900,
      "description": "Oldest model year, for example 2018.",
      "examples": [
        2018
      ]
    },
    "zip_code": {
      "type": "string",
      "pattern": "^[0-9]{5}$",
      "description": "Five-digit US ZIP code, for example 30301.",
      "examples": [
        "30301",
        "10001"
      ]
    },
    "condition": {
      "enum": [
        "any",
        "new",
        "used",
        "certified"
      ],
      "type": "string",
      "default": "any",
      "description": "Car condition, for example used; any includes all conditions.",
      "examples": [
        "used",
        "certified"
      ]
    },
    "max_price": {
      "type": "number",
      "minimum": 0,
      "description": "Highest asking price in USD, for example 25000.",
      "examples": [
        20000
      ]
    },
    "max_results": {
      "type": "integer",
      "default": 25,
      "maximum": 100,
      "minimum": 1,
      "description": "Maximum listings to return, for example 25; at most 100.",
      "x-fous-developer": true,
      "examples": [
        30,
        3
      ]
    },
    "radius_miles": {
      "type": "integer",
      "default": 50,
      "minimum": 0,
      "description": "Search radius in miles from the ZIP code, for example 50.",
      "examples": [
        25
      ]
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "examples": [
    {
      "car": "Toyota Camry",
      "zip_code": "30301"
    },
    {
      "car": "Honda Civic",
      "max_year": 2023,
      "min_year": 2018,
      "zip_code": "10001",
      "condition": "used",
      "max_price": 20000,
      "max_results": 30,
      "radius_miles": 25
    },
    {
      "car": "Toyota Camry",
      "zip_code": "30301",
      "condition": "certified",
      "max_results": 3
    }
  ]
}
```

**Output**

| Field | Type | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `listings` | array |  | Car listings in Autotrader order. |
| `listings[].vin` | string or null | `"4T1BF1FK6HU812523"` | Vehicle identification number. |
| `listings[].make` | string or null | `"Toyota"` | Vehicle make. |
| `listings[].trim` | string or null | `"SE"` | Trim name. |
| `listings[].year` | integer or null | `2017` | Model year. |
| `listings[].model` | string or null | `"Camry"` | Vehicle model. |
| `listings[].price` | number or null | `14299` | Asking price in USD. |
| `listings[].mileage` | integer or null | `96430` | Odometer mileage in miles. |
| `listings[].currency` | string | `"USD"` | Price currency, USD. |
| `listings[].photo_link` | string or null | `"https://images.autotrader.com/hn/c/a8b58cf2be464254828fa60d77e2adcd.jpg"` | Primary car photo link. |
| `listings[].deal_rating` | string or null | `"Great Price"` | Shown price rating, such as Good Price. |
| `listings[].seller_name` | string or null | `"Jim Ellis Cadillac"` | Dealer or seller name. |
| `listings[].listing_link` | string | `"https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicle/792010995?allListingType=all-cars&makeCode=TOYOTA&modelCode=CAMRY&newS` | Autotrader vehicle listing page link. |
| `listings[].distance_miles` | number or null | `18.83` | Distance from ZIP code in miles. |
| `listings[].exterior_color` | string or null | `"Cosmic Gray Mica"` | Exterior color. |

**Example input**

```json
{
  "car": "Toyota Camry",
  "zip_code": "30301"
}
```

**Example output**

```json
{
  "listings": [
    {
      "vin": "4T1BF1FK6HU812523",
      "make": "Toyota",
      "trim": "SE",
      "year": 2017,
      "model": "Camry",
      "price": 14299,
      "mileage": 96430,
      "currency": "USD",
      "photo_link": "https://images.autotrader.com/hn/c/a8b58cf2be464254828fa60d77e2adcd.jpg",
      "deal_rating": "Great Price",
      "seller_name": "Jim Ellis Cadillac",
      "listing_link": "https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicle/792010995?allListingType=all-cars&makeCode=TOYOTA&modelCode=CAMRY&newSearch=false&zip=30301",
      "distance_miles": 18.83,
      "exterior_color": "Cosmic Gray Mica"
    },
    {
      "vin": "4T1K61AK3LU397273",
      "make": "Toyota",
      "trim": "XSE",
      "year": 2020,
      "model": "Camry",
      "price": 25800,
      "mileage": 44762,
      "currency": "USD",
      "photo_link": "https://images.autotrader.com/hn/c/ed36b91c650f4d9eb1f2c1b6c8099080.jpg",
      "deal_rating": "Great Price",
      "seller_name": "Jim Ellis Toyota of McDonough",
      "listing_link": "https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicle/789837710?allListingType=all-cars&makeCode=TOYOTA&modelCode=CAMRY&newSearch=false&zip=30301",
      "distance_miles": 19.21,
      "exterior_color": "Wind Chill Pearl"
    },
    {
      "vin": "4T1K61AK1NU005099",
      "make": "Toyota",
      "trim": "XSE",
      "year": 2022,
      "model": "Camry",
      "price": 30754,
      "mileage": 15619,
      "currency": "USD",
      "photo_link": "https://images.autotrader.com/hn/c/c72ce30e5b5446ca94c10e1bd6b81605.jpg",
      "deal_rating": "Great Price",
      "seller_name": "Wade Ford",
      "listing_link": "https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicle/787721553?allListingType=all-cars&makeCode=TOYOTA&modelCode=CAMRY&newSearch=false&zip=30301",
      "distance_miles": 16.32,
      "exterior_color": "Celestial Silver Metallic"
    }
  ]
}
```

## Quick start

Replace `YOUR_API_KEY` with a Fous API key. To create one, open Developers at the bottom of Fous Studio, turn on Developer mode, then go to API keys (https://app.fous.com/keys). Change the values in `input` to run the same tool on new data.

```bash
curl 'https://api.fous.com/v1/query' \
  --fail-with-body --silent --show-error --max-time 180 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data-raw '{
  "api": "@autotrader",
  "visibility": "public",
  "operation": "search_cars",
  "version": 1,
  "input": {
    "car": "Toyota Camry",
    "zip_code": "30301"
  },
  "response": {
    "format": "json"
  }
}'
```

```python
# Save as fous.py and run with python3 fous.py. No packages needed.
import json
import urllib.error
import urllib.request

api_key = "YOUR_API_KEY"

body = json.loads("{\n  \"api\": \"@autotrader\",\n  \"visibility\": \"public\",\n  \"operation\": \"search_cars\",\n  \"version\": 1,\n  \"input\": {\n    \"car\": \"Toyota Camry\",\n    \"zip_code\": \"30301\"\n  },\n  \"response\": {\n    \"format\": \"json\"\n  }\n}")
request = urllib.request.Request(
    "https://api.fous.com/v1/query",
    data=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"),
    headers={
        "Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}",
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    method="POST",
)
try:
    with urllib.request.urlopen(request, timeout=180) as response:
        result = json.load(response)
except urllib.error.HTTPError as error:
    raise RuntimeError(f"HTTP {error.code}: {error.read().decode('utf-8', errors='replace')}") from error
if result.get("success") is False:
    raise RuntimeError(result.get("error", {}).get("message", "Request failed"))
print(json.dumps(result["data"]["output"], indent=2))
```

```typescript
// Save as fous.mts and run with npx tsx fous.mts.
const apiKey = "YOUR_API_KEY";

const response = await fetch("https://api.fous.com/v1/query", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Authorization": `Bearer ${apiKey}`,
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  signal: AbortSignal.timeout(180_000),
  body: JSON.stringify({
  "api": "@autotrader",
  "visibility": "public",
  "operation": "search_cars",
  "version": 1,
  "input": {
    "car": "Toyota Camry",
    "zip_code": "30301"
  },
  "response": {
    "format": "json"
  }
}),
});
type ApiResult = { success: boolean; data?: { output: unknown }; error?: { message: string } };
const result: ApiResult = await response.json();
if (!response.ok || result.success === false) {
  throw new Error(result.error?.message ?? `HTTP ${response.status}`);
}
if (!result.data) throw new Error("Missing API response data");
console.log(result.data.output);
```

## Use from an AI assistant

Connect this tool to Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, Codex and any MCP client as its own MCP server. Each method is a typed tool whose arguments are the method’s input.

- Server URL: `https://api.fous.com/mcp/tools/autotrader`
- Authorization: `Authorization: Bearer <Fous API key>`

**Tools**

- `search_cars`: Search cars. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted.
- `fous_get_run`: the result of a run that was still going, by its `request_id`. Free.

Claude Code:

```bash
claude mcp add --scope user --transport http fous-autotrader https://api.fous.com/mcp/tools/autotrader --header "Authorization: Bearer ${FOUS_API_KEY:?Set FOUS_API_KEY to your Fous API key}"
```

To give the assistant every tool, connect `https://api.fous.com/mcp`: it finds one with `fous_search_tools` and runs it with `fous_run_tool`. Setup for other clients: https://fous.com/llms-full.txt.

## Use cases

- Compare asking prices for cars near a ZIP code
- Find used cars by make, model, and year
- Review listing mileage, trim, and exterior color
- Identify sellers and open vehicle listing pages
- Assess shown price ratings across listings

## FAQ

### Can I run it with my own inputs?

Yes. Change the inputs in Studio and press Run, or send new inputs from your code, or ask a connected AI assistant.

### Can I call this Autotrader tool as an API?

Yes. Send a POST request to /v1/query with your Fous API key and the inputs, and get JSON back.

### How much does it cost?

Each completed run costs 1 credit. Failed runs without a completed receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted. With pay as you go, a credit costs 1¢. Monthly plans cost less per credit.

### Do I need a Autotrader account?

No. You only need a Fous account.

### How current is the data?

Fous gets the data from autotrader.com when you run it. Some results are reused for up to 24 hours, and results that use your account or key are never reused. It was last verified on Sep 29, 2026.

### What cars are listed near a ZIP code?

Search cars returns listings near a five-digit US ZIP code for the specified make and model.

### What is the asking price and mileage for each car?

Search cars returns each listing’s asking price in USD and odometer mileage in miles.

### How far away are matching cars?

Search cars can filter by search radius and returns each listing’s distance from the ZIP code in miles.

## Related

- [Cars.com API](https://fous.com/tools/cars-com.md): Cars.com finds car listings by make, model, and U.S. ZIP code, and provides dealerships’ latest customer reviews when available.
- [CarGurus API](https://fous.com/tools/cargurus.md): CarGurus helps shoppers browse dealer-listed new and used cars with deal ratings, and view average used prices, price ranges and 12-month price history by model year.
- [Carfax API](https://fous.com/tools/carfax.md): Carfax provides used-car listings near a US ZIP code with free history highlights, plus open safety recalls reported by CARFAX for a VIN or US plate.
- [CarMax API](https://fous.com/tools/carmax.md): Search public CarMax used-car listings.
- [Carvana API](https://fous.com/tools/carvana.md): Search used vehicles for sale on Carvana.
- [mobile.de API](https://fous.com/tools/mobile-de.md): Search cars for sale on mobile.de.
- [Tesla API](https://fous.com/tools/tesla.md): Tesla offers new and certified pre-owned vehicles across the United States and nearby open Supercharger sites, with delivery estimates and opening hours only when available.
- [OfferUp API](https://fous.com/tools/offerup.md): Local marketplace for buying and selling items.
- [All Commerce tools](https://fous.com/tools/category/commerce)