How We Score Cars: The Saucey Score Explained

At CarSauce, we know that car reviews can feel like a numbers game—where most publications use a generic 10-point system that often results in inflated scores and a lack of real differentiation between models. We think that system is outdated and, frankly, misleading.

That’s why we’ve overhauled our Saucey Score to be more transparent, more meaningful, and more useful for real car buyers.

What Makes the Saucey Score Different?

Most car reviews don’t tell you the full story. It’s easy to look at a 9/10 rating and assume the car is nearly perfect - but is it? Does a 7/10 mean a car is just average, or does it hide some serious drawbacks?

Instead of an arbitrary 10-point scale, we now use a 5-star rating system across key areas, making it easier to compare cars fairly. Plus, we’ve introduced a final letter grade (A+ to F) that sums up our overall thoughts in a way that’s instantly understandable - just like you’d expect from a school report card.

This means you don’t have to interpret vague scores - we make it crystal clear how good (or bad) a car really is.

How the Saucey Score Works

We evaluate each car based on multiple key criteria, carefully tailored to the type of vehicle. For example:

• Utes & vans will have a dedicated load/tub rating instead of a ‘technology’ score.
• EVs will have a battery & charging section instead of fuel economy.
• Performance cars will be judged on driving dynamics and engagement more than on cargo space.

Each category gets a star rating out of 5, which we average to create the car’s final score. But the letter grade is where we take things a step further - this is where our expert team adds context, real-world usability, and a fun factor that numbers alone can’t capture.

Every grade goes through a peer review process within the CarSauce team, ensuring we provide a balanced and fair assessment before publishing.

Why Are Our Scores Harsher?

Because we believe in honest, no-BS reviews.

Many car publications have suspiciously high ratings across the board - because, let’s face it, commercial relationships and advertising deals can make it hard to be brutally honest. We don’t play that game.

We’re here to tell it like it is so that you know exactly what you’re getting into. If a car deserves praise, we’ll give it. If it falls short, we won’t sugarcoat it. That means some scores might seem harsh, but they’re always fair.

Our motto? If manufacturers make great cars, they’ll get great ratings. Simple.

A More Interactive & Community-Driven Score

We’re not just telling you what we think - we want to hear what you think too.

Every review now includes a voting system where you can rate whether our grade is:

⬇️ Too Low
⬆️ Too High
✅ Just Right

The percentages of each vote are displayed in real-time, so you can see how the community feels about our verdict. It’s a transparent way to ensure our reviews stay fair, balanced, and accountable.

The Saucey Score: Built for You

At the end of the day, our goal is simple: helping you make the right car-buying decision with a rating system that actually makes sense.

🚗 Clear, honest, and transparent
⭐ Easy-to-understand 5-star ratings
🎓 Final letter grade for quick takeaways
👥 Community feedback for extra insight

So whether you’re looking for your next daily driver, family car, or performance machine, you can trust the Saucey Score to give you the most honest and most useful car ratings in Australia.

Because at CarSauce, we’re here to help you buy smart - not just follow the crowd.

Looking to Buy Your Next Car?

Found a car you love but want the best deal possible? With CarSauce Buy, we take the hassle out of car buying - negotiating on your behalf to secure the best price with zero stress.

🚗 Hassle-free car buying
💰 Get the best price, guaranteed
📄 No pushy sales tactics - just real deals

👉 Check out CarSauce Buy here and let us do the hard work for you!