The car data API
for apps &
AI agents.
Vehicle specs, VIN decoding, NHTSA recalls and crash-test ratings. REST API + native MCP server. One integration, from the first VIN to the full spec sheet.
Prepaid credits. No monthly subscription. See endpoint prices
Specs. Safety. Recalls.
See what you can query.
Vehicle Specifications
A 250+ field specification schema: dimensions, drivetrain, EV systems, charging and more. Available values vary by configuration.
Explore specsSafety Ratings
NHTSA 5-star crash test data — overall, frontal, side, pole, and rollover ratings with 80+ test metrics.
Explore ratingsRecalls
NHTSA recall campaigns — defect descriptions, consequences, corrective actions, and severity flags.
Explore recallsStart with a VIN.
Get the vehicle details.
Decode a 17-character VIN into available vehicle details: manufacturer, model, year and country of manufacture. Where encoded, identify the factory that built it, down to the city and state.
GET /v1/vin-decode/:vin
Identity, origin and build plant.
{ "vin": "2HKRS4H42PH412675", "make": "Honda", "model": "CR-V", "year": 2023, "country": "CANADA", "vehicle_type": "Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV)", "trim": "EX", "engine_manufacturer": "HONDA", "check_digit": { "is_valid": true }, "plant": { "city": "ALLISTON", "state": "ONTARIO", "country": "CANADA" } }
250+ vehicle fields.
One production API.
Go beyond basic VIN decode. Carstat API returns engineering-grade specs across performance, dimensions, EV battery systems, charging, chassis, towing, and more.
Hyundai Kona
2023 – present · SUV · 5 seats
Available fields vary by configuration.
Performance
power, torque, acceleration, top speed
Dimensions
length, wheelbase, cargo, turning circle
EV systems
battery, voltage, chemistry, range
Charging
AC/DC ports, connectors, regional configs
Chassis
suspension, brakes, steering, tires
Towing & load
payload, roof load, trailer ratings
Give your AI agent
vehicle data, not guesses.
Connect a compatible AI client to Carstat’s Model Context Protocol server. The server offers 12 structured tools for browsing and querying vehicle data; all tools are available with prepaid API access; client setup varies.
vehicles.search
Search & rank vehicles by metric
safety.recalls.get
NHTSA recall data
safety.recalls.search
Search recalls by make + keyword
safety.ratings.get
NHTSA safety ratings by vehicle
+ 8 more tools available
Typed outputs, a free MCP agent guide and a discoverable catalog of schemas and current query prices help your agent choose the right tool.
{
"servers": {
"carstat": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://api.carstat.app/mcp"
}
}
}
What will you build?
AI agents & chatbots
Give your assistant tools to retrieve vehicle data instead of guessing specifications. Query specs and model-level recalls through MCP.
vin.decode("WBA3A5C58DF285669")
safety.recalls.get(2022, "Ford", "Bronco Sport")
Automotive apps
Build vehicle configurators, comparison tools and spec sheets. Browse by year, make and model, then select a configuration.
GET /v1/specs/modifications/:year/:make/:model
GET /v1/specs/:modification_id
Used car marketplaces
Add specifications, model-level recall campaigns and available crash-test ratings to listings. Recall campaigns do not confirm whether an individual car has been repaired.
GET /v1/recalls/:year/:make/:model
GET /v1/safety-ratings/:year/:make/:model
Common questions.
What is a car data API?
A car data API returns structured vehicle information over HTTP. Carstat provides vehicle specifications, VIN decoding, NHTSA recall campaigns, and crash-test safety ratings as JSON for applications, with a native MCP server for compatible AI clients.
Which vehicles and markets does Carstat cover?
The specification catalog includes vehicles from the US, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Coverage and populated fields vary by year, market, and configuration. NHTSA recalls and safety ratings cover the US market, not every vehicle worldwide. Use the years, makes, and models endpoints to check your target vehicles.
How is VIN decoding different from a VIN specification lookup?
GET /v1/vin-decode/{vin} identifies a vehicle and returns available decoded attributes, such as make, model, year, and build plant. GET /v1/specs/vin/{vin} searches the specification catalog for matching configurations. A VIN may match multiple configurations or decode without a catalog match; it does not always identify one exact trim.
Does Carstat provide NHTSA recalls and repair history?
Carstat provides NHTSA recall campaigns by model year, make, and model, including campaign numbers, components, defect summaries, and remedies. These are model-level campaigns, not VIN-specific repair records or confirmation that a particular car has an open recall.
Can ChatGPT and other AI assistants use Carstat?
Carstat provides a remote Model Context Protocol (MCP) server at https://api.carstat.app/mcp. AI assistants, including ChatGPT in setups that support remote MCP connections, can use it to query vehicle data. Configure the connection and authentication for your client; availability depends on the client and account. Prepaid endpoint prices apply to every admitted billable tool call, including errors.
How is Carstat priced?
Carstat uses prepaid credits with a separate price per endpoint. All endpoints are available over REST and MCP, with no monthly subscription or feature tiers for prepaid accounts. Every admitted query spends credits, including invalid input, empty results and errors; retries are charged separately. Requests rejected before query execution, such as authentication or insufficient-credit failures, are not charged. The pricing page lists the current endpoint prices and credit purchase availability.
What programming languages are supported?
Any language that can make HTTP requests, including Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Ruby, Go, Java, and PHP. The REST API returns JSON and authenticates with an Authorization: Bearer header. The documentation includes endpoint definitions and response schemas.
Does every vehicle have all 250+ specification fields?
No. The specification schema covers 250+ fields across dimensions, drivetrain, performance, EV batteries, charging, and other categories. Available values vary by vehicle and configuration; fields without data can be null. Test representative vehicles to confirm the fields your product needs.
Start with 5,000 credits for $1.
One-time introductory offer. Every endpoint, no subscription. Top up any amount from $10 when you need more.